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22 May 2026

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Opinion

Will Lucy Powell be a great shadow education secretary?

It’s too soon to say and she got off to a slightly shaky start, but three speeches in and the signs are that the government is not going to have it easy Watching Lucy Powell give a speech three times is a bit like observing a teacher in their first few months. The first time […]

How to help your school stand out online

The internet has become the primary source of information for parents looking for the best school for their child, which means you need a strong online visibility. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) can help 1. Focus on content and structuring The two most crucial elements of optimising your school’s online visibility are making sure your site is regularly […]

Answer the call of technology

Much of the debate about technology in the classroom isn’t above the level of tech = bad, textbooks = good. But forget the negative, technology (and that includes those mobile phones) present enormous opportunities It may surprise you that, given my job title, I’m pretty sceptical about technology as an educational tool in general and […]

The inspectors can’t make 102 school judgments AND worry about governors

The new governance section in the School Inspection Handbook is more helpful and realistic for governors than it is for inspectors Over the summer Ofsted has helpfully modified the section of its School Inspection Handbook dealing with governance, clarifying and extending its draft version in response to feedback. While this is commendable, a major question needs answering: […]

Can Corbyn get his way on comprehensives?

How will Jeremy Corbyn’s unwavering commitment to cull the 11-plus and the remaining grammar schools work, politically and practically speaking, now that he has become leader? For starters, it will mean a chance – at last – of starting a national conversation about the extent and reality of selection in England in the 21st century […]

Independent schools do change lives

The abolition of the assisted places scheme and grammar system has contributed to a decline in social mobility As the headmistress of an independent girls’ secondary school, it might be reasonable to expect criticism from those who probably have never had first-hand experience of life in an independent school. But we shouldn’t shirk issues for […]

Put the students’ interests at your school’s core

Social mobility is something that all educators aim for, but there are things that you need to consider first Beware the American dream It simply isn’t true that anyone can be anything they want in life, so long as they work for it. We must encourage young people to set their goals high, but our […]

Is the teacher shortage real?

One question has plagued the Schools Week office for months: how can every school leader say they are battling a recruitment crisis, and yet we can’t see any statistical evidence of it? Even worse: we can’t see any reason for it. And without that, we haven’t a hope of investigating solutions. So, over the summer […]