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22 May 2026

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Opinion

Too much toe? – The peril of sandals in the classrooms

Nancy Gedge knows that summer brings tough clothing decisions – especially for women. And what sort of shoe is ‘appropriate’ in a sweltering classroom, anyway? About six years ago I went back to teaching.  Up until then I had been on an extended maternity leave, and after making the decision to return to the classroom, […]

Free schools: what to ask

Labour’s views are based on a reality that has long dissolved; free schools are no longer for white middle-class parents in areas where they are not wanted It’s nearing the end of the general election campaign and time to get down to the detail in education policies. But there’s one thing we know for certain: […]

‘If I were education secretary…’

I would ask to stay in my job for the rest of the government’s term and in that time seek to make myself largely redundant. I would start off with a big conversation about the purpose of education, with a view to recognising that it should make the world a better place. I would consider […]

‘If I were education secretary…’

Secondary education is too exam-focused. There is also too much specialisation too early (after GCSE), too little variety between schools and within curricula, too many reforms with every change of government, too little practical preparation for life after education, and too great a jump between school and university. If I were secretary of state, I […]

‘If I were education secretary…’

Differences between children’s performance at school are not just due to differences in parenting and home life or differences in teachers and school life — to an even greater extent, they are due to DNA differences between children. These differences account for more than half of the differences in performance from reception through to GCSE. […]

If we can’t take politics out of education, can we at least minimise it?

“Get politics out of education” is a heartfelt cry heard in many forms. But can it work? A general election makes the removal of politics from education policy all the more attractive. It is easy to sympathise with the idea given the toxic mix that results when we combine the two. The ideal political education […]

Why do secondary pupils pick easier reading books than primary pupils?

James Bell, Director of Professional Services at Renaissance Learning, discusses the challenges of the secondary transfer and the impact this can have on student progression, as well as what can be done to combat any negative effects. Just as moving house or job can be stressful and require a period of settling in, the move […]

If we want to teach ‘British values’ then we need to do this….

How do we know what British values even are? And how should we teach them? Expert Matt Hood explores the answer. Before you read on, open a browser and google ‘British values.’ After a couple of links to the department for education you will see link after link of different school websites where you’ll find […]

With GCSE resits vanishing, are functional skills qualifications a better alternative?

When learners are no longer offered the luxury of resits in English and maths, are functional skills qualifications a better alternative for some? Charlotte Bosworth explains her view. A recent report by the Education and Training Foundation: Making maths and English work for all, described how the traditional learning approach leading to GCSEs can, for […]