Opinion | Schools Week

Opinion

7 ways to reinvigorate the free schools policy

Since 2010 free schools have helped to transform our education system, bringing high standards, new innovations from which other…

John Dickens

LUKE TRYL

Opinion

The patterns and trends that shape pupils’ lives

These three studies used different methods to explore phenomena affecting young people, whether transitions and attainment, special needs and…

Expert Contributor

LOIC MENZIES

Opinion

Numbers alone can’t tell us that off-rolling has taken place

Schools sometimes put their interests first when a child is removed from their roll – which is why Ofsted…

Expert Contributor

DAN OWEN

Opinion

I am a classroom teacher and I want isolation booths

Isolation rooms are calm, orderly environments with a clear routine. And behaviour is better in schools that have them,…

Expert Contributor

STEVE GARNETT

Opinion

The government's 'beating crime plan' includes funding for schools to re-engage young people at risk of violence.

Knife crime: why a slogan on a T-shirt is not enough

When the student council of a north London secondary met to discuss knife crime, the discussion soon moved away…

Expert Contributor

GERRY ROBINSON

Opinion

4 key questions to progress the MAT governance debate

The ongoing rhetoric of an emerging and evolving MAT system has been a popular one. In the National Governance…

John Dickens

SAM HENSON

Opinion

Ofsted’s worrying reliability findings won’t comfort heads who get ‘the call’ in a couple of months

In a report on the future of Ofsted that accompanied the launch of our new think tank called EDSK…

John Dickens

TOM RICHMOND

Opinion

Opening school buildings on weekends is among the report's recommendations on preventing vulnerable children from becoming involved in criminal exploitation and gangs

We’ve got £200m to help solve youth crime – here’s how schools can apply

Schools across the country are doing their best to respond to issues outside their gates, as we see more…

John Dickens

ANDY RATCLIFFE

Opinion

Private schools need phasing out – and here’s how it can be done

A packed event held in the House of Commons entitled ‘Phasing Out Private Schools’ sought to kick-start a long…

John Dickens

ROBERT VERKAIK

Must Read

Curriculum

The curriculum review isn’t ‘dumbing down’ – it’s levelling up

Critics claiming the curriculum review ‘dumbs down’ Gove’s education reforms are way off the mark, says Sir Hamid Patel…

John Dickens

Sir Hamid Patel

Parental leave

Some schools have cracked parental leave – so why can’t everyone?

Education leaders must take note of a parliamentary debate last week on maternity and paternity pay, says Emma Sheppard

John Dickens

Emma Sheppard

Inclusion

Ofsted says identify children previously in care. But how?

Ofsted’s new focus will ensure children previously known to social care become more visible – but schools need better…

John Dickens

Kiran Gill

ITT

Degree apprenticeships are key to increasing and diversifying recruitment

Work to deliver the new qualification should continue at pace to meet recruitment challenges by making teaching more accessible,…

JL Dutaut

Melanie Renowden

ITT

ITT: Which is the odd one out?

The deeply flawed ITT reforms are a threat to sustainable teacher supply for purely ideological purposes, writes David Spendlove

JL Dutaut

David Spendlove

EXAMS

Exams

University clearing: How teachers can support students

All the important details school staff need to help youngsters through clearing this year

John Dickens

3mo

Sam Sykes

3mo

Exams

How sitting an exam re-affirmed my respect for our students

I still believe exams to be the best way of testing academic knowledge and understanding but they’re no bagatelle,…

JL Dutaut

James Handscombe

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