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
Oxbridge Blues
25 August 2019
Earlier this year, Louise Richardson, vice-chancellor of Oxford, announced two major initiatives to help increase the number of students at the university from disadvantaged backgrounds. One enables pupils with weaker… Find out more
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
Sutton Trust report “Elitist Britain”
25 June 2019
Today’s report by the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Commission rightly raises some fundamental issues about the state of play for equal opportunities in the UK. One might take… 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
Inquiry Learning isn’t a ‘bolt on’
6 June 2019
At a time when exams are already underway (for IB Diploma students) or looming for others, it’s a good time to think about how, exactly, do we prepare students for… Find out more
Reflecting on recent interest in the comparability of GCSEs and International GCSEs
7 May 2019
This blog from HMC Executive Director, Mike Buchanan, 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
The importance of sport in boosting the mental toughness of pupils
25 April 2019
The Youth Sport Trust’s Impact Report 2018 highlights a number of shocking statistics relating to the physical health of the nation’s young people. It is depressing to read that over… 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
Schools must play their part in promoting a gender-balanced world
8 March 2019
As we celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) today, it occurs to me that our schools are more than well placed to support its #BalanceforBetter theme this year. A global day… Find out more
Boys and girls unite to fight period poverty
8 March 2019
One of my favourite moments this academic year saw a mixed group of Sixth Formers address the whole school on the issue of period poverty. The aim was to raise… Find out more
We need to do more to boost the confidence of our girls
8 March 2019
Girls need role models to be inspired. Role models of successful women, from a diversity of backgrounds, careers and qualifications. And society needs strong female role models in order to… Find out more
Metrics are marvellous but they don’t drive real character change
27 February 2019
Character education is back on the national agenda following an address by the Education Secretary, Damian Hinds. Great. Common sense suggests this is wholly laudable. All schools would surely choose… 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
David Goodhew on social mobility
17 October 2018
2018 is shaping up to be an extraordinary year for Latymer Upper School. The pride our school community felt on winning three Tes awards in February has not diminished, but… Find out more
Children have ‘secret’ online profiles – but it’s natural for teens to evade parents’ gaze
4 October 2018
Part of being a teenager is to seek privacy from the eagle adult eye and for them to be able to ‘live their own lives’. We’ve all done it and… Find out more
The Future of Partnership
13 August 2018
There is concern among school leaders that politicians are so taken up with Brexit that education is being neglected. I am not sure this is the case. While Cabinet Ministers… Find out more
Christ’s Hospital Bursaries
5 August 2018
Christ’s Hospital will be offering 85% of its new pupils entering year 7 a fee-assisted boarding place at the school this September. More than 20% of these pupils will be… Find out more
‘It’s heartening to see the continued growth of outdoor education’
13 July 2018
We’re looking forward to heading off camping as a family this summer. Admittedly, my tanned complexion will not rival that of colleagues who will be jetting off abroad for their… Find out more
