Articles - Leadership and Management

Time to review the school staffing and pay structure is fast running out. Former headteacher Roger Smith looks at what needs doing and how it can be achieved before the deadline for completion arrives. read more

We must listen to the pupil voice if pupils are going to feel valued as members of the school community, argues Anne Clarke, Principal of Benton Park School Technology College. read more

AL has become something of a catch-all phrase these days, synonymous with brain-based or mind-friendly learning. Susan Norman goes beyond the buzz-word to bring you the facts read more

With around 95% of state schools no longer offering Latin, access is the critical issue for survival of the subject. Will Griffiths, director of the Cambridge School Classics Project (CSCP), looks at a DfES initiative to address this and highlights the competitive advantage that offering Latin can give schools. read more

Research carried out earlier this year to assess the use of data in schools highlights its importance in many areas, including facilitating more effective allocation of staff and resources and monitoring the effectiveness of initiatives and strategies. read more

School sport partnerships are continuing to be successful in increasing the amount of time pupils spend taking part in PE and sport

Schools in England should now be engaged in formal consultation with staff and their representatives on new draft staffing structures. read more

Headteacher Trevor Bailey describes the setting up of the Weston Federation and highlights the threat posed by uncertainties about future funding for collaboratives. read more

Surplus places and rotting and inadequate building stock was a common experience for schools in the late 20th century. Here, Brian Rossiter, head of the Valley School in Worksop, Notts, describes the arduous PFI route he took to rebuild his school and other dilapidated schools in his district

Principal June Cannie talks to Secondary Headship about the experience of taking on a leadership role relatively late in life, charged with the responsibility for keeping the founder's vision of a community college intact. read more

The teaching profession needs to hang on to more of its bright newly qualified teachers (NQTs), as well as to ensure that all staff remain motivated and committed to their careers. Headteacher Anne Clarke outlines how it’s done. read more

Effective school leadership is about creating a culture of continuous improvement and thinking through the implications of endless change. Former head Roger Smith looks at how it’s done. read more

In our September issue headteacher Brian Rossiter described the first part of the PFI route to rebuild his and other schools in the Bassetlaw district – creating the vision for the project and meeting with the bidders. Here he shares his experience of the next steps towards making the vision a reality

Headteacher Alison Edwards considers the key attributes that make a good leader and looks at some of the strategies that can help grow the much-needed leaders of the future. read more

The squeeze on the time available for PSHE is just one reason why its provision is variable across schools. In this article, education consultant Adrian King looks at the arguments for and against making PSHE a statutory element of the national curriculum

Schools in England and Wales are finding it increasingly difficult to appoint headteachers

Detailed guidance on fire safety in school building design has been published, in draft form, by the DfES. read more

Does your school have an effective policy on the administration of medication to children? Special needs consultant Patti Turner looks at some of the problems that can arise and the ways to avoid them read more

Both the main headteachers’ organisations have called for the powers of independent appeals panels on exclusions to be reduced in submissions to the government’s leadership group on behaviour and discipline. read more

The government has given further encouragement to schools to set out on the path to providing extended services with the publication of a ‘prospectus’ on extended schools.

Walsall assistant heads Mike Swan and Keith Sydenham report on a secondment activity. read more

CPD Update takes a look at the SEF: the self-evaluation form (secondary version). read more

The secretary of state for education and skills, Ruth Kelly, has announced to the Labour Party Conference that government has agreed that in city academies 'as with other schools, all teachers will be registered with the General Teaching Council because those children deserve the best'. read more

GTCE chief executive calls for new approach to testing. read more

Fundraising for school activities is nothing new. Only now with the pressures of workforce reform and initiatives such as extended schools and specialist status, many schools are reviewing the way they have to raise funds. read more

In our governing bodies we blithely talk about ‘team-building’. And in our more serious moments we may even think about ‘group effectiveness’ and ‘the quality of our decision making’. read more

Students enjoy school and are pleased with the education they receive — a welcome message for curriculum managers, and one that flies in the face of common opinion. read more

Neil Short looks at methods for supporting colleagues more effectively in the performance management process. read more

Professor David Jesson of the University of York has expressed concern that talent is 'going to waste' because state schools fail to develop the potential of more-able students read more

Single inspectorate for children and learners. read more

In a letter to the DfES in May Universities Council for Education of Teachers (UCET) expressed concern that teachers working in city academies do not need to be members of the General Teaching Council (GTC). read more

Helen Hann considers how we can support children in the learning of maths from early years, by nurturing their emerging mathematical concepts and understanding

Whether you're writing your first G&T policy or need to update your current one, what do you need to include? G&T Update editor Jane West explains read more

Gifted and talented strand coordinator Sue Sayer describes her work as leader for G&T and creativity for her excellence cluster and explains how a Classroom of the Future has influenced the teaching and learning of pupils in the Camborne, Pool and Redruth Success Zone read more

Primary strand coordinator for G&T Joy Blaker explains how schools in Rotherham approach the issue of identifying their most able pupils. read more

Quality standards are the new buzzwords in school self-evaluation for G&T coordinators. But what’s the difference between an audit and self-evaluation – and how do you do it? Jane West explains. read more

Former headmaster Neil Short examines the first stage of the PM cycle – planning. read more

All policies should be discussed with those who will be involved in carrying them out and should be easy to understand so that they are not interpreted in different ways. Here we look at how to write an effective behaviour policy

Teacher absences can cause financial difficulties. There is no easy solution to the problem of supply cover costs, but more effective management can reduce negative impacts. Ruth Bradbury shares her advice

Carole Farrar, an experienced early years headteacher, takes you through the process of appointing new staff members

Bob Jelley, former head and now supply teacher, argues that success in improving school attendance lies in the hands of the encouragers, persuaders and mentors. read more

Neil Short looks at the second and third stages of the PM cycle: monitoring and review. read more

Most schools have not kept up with what management information systems can do for them, says education writer and former headteacher Gerald Haigh. Here he illustrates how they can make more of equipment they already have in school. read more

Did the referee mean to praise the candidate or warn you off? Is a string of previous jobs a negative factor? Headteacher Carole Farrar looks at how to weigh up the information when appointing early years staff. read more

Articles – Leadership and Management