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13 April 2026

Tag: Festival of Education

Ofsted chief: Teachers should not be policed by ‘militant activism’

Teachers should not be policed by “self-appointed moral guardians” or be forced to change the way they teach in the face of “militant activism”,  the chief inspector of Ofsted has warned. Amanda Spielman told the Festival of Education today that while activism that broadens debate and brings about long-term change was welcome, she worried about […]

Statement: Festival of Education 2020 cancelled

Due to the uncertainty around the coronavirus outbreak, this year’s Festival of Education will be cancelled. A full statement from the event’s organisers – which includes Schools Week’s publisher LSECT – and important details on refunds can be read below. The Festival, at Wellington College, was first held in June 2010. This will be first […]

Governors ‘must have mandatory pre-appointment training’

Governors should be required to have “pre-appointment training” before they sit on school boards, paid for by the government, so they’re not forced to learn on the job. New board members sometimes take up to 12 months before they can be effective due to a total absence of training, Jo Penn, a national leader of […]

Teachers ARE motivated by pay, research shows

The idea that teachers are not motivated by pay is misleading and not backed by evidence, according to a leading researcher. In fact, teachers with degrees that could let them earn more money in another job are more likely to leave the profession, Sam Sims, a researcher at Education Datalab (pictured below), has found. His […]

Grammar supporters ‘wrong’ to think reasoning paper can’t be learned, says neuroscientist

People who say it is fairer to test pupils on non-verbal reasoning for grammar school entrance are “completely wrong” because teenage brains are very responsive to training, says an expert in adolescent brain development. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore (pictured), professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London, told delegates at the Festival of Education that contrary to […]

Detentions are a kind of ‘violence’ against pupils, says expert

Detentions were “a kind of violence” against pupils, said a conflict expert during a heated panel debate on pupil behaviour. Maria Arpa, chief executive of the Centre for Peaceful Solutions, which helps to prevent community conflict, said that detentions aimed to improve behaviour by telling pupils they should do the right thing because otherwise “someone […]