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21 August 2026

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Opinion

Tougher words on academy pay are welcome, but we need action

The Department for Education’s move to toughen up rules over academy trust executive pay and good governance is welcome, but it misses two crucial points, argues Gillian Allcroft.   The academies financial handbook is updated annually and describes the principles of good financial management and governance that all academies should abide by. This latest version […]

We need a Bacc for the future, not a curriculum from 1904

The English Baccalaueate is driving pupils – especially those from poorer backgrounds – away from creative subjects. This cannot stand, argues Deborah Annetts After 18 months, the government has finally published its long-awaited response to the EBacc consultation. And it isn’t good news. Ambitious plans to have 90% of pupils in England study the English Baccalaureate […]

The NFF is saved – but major issues still remain for schools funding

The government has rescued the National Funding Formula by the skin of its teeth. The Education Policy Institute was clear that Justine Greening would need to give clarity over whether the National Funding Formula would be introduced in 2018 as planned, before parliament breaks for the summer recess. Today she gave that clarity, along with […]

Corbyn and Rayner have the wrong ideas for schools

Tory education policies in the 2017 election didn’t hit home with voters, but Jeremy Corbyn has the wrong ideas for schools, argues George Looker The government’s election campaign has been widely criticised for failing to set out a positive vision and lacking broad appeal to voters. Now that the campaign is over (for the time […]

Schools need to address the last acceptable form of racism

Racism is treated with due seriousness in all schools. Except, that is, for racism against gypsies, Roma and travellers, says Ellie Mulcahy Gypsies, Roma and travellers are the most underrepresented minority group in UK universities. About 3 to 4 per cent of GRT people aged 18 to 30 access higher education, compared with 43 per […]

We need to ditch Progress 8

Progress 8 is an embarrassment, says Tom Sherrington, a measure far removed from any sense of what the quality of schooling should be Every time I blog about Progess 8 and the disproportionate impact a few students can have or the depressing curriculum decision-making that it drives in schools, someone will try to explain the […]

Three stars and a wish: my end-of-year report card for the DfE

I know “feedback” is a contentious issue these days – what with triple marking, and lollipop sticks, and everyone going crazy about exam mark schemes. But there’s something I still love about the simple “three stars and a wish” format I was taught in teacher training. Three good things, one thing that could be better. […]

Don’t throw the SATs out with their administrator

A lot of loud voices in the sector are calling for an end to SATs after the latest marking fiasco. Allana Gay calls for calm before we make any rash decisions These are testing times. The release of the key stage 2 SATs results, and the catalogue of errors that came with it, has prompted […]