Blog

Sustainability: A practical guide for school and college leaders

In the first in a three-part series of guest blogs, Tarina Chow, Executive Business Manager of a SEND-specialist MAT shares the practical steps she and her trust took on the first steps of their sustainability journey. 

Posted: 16/09/2024 09:51:58
  • Leadership
  • Strategy
  • Blog
  • Sustainability

Trust Two Point Zero: Exploring the future of education in England

This blog by ASCL’s Rob Robson and ASCL Past President Richard Sheriff is one in a series exploring the future of education in England. We encourage other school, college and trust leaders to contribute their thoughts and perspectives to this important conversation.

Posted: 12/09/2024 14:12:37
  • MAT
  • Strategy
  • Blog

Understanding the New Attendance Codes: A guide for schools

The DfE has introduced updated statutory attendance code guidance for schools, academy trusts, governing bodies and local authorities.  ASCL’s Margaret Mulholland explains the changes and how they can be used to deepen understanding of their students’ needs and challenges.  

Posted: 19/08/2024 12:35:12
  • Inclusion
  • SEND
  • Attendance
  • Blog

Stick or Twist? Deciding your next move as a deputy headteacher

Are you currently a deputy headteacher or vice principal and considering whether your next move will be to headship? If so, should you apply as an internal candidate or seek opportunities at another setting? A serving principal shares their experiences and advice. 

Posted: 05/08/2024 10:26:58

Train to Retrain: How CPD can keep staff in the sector

Effective CPD can reignite passion, boost morale, and enhance the quality of teaching which are crucial for retaining staff. In this blog,  ASCL Leadership Development Manager Thomas Freeney invites leaders to contribute to an ongoing piece of research which aims to help understand the current CPD landscape and its impact on staff retention.

Posted: 22/07/2024 10:55:40
  • Professional Development
  • CPD
  • Blog

Boosting Language Learning: Strategies for education leaders

Strong skills in languages other than English would be good for pupils, their school communities and the UK as a whole.  In her latest blog, ASCL MFL Consultant Suzanne O’Farrell shares ideas and advice on how to involve all members of the senior team in promoting the importance of language learning. 

Posted: 11/07/2024 08:37:44
  • Curriculum
  • MFL
  • Blog

Effective use of assessment data across a MAT

Developing robust trust-wide monitoring systems for assessment data across your schools can be complicated and time-consuming. In their guest blog, Sue Macgregor and Jevon Hirst from ASCL Premier Partner Alps, share some of the advantages to developing a trust-wide monitoring system. 

Posted: 24/06/2024 09:12:25
  • Assessment
  • Data
  • MAT
  • Blog

Prioritising professional development in the face of decreased spending

As pressure on education budgets continues to increase, investing in CPD has presented leaders with difficult choices. In his latest blog, ASCL’s Thomas Freeney suggests ways leaders can maximise the impact of their CPD spending.  

Posted: 17/06/2024 15:09:00
  • Financial planning
  • CPD
  • Blog
  • AI

Navigating the AI Landscape in Education: A guide for school and college leaders

The landscape of AI adoption in education may seem vast and complex, however, in this guest blog, Professor Rose Luckin provides assurance that you are not alone in navigating this new territory and offers practical advice on how to get started and progress in your AI journey.

Posted: 07/06/2024 13:41:21
  • Blog
  • Technology
  • AI

Hands-On with AI: Navigating AI for workload and professional development 

As ASCL launches a new series of AI workshops around the country, ASCL’s Thomas Freeney shows how AI tools can revolutionise workload management and professional development in education in his blog.  

Posted: 28/05/2024 16:12:52
  • Recruitment and Retention
  • Workload
  • CPD
  • Blog
  • AI

Recruiting and Retaining Generation Z

Gen Z adults are now part of the workforce and in the midst of a recruitment and retention crisis in education, we need to understand their priorities and do all we can to attract and retain new teachers to the profession.   Alex Atherton shares his findings in his guest blog. 

Posted: 23/05/2024 10:38:53
  • Recruitment and Retention
  • Blog

Fake exam paper scammers thrive on desperation

With exam season now underway, Ofqual has reminded us that pupils tempted to cheat by buying exam papers online face a double whammy of sanctions. In his blog, Pepe Di'Iasio suggests one reason for young people going down this route is the immense pressure the exam system currently places on them. 

Posted: 10/05/2024 08:58:00
  • Assessment
  • Examinations
  • Blueprint
  • Blog

Decoding sustainability

Making your setting more sustainable may seem like a minefield of terms and requirements. In his guest blog, Robert Gould, Partner at Barker, decodes the jargon and sheds light on what schools and colleges need to know as they embark on their sustainability journey. 

Posted: 07/05/2024 15:22:52
  • Blog
  • Climate change
  • Sustainability

For a sustainable future, the time to act is now 

Two years since the DfE published its Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, how is your organisation managing the vital changes needed to ensure we are all working towards a sustainable future? In this blog, ASCL’s Emma Harrison introduces our Conference for a Sustainable Future which aims to support leaders on their sustainability journey. 

Posted: 08/04/2024 11:38:35
  • CPD
  • Blog
  • Climate change
  • Sustainability

School cuts are more damaging than potholes

In his final blog as ASCL General Secretary, Geoff Barton reflects on how potholes are a visible symbol of decay but how – with respect to long-suffering motorists – the less-visible fractures in the education system are much more important.

Posted: 26/03/2024 10:43:10
  • Funding
  • Blog
  • School Cuts

How AI can make classrooms more accessible

The future of education is shifting and evolving as the needs of schools — and their teachers and learners — change. In their guest blog, Google for Education shares some of the ways AI is helping to make learning more accessible for everyone.

Posted: 29/02/2024 13:35:42
  • Digital
  • Blog
  • Technology
  • AI

New resit guidelines are not based in reality

The government has announced that sixth forms and colleges will have to provide a minimum of four hours stand-alone teaching per week to students resitting their maths GCSE. Kevin Gilmartin explains why, in the midst of a major shortage of maths teachers, this policy just does not add up.

Posted: 22/02/2024 14:24:19
  • Funding
  • Curriculum
  • Assessment
  • Post-16
  • Recruitment and Retention
  • BTEC
  • Blog
  • Maths

Teacher apprentices: Too much spin and not enough substance

Last weekend's announcement of a new teacher degree apprenticeship pilot scheme for "up to" 150 apprentices is a worthy and well-intentioned idea, but why do governments continue to over-hype and over-state their messages, asks Geoff Barton in his blog. 

Posted: 09/02/2024 08:47:28
  • Recruitment and Retention
  • Apprenticeships
  • Blog

The rise of online AP is about more than just capacity

With AP waiting lists increasing, online alternative provision is a welcome solution — but leaders can look to online AP for more advantages than capacity alone, says Alessandro Capozzi, Executive Headteacher of ASCL Premier Partner Academy21, in his guest blog.

Posted: 08/02/2024 14:56:12
  • Premier Partner
  • Blog
  • Alternative provision

Ofsted should champion disadvantaged schools – not penalise them

The Education Select Committee published their report into Ofsted this week, with one of the recommendations that inspectors should take schools' contexts into account. This ought to be a government priority, writes Geoff Barton. 

Posted: 02/02/2024 09:15:42
  • Accountability
  • Inspection
  • Ofsted
  • Blog