Editorial Comment

Headteacher Updates' editorial comment articles bring you the latest industry expert and editorial points of view on primary education.


Time for a limit on teachers’ working hours

Unlike other occupations, teachers are denied paid overtime and often do not have other flexible working opportunities. Dr Patrick Roach asks whether it is time to put a legal limit on our working hours…




Cost of living: A support staff exodus

As the cost of living crisis bites, half of support staff are actively looking for other jobs. Many don’t want to quit, but feel they have no choice, says Joanna Parry


Choosing to let pupils starve

It is a political choice not to feed hungry children at school. In the face of soaring food inflation, the cost of feeding disadvantaged children who have fallen through the free school meals gaps is insignificant, says Caroline Voogd


The Ghost of Education Future

With pupils learning in freezing classrooms and some schools even considering four-day weeks due to rising energy prices and soaring inflation, Helen Osgood draws comparisons with Victorian-era Britain


Teachers' pay: Time is up, time for action

Time is up – after receiving no sign from the government of movement over teachers’ pay, the NASUWT has launched strike ballots. Dr Patrick Roach argues why his members must vote yes


Education matters, doesn’t it?

Funding. Funding. Funding. Everywhere you look in our schools we face challenges due to a lack of sufficient funding. Surely education matters more than this? Helen Osgood describes how and why we must take the fight for more investment to our politicians...


So what now? Facing the future

It is not the role of schools to solve the climate crisis, or any of the other multiple crises facing humankind. But we can choose to equip young people to face the future, say Dr Malcolm Groves and Professor John West-Burnham


Remaking the role of teaching assistant

The pandemic and the cost of living crisis is making the role of the teaching assistant more crucial than ever – just at a time when funding cuts are putting their jobs at risk, says Mike Short


What is there left to cut?

The cost of living crisis is hitting schools hard and senior leaders will have no choice but to make cuts to front-line education spending. Paul Whitman says the new prime minister must act and act now



Where next for SEN Support?

The SEND Review side-lines the importance of SEN Support in schools and risks driving more parents to seek Education, Health and Care Plans. Sara Alston is concerned



Neurodiversity and mental health in the classroom

There is a growing and wide range of needs among children and young people that teachers and support staff are increasingly being expected to meet in the classroom. With a few small steps, we can make things easier for everyone, says Helen Osgood


SEND Review: What about support staff?

When it comes to the often-crucial role of support staff in supporting effective SEND provision, the long-awaited SEND Review is almost silent – this cannot be right, says Leigh Powell


MATs: What’s in it for us?

We must all be in or joining a multi-academy trust by 2030, but with the DfE still to present evidence for its policy, we must ask: is there a compelling case for academisation or is it blind compulsion? Paul Whiteman explains


Farewell then, the school-led system?

The Schools Bill currently passing through Parliament will be the beginning of the end of any real sense of autonomy for our schools, says Dr Mary Bousted


SATs: Testing for testing’s sake

This year’s SATs will be a pointless exercise, only adding pressure and stress for pupils and teachers when the burden of the pandemic is already heavy enough, says Helen Osgood


A national demonstration: Will you be there?

Serious recruitment and retention issues and the cost-of-living crisis is compounding workload and wellbeing issues at the chalkface. Dr Patrick Roach calls on teachers to join a national demonstration on June 18 calling for change



Who wants to be a headteacher?

The profession is on its knees after two years of working on the front-line of the pandemic. And unless action is taken on workload and wellbeing, the supply of school leaders risks running dry, says Diana Ohene-Darko


Covid: So, what do we do now?

With its decision to scrap all rules relating to Covid, the government once again has placed headteachers, school staff, and parents in an almost impossible position, says Chris Fabby


More than words: Please act now on teacher wellbeing

The workload and wellbeing crisis in schools is not down to a lack of resilience or competence on the part of teachers and the government’s response must reflect this. Dr Patrick Roach pleads with ministers to act now

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