Feature Articles

Will they? Won’t they? Former headteacher Michael Evans looks at the future of the 2022 summer exams, which are scheduled to go ahead as normal.

The risks from Covid-19 are still very much present in the workplace and it is important to remember that employers have a duty of care towards their employees to protect the health and safety of their workforce. This information is being continually checked and updated.

Throughout the pandemic the Government introduced various rules and regulations for the public to follow to keep them as safe as possible from the impacts of Covid-19. Such measures included the requirement to self-isolate if displaying symptoms of Covid, returned a positive Covid test or identified as a close contact of a positive case, as well as the provision of free testing and vaccines, and support payments to individuals and businesses.

Former head teacher Michael Evans highlights some of the issues that schools should consider when preparing for an Ofsted inspection.

School libraries play a pivotal role in ensuring pupils have free, regular access to a range of books and other media, as well as promoting and facilitating reading for pleasure. Kate Goulson explores how onsite libraries can help schools meet certain National Curriculum expectations.

On 9 February 2022, Boris Johnson announced that he expects to end all Covid restrictions in England by the end of February. The current regulations, including the legal requirement for Covid cases to self-isolate for at least five full days and for SSP to be paid from day one for Covid-related absences, are in place until 24 March 2022.

For many years there have been discussions about reforming the education system, particularly with respect to the length of the school day. Former head teacher Michael Evans looks at the long-running discussion regarding the merits of extending the school day and the current pilot in some Welsh schools.

Many independent schools are pulling out of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and former headteacher Michael Evans looks at some of the ramifications.

Is there is a need for a radical reshaping of an education system that seems to be increasingly out of touch? In the recently published results of an international programme to assess scholastic performance of 15-year-olds, Singapore came top, while the UK only managed 15th place. Former headteacher Michael Evans considers why.

Senior researcher and employment law writer at Croner-i, Ben McCarthy, explores the Government’s latest schemes.