Opinion

National funding formula: We might benefit from the change but the government needs to be bolder

Southend High School for Boys is one of many schools that gets a “raw deal” under the current funding...

Sophie Scott
Sophie Scott
Opinion

National funding formula: ‘The debate should be a marathon not a sprint’

The publication of the national funding formula consultation yesterday has fired the starting pistol on the race to create...

Sophie Scott
Sophie Scott
Opinion

Transparency is needed from schools commissioners, not marketing

Six months ago I sat in a room in Oxfordshire full of top school leaders – mostly chiefs of...

Nicky Phillips
Nicky Phillips
Opinion

Randomly allocating places in over-subscribed schools is the fairest option

As parents find out if their child will go to their preferred secondary school, Alastair Thomson considers what governors...

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
Opinion

Primary assessments a mess? Unions should propose a radical alternative

The schools sector is up in arms about primary assessments – both baseline and the standardised tests. I deliberately...

Nicky Phillips
Nicky Phillips
Opinion

Key Stage 1 changes take writing back to the 19th Century

I attended a briefing by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) on February 5 for local authority leaders of...

John Dickens
John Dickens
Opinion

Segregation is holding our children back

Next month a report on segregation will be published for the prime minister. Hopefully it will mark the point...

Nicky Phillips
Nicky Phillips
Opinion

EBacc and primary testing pushing arts out of the curriculum

New findings from The National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD) Survey Report 2015-16 published this week...

Nicky Phillips
Nicky Phillips
Opinion

Here’s how to make the pupil premium work

We shouldn’t judge disadvantaged pupils purely by the academic achievements of students in the best schools, but if used...

Nicky Phillips
Nicky Phillips