education leadership | Schools Week

Ofsted needs to recognise the role of governors in its new framework

School leaders who help other institutions “turn around” are to be recognised as “exceptional” with a letter from Ofsted, it was announced on Monday when the inspectorate’s Common Inspection Framework was launched. Headteachers have already discussed the ins and outs of this change, which will also see a copy of the letter going to the […]

How much pay can be withheld if you go on strike?

You are not entitled to be paid for the time you spend on strike, but the amount docked will depend on what type of institution you teach in In maintained schools in England the Burgundy Book says that deductions for teachers on strike should be calculated on the basis of a day’s salary being 1/365th […]

Developing great teaching: eight lessons from new research

Good CPD focuses on subject or topic-based pupil issues and outcomes, uses collaborative problem-solving approaches over several months and moves away from the one-size-fits-nobody approach Too much CPD is unproductive but the evidence suggests a better way. No teacher has ever got to the end of their day with an empty to-do list; we’re an […]

Bradford school stabbing: “Response must be proportional to risk”

The news that another teacher has been stabbed sent shudders up my spine. Last year, Ann Maguire became the first teacher to die at the hands of a pupil in a school for nearly 20 years. Fortunately, schools are among the safest of public places but incidents do happen. As I know to my own […]

Education research: The intractable problems

One of the more curious aspects of our profession is the way in which knowledge about what makes effective practice has been created and disseminated to its own practitioners. We are I think, singularly myopic in this regard. Education research has traditionally been one-way traffic. Research has been something done to teachers and not something […]

Measure teacher quality: not student results

An overreliance on standardised data undermines our efforts to keep schools improving. If we really want to help our pupils then the best thing we can do is make sure that the people educating them also have the chance to keep on learning I recently completed a strategic review for one of the largest academy […]

Embracing my dyslexia makes me a better teacher

Tasks such as writing and alphabetising can be time-consuming and tricky, but children learn more helpful lessons when we are honest about the challenges we face in life than when we try to conceal them What is it like to be a teacher with dyslexia? I have been staring at that question for 20 minutes […]

Taking control of our own development

The future challenges of the education system almost all revolve around capacity. How will we create enough school places, attract and retain good teachers and encourage bold leaders? All in a period of budget cuts, growing pupil numbers and recruitment difficulties. There is a serious risk of governments – and the profession if it responds […]

“School-to-school support is more important than ever”

In Nicky Morgan’s first major announcement since the election, the education secretary has declared she would accelerate plans to “revolutionise” state schools, with tough new measures to sack underperforming headteachers. Although addressing the failings of schools is important; care and attention should be given to ensure schools receive the best chance of survival. If we […]