Opinion | Schools Week

Opinion

Does anyone know how many teachers we need?

There is a crisis in recruitment, not helped by low pay, the tangled and defragmented employment process and the…

Nicky Phillips

Opinion

The seven deadly sins of executive headship

Taking on the role requires a new set of skills. It’s easy to lose the personal touch you had…

Nicky Phillips

Opinion

Education bill: Who will pay the bills as academies are passed around between trusts?

With the late inclusion of academies and free schools in new coasting schools legislation, schools could be passed around…

Phil Reynolds

Opinion

Primary assessments a mess? Unions should propose a radical alternative

The schools sector is up in arms about primary assessments – both baseline and the standardised tests. I deliberately…

Nicky Phillips

Opinion

Morgan’s primary assessment video misses the point

Education secretary Nicky Morgan has released a video to explain the government’s plans for primary assessments. Brian Lightman has watched it,…

Nick Linford

Opinion

Is having a go at northern schools part of Michael Wilshaw’s job description?

Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw yesterday criticised schools in the north west – but was he within his remit…

Nick Linford

Opinion

Key Stage 1 changes take writing back to the 19th Century

I attended a briefing by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) on February 5 for local authority leaders of…

John Dickens

Opinion

Segregation is holding our children back

Next month a report on segregation will be published for the prime minister. Hopefully it will mark the point…

Nicky Phillips

Opinion

Teachers must learn to tame technology

There are powerful tools already available in schools. Staff must realise they don’t need to upgrade, they need to…

Nicky Phillips

Must Read

Opinion: Solutions

How to answer parents’ questions about dyslexia

Jamie Oliver’s new documentary is likely to spark questions from parents. These are likely to be the most common,…

JL Dutaut

Sarah Scott

Opinion: Policy

The schools bill must do more to support displaced children

Labour’s bill promises to deliver needed change for children not in school, but without amendments one vulnerable group could…

JL Dutaut

Diana Sutton

Opinion: Curriculum

AI should be the making of coursework – not its breaking

The argument that AI spells the end of coursework is short-sighted and ignores opportunities to improve processes and enrich…

JL Dutaut

Mark Grogan

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

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

Exams

The number of penalties handed out to students caught cheating has risen for a second year

The stereotype that could be feeding exam anxiety

The ‘snowflake’ stereotype is damaging and unjustified, but a more pervasive idea may be perpetuating exam anxiety, says Stephen…

JL Dutaut

Stephen Caldwell

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