How to close the gap? Put the best teachers in the most deprived schools

By Becky Francis  Our society is stuck in a rut on social mobility – or rather, immobility. For decades, governments of every persuasion have sought to improve social mobility, to narrow the gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. But that gap – in education, income, housing, health – continues to yawn. It is t...

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How new teachers can triumph over perfectionism

It's the joke answer to that difficult job interview question: "My biggest weakness is that I'm a perfectionist." But the reality of perfectionism isn't funny, with massive stress caused by unrealistic expectations. When you start any new job – but particularly one as all-encompassing as teaching – it is natural to want to hold yourself to a high s...

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Cut time, not corners: five life hacks to help you survive teacher training

Teachers aren't known for having a brilliant work-life balance. They are, however, famous for getting stuff done – and a few simple life hacks can make all the difference. Here are our insider tips on keeping yourself healthy, sane and happy while handling the demands of training and teaching. Keeping fit When you're swamped with work, the idea of ...

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'Look at me!' We need to understand attention-seekers – and show them that words can hurt

The thing about being a school teacher – be it primary, secondary, early years or whatever – is that you see an awful lot of interesting behaviour in the course of your daily grind. There is always someone doing something unusual, and, a large amount of these behaviours have at their heart a desire to get something that they really want: not time o...

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Recruitment crisis? How to attract school governors to your board

Good governance is vital to a school's success, which means that appointing the right people to your board is essential. Governors need to be willing to take on this demanding role around their day jobs, and have the necessary skills and commitment to make it work – all for free. It's not an easy ask, so we spoke to the experts at The Key for Schoo...

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