EdBlogs

It was finally happening. It took me a while (two years) to get there, but I now had the bit between my teeth and I was determined to get to the bottom of why disadvantaged pupils weren't making as much progress as their more advantaged peers. I also had some say for once – as a new chair of committee, I could finally make sure issues were properly...

Where does he work? Sir Michael Barber is the founder of Delivery Associations, a consulting agency that works with governments to support the welfare of citizens. He is also a globally recognised education expert, currently serving as a visiting professor at the Harvard School of Education and as chair of the Office for Students (OfS); a...

Where does he work? Tony Wagner is a Senior Research Fellow at the Learning Policy Institute , an American think-tank that researches educational policy and practices, and advocates for evidence-based policymaking in education. Before this, he held a number of positions within Harvard University, including a stint as a...

We were delivering a CPD session for teachers recently, and a storm started as we were leaving. While we were waiting for the rain to pass, one of the teachers commented that her students had a curious relationship with umbrellas. She noted that Year 7 students used them, as did sixth-form students, but those in the inbetween years often refused. W...

Homework has taken a lot of flack lately. Unduly so, I believe. There is a push – and even a hashtag, #ditchHW – to end the practice of teacher-prescribed homework for students. Most of those who oppose it cite either a lack of evidence for its effectiveness or a more pressing need for quality family time. I totally sympathise with the argument for...