Opinion | Schools Week

Opinion: Accountability

Personal development must be part of any Labour school report card

Without any formal assessment, provision of and accountability for this vital area of the curriculum are at best patchy

JL Dutaut

Hayley Sherwood

Opinion: Accountability

Scrapping one-word judgments is just the start of needed reform

We have reached a crossroads for school inspection and the election must result in a genuine ‘Big Listen’ to…

JL Dutaut

Paul Whiteman

Manifesto 2024

Four policies for a long-term transformation of the SEND system

It will take time, money and leadership, but we need a vision and a plan to ensure specialist provision…

JL Dutaut

Tom Rees

Manifesto 2024

Three policies to get the SEND system working better now

Vulnerable learners who need consistency and routine deserve a political and funding climate that is fair and stable

JL Dutaut

Dr Nic Crossley

Opinion: Policy

The next government will inherit a mixed legacy and pressing challenges

A mix of stubborn problems and emerging new ones should make parties’ plans for the most diasdvantaged pupils a…

JL Dutaut

Imran Tahir

The Knowledge

Instilling a joy of reading is key to closing the attainment gap

Understanding what texts young people are engaging with is key to tackling a post-pandemic decline in reading activity

JL Dutaut

Crispin Chatterton and Natalie Perera

Opinion

How we’ve centralised curriculum design to improve teaching

Reducing workload and improving teaching are priorities for our trust – but we must achieve these in balance with…

Freddie Whittaker

Dr Tim Mills

Opinion

Let’s have a better debate on the role of private schools

Whether it’s genuine confusion or political point-scoring, misinformation around Labour’s private schools policy means we’re not properly valuing cross-sector…

Freddie Whittaker

John Smith

Opinion: Sustainability

Greener special schools are within reach – it’s just a matter of approach

How can we combine efforts to ramp up special school capacity with our net zero ambiutions for the sector?

JL Dutaut

Dan Allison

Must Read

Opinion: Accountability

Ofsted have wasted an opportunity for fundamental reform

The new framework is rushed and doesn’t deliver the change the sector needs. Bridget Phillipson must step in

JL Dutaut

Daniel Kebede

Labour’s first year

Six priorities for Bridget Phillipson’s second year at the helm

Labour has broadened the definition of success for schools. Here’s how it can now ensure everyone works towards this…

JL Dutaut

Liz Robinson

Letters to the editor

Letters to the editor, 5 September 2025

Schools Week’s legendary cartoonist hangs up his pen, perceptions of behaviour diverge, and a data disaster looms

JL Dutaut

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

Sam Sykes

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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