Opinion | Schools Week

The Knowledge

How can teachers judge the efficacy of edtech?

Natalia Kucirkova sets out what schools should look out for – and demand – when shopping for edtech to…

JL Dutaut

Natalia Kucirkova

Opinion: Accountability

Heads’ sharp practices to game Ofsted only raise the stakes

Analysing website traffic to predict Ofsted visits is only the latest form of gaming the system – and such…

JL Dutaut

Seamus Murphy

Opinion: Accountability

Spielman’s offer changes nothing for first and infant schools

Amanda Spielman’s plans to improve inspection are deaf to the framework’s inherent inequity and fall well short of what…

JL Dutaut

David Scott

Exams

Beyond Ofsted? And what about ‘Beyond Ofqual’?

There are striking similarities between Ofsted’s judgments and Ofqual’s exam grades, writes Dennis Sherwood, but who is fighting for…

JL Dutaut

Dennis Sherwood

Academy trusts

In praise of small MATs: Why bigger doesn’t always mean better

Small multi-academy trusts offer an agility the system needs and a family feel many schools and communities desire, explains…

JL Dutaut

Sarah Baker

Academies, Ofsted

MAT inspections are inevitable, so let’s start planning now

There is time for the government, Ofsted and others to invest in a programme of research

Freddie Whittaker

Steve Rollett

School funding

Could GAG pooling undermine the national funding formula?

Pooling school budgets at MAT level doesn’t completely undo the fairer distribution of the NFF, writes Jon Andrews, but…

JL Dutaut

Jon Andrews

Relationships and sex education

Solutions: How to make conversations about consent effective

Many teachers lack the knowledge and confidence to teach consent, writes Monica Bhogal, but this crucial topic doesn’t have…

JL Dutaut

Monica Bhogal

Opinion: Accountability

How can partnerships prosper in a competitive system?

New research highlights how local collaborations can work for all students in spite of competition and fragmentation, explain Mel…

JL Dutaut

Mel Ainscow and Paul Armstrong

Must Read

Labour’s first year

We’ve laid the foundations. Now we build

Education secretary says her government’s work so far is just the beginning, and here’s what comes next …

JL Dutaut

Bridget Phillipson

Labour’s first year

Engaging trusts is key to the opportunity mission’s success

Ministers have shown they can listen to the sector. More of that will be necessary as the details of…

JL Dutaut

Leora Cruddas

Labour’s first year

SEND: Hope still prevails, but Labour must learn to listen

Treating the specialist and alternative sectors as afterthoughts means ministers have missed chances to progress towards a more inclusive…

JL Dutaut

Dr Nic Crossley

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

Have something to say?

We’re always keen to hear from new voices. If you’ve got an opinion you want to share with the education community why not job

Comment on articles and content

Get in touch

Send your pitch to our commissioning editor.