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14 April 2026

Tag: headteachers

Heads’ anxiety peaked before lockdown and school reopenings, finds UCL study

Anxiety among headteachers peaked after partial school closures and phased reopenings were announced, but teachers’ wellbeing stayed “largely the same” during lockdown, according to a new study. Analysis of survey data collected by Teacher Tapp by UCL and paid-for by the Nuffield Foundation found that 38 per cent of heads reported “very high” work-related anxiety […]

Heads’ faith in A-levels slumps

Headteachers’ faith in AS and A-levels slumped after last year’s exam series, a new survey shows. Ofqual has published its latest perceptions survey, which is based on YouGov polling of various stakeholders, including 292 school leaders, last autumn. Although the survey shows little change in attitudes among school leaders towards GCSEs, faith in AS and […]

Coronavirus: Heads struggle to keep up with DfE guidance updates

School leaders have had to read almost 100 updates to government guidance during the coronavirus crisis – a quarter of them published during antisocial hours. Analysis by Schools Week found the government has published 29 guidance documents or announcements for schools about the pandemic since mid-February, and issued 94 coronavirus-related updates for the sector. The […]

Coronavirus: Final schools reopening decision ‘to be made on May 28’

Ministers will make the final decision on whether to press ahead with its schools reopening plan on May 28, a union leader has revealed. Geoff Barton (pictured above left), the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the government will “review the latest science” next Thursday, and that the return of […]

Coronavirus: Government must say why it wants to reopen schools, say heads

The government must explain why it wants to reopen schools in order to build “confidence and agreement” in its plans, headteachers have said. Leadership union ASCL has published a summary of its members’ responses to questions posed by the Department for Education about the reopening of schools. The document reveals the government is considering plans […]

Ofsted framework: Heads warn audit culture will ‘switch’ to exercise books

Headteachers have dismissed Ofsted’s claims that its new inspection framework will reduce workload, warning that a proposed shift from internal data to pupils’ books will only create more problems. The watchdog has proposed that inspectors no longer look at schools’ internal assessment data, admitting that its collection can create extra work for teachers. Instead they […]

Revealed: the lack of diversity in education leadership roles

Only three per cent of the largest academy trusts in the country are led by non-white bosses, a new analysis by Schools Week has found. Revealing a stark diversity gap in education’s top jobs, our study suggests just two chief executives of the 72 academy trusts with 15 schools or more are black, Asian and […]