education leadership | Schools Week

Fine tuning the school leadership team

Schools use the phrase “school business manager” rather than “school business leader”. It’s time that was changed As Sarah Jones pointed out recently that school business managers (SBM), with headteachers and governors, are the “trinity” of school leadership, with all three necessary to achieve outstanding and effective leadership (Schools Week, January 10) As a headteacher […]

Schools must do more than ask ‘What will you be when you grow up?’

A question people always ask when you’re growing up, is “what do you want to be when you’re older?” At the time you might have answered something like “footballer” or “pop star”. But once reality bites and you realise you probably aren’t going to end up as David Beckham or Beyoncé many adults then go […]

11 Things You Might Have Missed In Ofsted’s ‘Most Able Students’ Report

Headlines today are focusing on Ofsted’s disappointment at schools over the progress of ‘most able’ students. Having a go at schools is an easy soundbite. It gets onto tv, it gives teachers a ‘kick’, it plays well to people who feel their child’s genius isn’t adequately recognised. But the soundbite misses out the 34 pages […]

The true value of arts education

Two organisations in Norfolk have formed a partnership to make sure that the ideal environment for fostering creative education fits comfortably alongside the day-to-day running of schools It is no secret that the government is pushing hard to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in schools right through to university choices. No one will […]

Things to do before you buy 3D printers

First, train your staff. Then plan your curriculum – and think about leasing. It makes it easier to budget When I started as a graphic design teacher we used Camm-2 machines, where computers helped to direct machines. By the time I left, 10 years later, I was working alongside 3D printers and laser cutters. In […]

Governors, look at the bigger picture

The new framework for governance is missing any acknowledgement of the need for governors to engage with the complexity of issues that their schools face I was really looking forward to seeing the National Governors Association/Wellcome Trust’s new framework for governance. Previous outputs from this interesting collaboration have been great, and the new framework, based […]

The third member of a school’s holy trinity

School business managers are more than a finance manager or an admin officer. But exactly what their role is should be clarified as schools take on more responsibility The emphasis on performance and standards in the education sector is exacting; financial pressures are significant. In the future, both will continue to rise and accountability will […]

SBMs now have the chance to shape their professional development

I spent much of this year visiting school business management (SBM) professionals across the country; from rural locations in Cornwall, Northumbria and Cumbria to conurbations in London, Birmingham and Manchester. There are some common challenges but each region has its own peculiarities. Differences include geography, culture, urban density, scarcity, economic performance, demographics and the political […]

Do we need autism-specific schools?

All children and young people deserve an inclusive and fulfilling education. But mainstream schools are not always the answer for those with autism who must have access to a range of provision Autism is a spectrum condition so, while all children and young people with the lifelong disability share certain difficulties around social communication and […]