Why did you become a teacher? Was it to improve society, help students, have a steady career or a bit of all three? A report has identified four kinds of teacher – idealists, practitioners, rationalists and moderates. Where do you fit? Read more
Supersize schools may provide economies of scale, bringing a wider curriculum and stronger out-of-school clubs and activities. But how do pupils find them, and what do parents think about massive schools? And will the pupils who most need support feel lost? That’s the concern raised by Lifeline Projects, a charity providing mentoring and support for pupils who are struggling or at risk. How big is too big? Read more
Peer review is vital to academia, but many are unhappy with how it works. The system is at the heart of scholarly communication – and it elicits strong opinions from across the community. Many have concerns about the integrity of the process, as new research demonstrates. Read more
When three schoolgirls from the Bethnal Green Academy in east London fled the UK and travelled to Syria to join Isis in February, teachers in the capital were sent an open letter to read to their students. Written in language that was at once approachable and rigorous, it systematically deconstructed Isis’s recruitment manifesto. Read more
How many perfectly good teaching careers are in ruins because we treat pupils as data not individuals? And when will the powers-that-be finally sit up and take note of serious research, asks the general secretary of a major teachers’ union, writing about new research from Education Datalab. Read more
What do children in Britain worry about? Do they think about the future? How happy are they? A recent report offers some insight into the next generation – from their stress levels to selfie obsessions, personal relationships and technology use. In contrast to other studies, it suggests that children are happier than previously thought. Read more