To listen to the full introduction of Reimagining schools, click on the audio button on the top right-hand corner of this article.

Audio titles 

How can we better structure the school day? - listen here

Many schools run a daily timetable of five or six lessons, each lasting for about 50 minutes. While this schedule may be helpful for teacher workload, social organisation and curriculum coverage, is it effective for learning? Jared Cooney Horvath looks at what the science says about pupils’ ability to remain focused and engaged in learning.

Why do we teach English and maths in the morning? - listen here

Because children learn better in the morning, it makes sense to teach them core subjects before lunch - so goes the conventional wisdom. But is this belief backed up by research? And would there be any value in upending this established pattern in primary schools? Dan Worth investigates.

How the school day differs around the world - listen here

Tes picked a sample of three schools in different countries and asked a teacher from each to tell us about their daily timetable, the length of their classes, the duration of terms and their holidays.

Do we give pupils long enough breaktimes? - listen here

Students’ breaktimes have been cut by as much as an hour a week over the past 20 years, according to UCL research. Gemma Corby asks one of the authors of that study, Dr Ed Baines, what the impact could be for pupils - and whether government should introduce legislation to guarantee decent break periods.

GCSEs: is a system not dictated by exams possible? - listen here

The cancellation of exams gives us all the chance to dream of what education could be like if it wasn’t dictated by GCSEs, writes Alistair McConville. He explains how one international school is leading the way after dropping high-stakes exams in favour of an approach based on values-led learning and nurturing citizens who will help to build a better society.

Is flexible working for teachers truly possible? - listen here

Workplace norms are changing. So how can schools’ employment practices change with them? John Tomsett explains how he’s making it work.

Will personalised learning ever be the norm in schools? - listen here

Personalised learning has been at the forefront of educational discussions for years, piquing the interest of billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, among others. But can it work in practice? One researcher lays out his thoughts.

SEND: 4 ways to make mainstream school truly inclusive - listen here

When schools return, what can mainstream educators do to improve provision for students with SEND?

School holidays: should they be rearranged? - listen here

The flow of the school year and the school holidays are familiar to us all. But could - or should - we rethink the way we structure the basic building blocks of education?

How teachers can make transition time work - listen here

Find out why the “shadow timetable” could light the way to more efficient learning.

The power of VR to transform college learning - listen here

Virtual reality usually gets written off as a gimmick or too expensive to be useful, but in further education, it could be a vital tool, as one middle leader explains.

These articles originally appeared in the 29 May 2020 issue