education leadership | Schools Week

Small is not always beautiful

One governing body is challenging “statutory guidance” on governing body size. It wants to reflect its large and diverse community so, come September, there will be 12 co-opted governors on board . . . As governors of a community school proud of its status as a strategic resource for the local authority, we have just fulfilled our […]

General Election 2015: “A threatened teacher recruitment and retention crisis will become a reality”

The Conservatives will control the Department for Education, after today’s outcome of the general election which saw the party gain a majority of seats in the House of Commons. Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, gives her view on what to expect. The next Conservative government will pursue, with added […]

Leadership that goes on behind the scenes

The many hidden leaders within schools can sometimes be hard to spot. Here’s how to look out for them . . . What leadership do you do behind the scenes that is important yet unrecognised? Have you ever had to deal with a situation for which you felt unequipped? For example, dealing with the media, […]

Too much toe? – The peril of sandals in the classrooms

Nancy Gedge knows that summer brings tough clothing decisions – especially for women. And what sort of shoe is ‘appropriate’ in a sweltering classroom, anyway? About six years ago I went back to teaching. Up until then I had been on an extended maternity leave, and after making the decision to return to the classroom, […]

What would be the benefits (and problems) of a teacher union merger?

Steve Williams, reader in employment relations at the University of Portsmouth, gives his thoughts on what a teacher union merger might mean for members – plus the potential benefits and pitfalls. News that the National Union of Teachers (NUT) has reportedly made progress on ‘joint working’ with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), once […]

Why be a headteacher?

The next generation of school leaders should look to the National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers for inspiration The self-improving school system — an underlying thread in the new headteachers’ standards — needs great future leaders and demands that current heads are nurturing talent spotters. Experience in one urban authority a few years back taught […]

Scrapping levels was great says Nick Gibb – but he forgets the impact on workload

Last week, members of the government’s ‘assessment without levels’ commission were announced. Much was made of the fact that Nick Gibb, the minister in charge of the group, had said it would be ‘teacher-led’. However, there are no full-time teachers on the panel. The Department for Education defended itself by pointing to the three current […]

Why aren’t teachers treated more like doctors?

After all, they both top any poll for the most trustworthy professions. Perhaps it’s because everyone knows how to teach . . . don’t they? Teachers and doctors are well-educated, hard-working public service professionals providing invaluable frontline services. Each year millions of pounds is invested in preparing tens of thousands new entrants to each profession, […]

Cybercrime: it could happen in a school near you

You must prepare for risk in the digital world. But don’t think that you must fight technology with technology; the education of staff and students is your most potent weapon against cyber criminals Schools have to deal with a huge number of risks, from fires and flooding to budget cuts and a squeeze on places. […]