EdBlogs

Talking at a number of conferences recently I've suggested that we've got to stop reinventing the wheel and use research wisely. Research provides signposts towards what might work for us, based on what has worked elsewhere and to what extent. The following suggestion, improving attendance by using simple letters home with key information,&nbs...

Schools up and down the country are moving into the final week of term. It's hot. Half the kids are out on rewards trips. It's tempting to loosen the reins and capitulate to shrill demands for 'a fun lesson.' Don't. You'll regret it. "Hi Sir! It's the last day of term! Can we have a fun lesson?" "You have worked hard this term and I do want you to ...

I have previously drawn attention to differences in expert opinion over the usefulness of statistical significance testing, particularly in regard to randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Now it's time to look at what can go wrong with RCTs, and the questions you need to ask when judging the trustworthiness of the associated research findings. What ...

We spoke to education experts to hear their dream policies (with the proviso that they couldn't include "more funding"!). 'A fee-free route to QTS for teaching assistants' Recruitment and retention are a major headache for school leaders, and we need to encourage different routes into teaching. Many teaching assistants (TAs) are graduates and ...

A recent study found that students' minds are most likely to wander in class on Mondays and Fridays. Getting rid of weekends (which are clearly very distracting) isn't an option, but there are ways to help improve their concentration, even from a very young age. Here's how. Encourage them to eat a healthy breakfast  There is a growing bod...