Who’s in the good books this week, and who needs a long sit to think about what they’ve done? We take a look...

OUTSTANDING

Giving wellbeing some welly

Teachers in their hundreds have been sharing wellbeing tips with each other on eduTwitter. From getting a decent night’s sleep to disabling work emails on your phone, the hashtag #SmileUntilChristmas is a haven for encouraging tweets. And, as one teacher noted, few things give a sense of wellbeing more than cake.

GOOD

Lights, camera, action

A new BBC2 documentary will shine a spotlight on the challenges faced by multi-academy trusts. The six-part series features three secondary schools in South Gloucestershire and focuses on the devastating effects of ongoing funding cuts. It’s hoped the series will help to raise education to the top of the national agenda.

REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

Toxic work environments

In toxic schools, even the best teachers will fail to grow, says teacher and author Helen Woodley. Whether it’s a high-pressured, high-accountability culture, or one that is more cliquey than any high-school canteen, it’s important that we speak out on the issue, share our experiences and fight to detoxify our workplaces together.

SPECIAL MEASURES

Revision sessions

Forcing students and teachers to spend their free time in revision sessions helps no one, insists former headteacher Bernard Trafford. Not only do they create and fuel anxiety, they also don’t actually improve learning or memory. It’s time to put down our pens and admit it: the time of the revision session is up.