Skip to content
26 April 2026

Become a member today for unlimited access to Schools Week

Enjoy expert journalism on schools policy with fewer ads and exclusive benefits
subscribe

Opinion

Primary assessment: the good, the bad and the ugly

The changes to primary assessment and accountability have been under review for the best part of five years, and even now there are many unanswered questions Many of the questions surrounding the new primary assessment are impossible to answer until the first round of statutory tests next May. Others will hopefully emerge in the coming […]

Ofsted says you can see their evidence – but should you ask?

Complaints about schools inspectorate Ofsted are ten-a-penny. It was therefore a shame to see good news buried in the final section of a letter sent by Sir Michael Wilshaw to the education select committee. As our cover story reveals, it read: “”Ofsted has, for some time, been providing inspection ‘evidence bases’ to the public on […]

Governors might be in danger of getting too much attention

As a chair of governors I agree with Michael Wilshaw’s commentary that “Governance is an issue that does not always get the attention it merits”. That is certainly true of Ofsted inspections which until recently have only given it token attention. It is also true of the research community who have largely neglected it. Government […]

Forget Careers Advice, What Year 1 Pupils Really Need Are Enterprise Skills

As Enterprise Week is underway in schools, Tom Ravenscroft explains why entrepreneurialism is an important skill even for very young children. The problem with enterprise, someone astutely pointed out to me, is that everyone thinks they know what it is – but each definition is different. Global Entrepreneurship Week each year brings that very much […]

Know the risk of getting outside help with procurement

Schools are busy, under-resourced places that often turn to outside agencies for help. But beware: there is a trade-off between getting the job done and the potential risks of doing so Budget constraints and the scale of academy conversions has led to different buying responsibilities landing in the trays of teachers and school business managers. […]

Restraint in school – what the law says

You hope you will never have to use restraint, but if your duty of care leaves you with little choice: know your school procedure and record everything The latest school shooting in the US and stories of children being locked in classrooms in the UK have once again highlighted the issue of restraint and how […]

Has collaboration over-reached itself?

Research studies on collaboration should switch their focus from staff development and support to pupil attainment Collaboration between schools is now seen as an important way to improve educational performance. Yet little is known definitively about what impact this has for improving pupil attainment. Despite the popular rhetoric, most studies are qualitative and focus on […]