Pension warning: Schools urged to step in The body blow of a pay freeze during the pandemic now risks being compounded by teacher pension losses due to the lack of ‘indexation’ – but schools can act to prevent this. Helen Osgood explains
Three inspections in a week: We need more compassion There is much anger that Ofsted insisted on business as usual last term as the pandemic took hold once again. We need to see a more compassionate inspectorate this term and beyond, says Dr Sam Parrett
Reception Baseline: We must continue the fight The Reception Baseline Assessment is time-consuming, unreliable, and draining on schools’ budgets. We must continue to fight its use and protect young people from this controversial statutory assessment, says Deborah Lawson
There may be trouble ahead... Challenges for schools in 2022 What lies in store for us in 2022? Headteacher Ben Evans considers some of the challenges that await and what his priorities are for the coming year
No evidence that ‘brutal’ Ofsted regime works If Ofsted cannot show that it achieves its core purpose, what hope does the profession suffering under its tyrannical yoke have? Ofsted is still driving pointless workload and operating with no evidence that its judgements are reliable, says Dr Mary Bousted
Don’t say cheese? Rethinking school photograph day Is it time to get rid of the school photograph? Even small changes can make a big difference to the cost of the school day for pupils and families living in poverty, says Richard Barrie
Forgotten & invisible: Time to end the daily exploitation of supply teachers Supply agencies and umbrella companies are making millions at the expense of teachers. Dr Patrick Roach is spear-heading a campaign to end what he says is the exploitation of supply teachers
Cogito, ergo sum: Where next for critical thinking? Both pupils and teaching colleagues must be allowed and encouraged to identify, analyse, and solve problems systematically, rather than be spoon-fed facts without questioning them, says Deborah Lawson
Tutoring: Hitting the target but missing the point? The government has pledged to deliver tutoring for six million pupils by 2025. But with dwindling subsidies, Nick Brook says that ministers could well find themselves hitting the target, but missing the point
SEND and schools: Inclusive by design At a time when the SEND system is facing a raft of challenges, Annamarie Hassall is taking the helm at special needs association Nasen. She wants to see all schools become inclusive by design and all SENCOs properly resourced and supported
How well deployed are your teaching assistants? The more that research is carried out into the link between well-deployed teaching assistants and pupil outcomes, the more we see the impact they can have, says Joanna Parry
What price experience? A flawed approach to teacher pay Experienced teachers are poorly paid compared to other graduate professions yet have skills which are highly valued by many industries. This is a recipe for disaster, says Dr Mary Bousted
Just think, they could call it social justice... The chief inspector does not realise just how badly her food parcel comments have landed. There is nothing new in schools supporting disadvantaged families – so how about we drop the meaningless ‘levelling up’ refrain and focus on real change, says Geoff Barton
Comprehensive Spending Review: A moment of truth A pay-freeze, a 3.2 per cent rise in the cost of living, real-terms cuts to school funding – the government needs to change tack quickly if we are to prevent teachers from quitting the chalkface post-pandemic says Dr Patrick Roach
Mental health: A false dichotomy Mental health and academic achievement are not an either/or. As we respond to the pandemic, we must involve children and look beneath the surface, says Matthew Purves
We need concerted action on teacher workload Coming out of the pandemic, the number of teachers thinking about quitting is deeply worrying. Deborah Lawson says the time is now for concerted action on workload and wellbeing. She suggests how…
Poverty is not inevitable: What can your school do about it? The facts don’t lie. Poverty is a consequence of the structures and inequalities of society. It is not inevitable. Government must act, but so can we. Luke Bramhall asks what you can do prevent poverty from limiting children’s chances…
Education recovery: Time for the DfE and the Treasury to step-up We need to see the government’s blueprint for education recovery and we need to see it now, says Paul Whiteman. Ahead of this month’s NAHT policy-making conference, he also calls for the new secretary of state to stand up to the Treasury on school funding
No way to plan a recovery... The early years workforce is in no mood to return to the past ways of working once the pandemic recedes. We have to move forward differently, says Deborah Lawson
SEND Review: What are we waiting for? In 2019, the government promised a landmark review of the SEND sector in response to concerns that SEND provision has become a ‘postcode lottery’. Margaret Mulholland asks: Why is it taking so long?
Disastrous consequences: Teacher training proposals are flawed The DfE’s proposed overhaul of initial teacher education could have been an opportunity to grow the profession – but instead it could have disastrous consequences as teacher training providers threaten to walk away. Dr Patrick Roach explains
A big picture recovery is required Recovery from the setbacks of the pandemic runs deeper than just education, and it is time the government acknowledged this, says Matthew Dodd
Long Covid: We demand protection in law Teachers dealing with the often-devastating impact of long Covid are not protected by legislation. Dr Patrick Roach urges everyone to get behind a new campaign to change this...
Penny-pinching and piecemeal: This is no way to plan a long-term recovery The Department for Education’s penny-pinching, piecemeal announcements and politicians’ quick-fix solutions will put long-term education recovery at risk, says Deborah Lawson
No child left behind? Really, Boris? The paltry investment in education recovery unveiled by the DfE has been met, quite rightly, with derision. We can only conclude that schools and young people are not the government’s priority, says Paul Whiteman
