Where’s Wally?
6 September 2019
Sitting in a cafe in North Devon this summer, my 11 year old daughter, on spotting a passing stranger in a stripey jumper, suddenly shouted, ‘Look, it’s wally!’. When I… Find out more
HMC Blog
Unconditional offers? No thanks
2 July 2019
In recent years, universities have had to walk a difficult line. On the one hand they are, or should be, upholders of academic standards and virtues – ethical, philosophical and… Find out more
Professor Robert Plomin and independent schools
6 June 2019
The claim by leading geneticist Robert Plomin that academic success is largely fixed by genes has prompted newspaper headlines such as ‘Top schools add nothing to grades’. In fact, Professor… Find out more
Unconditional offers – can a balance be found?
5 April 2019
The issue of universities offering unconditional offers is not going to go away anytime soon, especially in light of the latest research from UCAS which shows that some institutions are… Find out more
Reflecting on recent interest in the comparability of GCSEs and International GCSEs
4 April 2019
This blog by Mike Buchanan, HMC Executive Director, provides further information about the qualifications available to schools in England. International GCSEs and GCSEs in England are different qualifications. So too… Find out more
Questioning GCSE
15 January 2019
In a recent article by Haroon Siddique in The Guardian (30/12/18), Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner expressed concern that Tory education reforms are putting state school pupils at a disadvantage… Find out more
Trying to solve the conundrum of why being ‘bad at maths’ is accepted
15 March 2018
Why is it socially acceptable to be ‘bad at maths’? The recent publicity given to the Schools Minister’s unwillingness to demonstrate his knowledge of times tables on national radio left… Find out more
Exam Pressures
10 April 2016
In a blog 10.04.16, HMC member Kevin Fear, headmaster of leading independent Nottingham High School writes about how parents can support pupils to cope with exam pressure. As we move into the… Find out more
Customer services
27 September 2015
We bought a fridge from a well-known High Street retailer over the summer (yes, it’s a glamorous life). Our story is replicated up and down the country I’m sure, and… Find out more
The Lost Spring
30 March 2015
The sun is out; buds are opening and a customary crop of spring articles on exam preparation sprout in time for the Easter holidays: Top Tips for Revision season; Easter… Find out more
School league tables are only part of the story
9 February 2015
The publication of the annual school performance tables invariably provokes a media frenzy and this year was no exception. Reforms to the way in which the performance tables are compiled… Find out more
Why Benedictine education?
17 November 2014
As the first lay Head Master of a Benedictine School that is over 400 years old but is now celebrating its bicentenary in its current location, you can’t help but… Find out more
Sutton Trust Report strikes a blow against league table culture
13 November 2014
On Friday 31 October, the Sutton Trust published its report What Makes Great Teaching, authored by Professor Rob Coe and colleagues at Durham University. Drawing on over 200 pieces of… Find out more
Open response to Dr Mike Sewell, Director of Admissions for the Cambridge Colleges
13 November 2014
There are a number of reasons why I was disappointed and disheartened to read Dr Sewell’s letter entitled ‘Cambridge’s Position On The New AS Levels’, but I shan’t bore anyone… Find out more
Who are you calling ‘soft’?
9 June 2014
I was interested to read the HMC Tweet linked to the Telegraph’s story about the Ofqual review of ‘soft’ subject A levels and GCSEs. Isn’t it funny how soft always… Find out more
A hybrid education: The best of both worlds
5 February 2014
As employment becomes an ever greater priority we need to ask: “What will best equip our pupils to enter the labour market? It strikes me that schools are faced with… Find out more
What lies ahead for Sixth Formers?
27 November 2013
As we embark on our annual open day for potential Sixth Formers and the first 6.1 (lower sixth) Review meeting when we assess individuals’ progress, I reflect on what lies… Find out more
Standing up to shoddy exam marking
31 October 2013
Perhaps it is just the nervousness caused by the news that a Head recently lost his job after poor exam results, but I for one am delighted to see HMC… Find out more
A new style of philosophy, religion and ethics (PRE) curriculum that inspires students to develop inquisitive mindsets
15 May 2013
The young human brain is a limber and wonderful thing, adept at flipping from one task to another: thank goodness this is the case, I ponder, as our GCSE students… Find out more
Pisa or pizza? It is April 1st after all!
3 April 2013
On April 1st the BBC published its top ten list of ‘stories that look like pranks but aren’t’. At the same time NUT members were gathering for their annual conference… Find out more