Recognition: The Secret Sauce for Enhancing Student Leadership
As a English and History teacher, I adore etymology, which to my mind is nothing short of an archaeological dig into language. And so, I want to begin this blogpost on SSAT’s recognition schemes for student leadership with some etymological analysis of the word ‘recognition’.
Read now >>
A tribute to our colleague, Jenny Berge
We were deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of Jenny Berge, a highly respected and much-valued colleague who has made an exceptional and lasting contribution to SSAT over many years.
Read now >>
Double Trouble: What Ofsted reports tell us about doubled disadvantage for schools
New Ofsted data suggests schools facing double disadvantage receive greater scrutiny and lower gradings, especially on attendance and achievement, raising questions about whether inspection is reducing or reinforcing inequality.
Read now >>
Six Months Later: What we are learning about the new inspection framework
This week marks the half-year anniversary of the introduction into inspection practice of Ofsted’s new inspection framework. SSAT’s Inspection Tracker is the most thorough attempt to get under the bonnet of the inspection process. This short post identifies what appear to be consistent patterns and established trends within the data, and notices microtrends that potentially show how the new framework is evolving in response to actual inspections.
Read now >>
The reach of a Lead Practitioner – moving beyond school-wide impact to multi-academy trust and international influence
Being a Lead Practitioner is about more than strong classroom practice; it’s about using that expertise to improve teaching and learning at scale. Verity Merryweather reflects on her journey as a newly accredited LP.
Read now >>
Blowing Hot and Cold: The New Ofsted Framework and the Challenge of Leading on Behaviour
Analysis of inspection reports since 2023 indicates Ofsted’s growing ambivalence toward behaviour. While attendance dominates the joint judgement area, low behavior coverage masks serious risks for schools issued specific "next steps."
Read now >>
Global connectivity: Introducing Mandarin Chinese in your school
In England, schools are engaging with the Department for Education’s Consultation on Progress 8 and Attainment 8, as well as dealing with significant financial constraints. What do our children need? This blog post makes a case for Mandarin Chinese (Mandarin), giving a run through of the support available and catching up with a teacher from a language college, who taught Mandarin there for 23 years.
Read now >>
Spotlight on FEA Innovation: building whole-school cultures of body respect
The Body Happy Schools programme shows how a whole-school focus on body respect positively impacts on inclusion, pupil wellbeing, and school culture.
Read now >>
Developing and supporting PLACE
The Tees Valley Education Trust explain how they have been putting place-based collaboration into action, connecting schools, families, and communities to address disadvantage.
Read now >>
