Saturday
AI targets won’t tackle attendance crisis, heads warn
In response to new AI-powered attendance targets for every school, leaders tell the DfE that there is no ‘quick solution’ to the pupil absence problem
School autonomy shouldn’t mean having to find ‘gaps in hedges’
If we want to be a truly inclusive education system, the assessment and accountability frameworks that penalise inclusion need to be changed, argues this headteacher
Friday
Government was not prepared for ‘enormous’ task of school closures
If restrictions had been put in place sooner, then lockdown could have been shorter – or not necessary at all, Covid inquiry report also finds
Nick Gibb: Smartphones are ‘asbestos’ for children
Former schools minister also criticises the government for scrapping the EBacc performance measure, which he says will affect uptake of modern languages
Why do teachers get such a bad deal on maternity pay?
With women making up the vast majority of the workforce, could better maternity leave pay help tackle the teacher retention crisis?
Many ‘overwhelmed’ headteachers leave role within five years
Some 30 per cent of primary heads and 38 per cent of secondary leaders under 50 are leaving their posts within five years, analysis by the NAHT shows
Thursday
Suspensions fall but remain higher than before Covid
Permanent exclusions from school have also dropped and are now similar to pre-pandemic levels, DfE figures show
SEND: Resource bases ‘can be exclusion in its worst sense’
Mainstream and AP leaders question the government’s focus on resourced provision and SEN units in its drive to create a more inclusive school system
Teachers far more likely than students to say phone rules are followed
Findings from the latest DfE behaviour survey also indicate that leaders, educators and pupils disagree about the extent to which their school is ‘calm and orderly’
Reduced class contact time measures announced in Scotland
Four-day teacher working week, dedicated day for professional activities and minimum pupil learning hours proposed, but union expresses ‘deep disappointment’ at handling of announcement
Do ‘fear appeals’ really motivate students to work harder?
Warning pupils about the consequences of not putting effort into their studies can backfire, writes Mark Roberts, who shares some alternative approaches to motivate classes
Focus on disadvantaged boys to hit school-ready target, DfE told
Successive governments have failed to tackle entrenched inequalities in early years outcomes for boys from low-income backgrounds, IfG report warns
