Schools

I was due to speak on the radio this afternoon to discuss Bridget Philllpson telling LBC that Primary schools should let boys experiment and wear dresses at school week about gender-neutral school uniform policies. I prepared for the discussion with Tom Swarbrick, but 30 minutes before I was due to go on, I received a […]

As England prepares for the forthcoming Schools White Paper and the next phase of SEND reform, the system stands at a critical crossroads. Rising EHCP demand, widening regional inequalities, workforce shortages and unsustainable local authority deficits are converging with growing expectations from families and regulators. This national conference on SEND provision provides an opportunity not

Reflections of a School Governor, Then and Now Rosie grew up going to school in Stretford, alongside her older sister Sophie. In her primary school, there were only two Black children. They were sisters. And they were noticed constantly. Not for their brilliance.Not for their potential.But for their difference. From the earliest years of schooling,

This blog is designed for schools, colleges, and education settings across all sectors. It provides practical guidance for supporting learners with English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), particularly where staff teams have limited cultural diversity. The focus is on inclusion without blame, evidence-informed practice, and reflective improvement. Why

Why I have put this pack together I have been a school governor and Chair of Governors for over seventeen years. During that time, I have governed in a wide range of contexts and communities. I have also experienced racism and exclusion within governance spaces, sometimes overt, often subtle, but consistently impactful. There have been

For Governors, Leaders and School Communities This blog post is written for governors who want to understand and strengthen meaningful student voice and co‑production in their schools. Too often, student voice is reduced to surveys or councils involving the same confident students, taking place after decisions have already been made. This guide centres children and

This note is for anyone who sits on school Finance Committees or holds the role of Finance or Data Link Governor/Trustee and has been asked to look more closely at school finances. Other governors don’t need to use the benchmarking website themselves, but this explains how to use it, and how it helps us ask

The role of a school governor has never been more dynamic or more vital. Education is evolving rapidly, and the decisions governors make today shape the opportunities children will have tomorrow. From changes in inspection frameworks to the impact of smartphones, from reforms in post-16 pathways to the rise of AI in classrooms—staying informed is

Introduction Governors play a crucial role in setting the tone of a school’s culture. At a time when hostility toward ethnically diverse people is rising, the responsibility of governing boards to protect, include and champion every member of the school community is greater than ever. Inclusion is not a “nice to have”; it is a