The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

School performance and accountability

Sheza Afzal

Three common mistakes schools face in their EDI work

Inclusive environments in schools require a shared responsibility to promote EDI. Sheza Afzal outlines three mistakes and offers suggestions for addressing them. Schools strive to create inclusive environments through their efforts to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). However, this...
Read more...
Olivia Dickinson

Why are pupils protesting about school uniforms?

How do you feel about pupil protests? Olivia Dickinson discusses both pupil and staff views on uniform policies and the consequences of these protests. Protests about school uniforms have happened periodically over the years, including the girls at Wirral Grammar School starting a nationwide...
Read more...
Elizabeth Holmes

Climate change and sustainability — what role for schools?

Is your school wasting energy unnecessarily? Elizabeth Holmes suggests actions to take to better manage energy consumption. In a recent tweet , the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, stated that the last eight years are on track to be the warmest. The tweet continued, 'Sea...
Read more...
Liz Worthen

A time to reflect and celebrate

The inaugural MAT Excellence Awards give school trusts the opportunity to be recognised and celebrated for their work. What achievements would you like to share? What are you most proud of about your multi-academy trust? Is it the wellbeing support you offer to pupils, staff and families? Is it the...
Read more...
Adam Smith

Smells like team spirit

Does your classroom benefit from strong pupil centred team spirit? Adam Smith describes how to evaluate and review the impact of teamwork. In schools we all talk about having a positive ethos or a collaborative culture where we are singing from the same hymn sheet, on the same page, and all the...
Read more...
Rob Morrissey

New headteachers: 10 things not to do!

Starting a new headship position this term? Rob Morrissey lists some things to avoid and describes what to focus on for a successful start. Without wishing to decry programmes such as the NPQH there is nothing which quite prepares you for being in the chair (as I call it) or headship. That said I...
Read more...
Luke Ramsden

Looking ahead to changes in the ISI inspection framework

What can independent schools expect from the proposed changes? Luke Ramsden discusses. It is very likely that the vast majority of the proposed new framework will come in for September 2023, not least because some of the elements are already in place, and other changes are in line with the new...
Read more...
Olivia Dickinson

What to consider when writing a school uniform policy

Cost, pupil voice and branded items: what should be included in a policy on school uniform? Olivia Dickinson discusses. School uniform is often in the news, whether it’s about how the cost is prohibitive for many families , that girls are petitioning to wear trousers , that boys have worn skirts to...
Read more...
Elizabeth Holmes

After Covid-19 – is there a catch in catching up?

Elizabeth Holmes explores debates around catching up, funding, and the potential for education recovery. One thing that we can (probably) all agree on is that the picture of teaching and learning throughout the pandemic has been mixed at best. While some schools were able to switch between school...
Read more...
Mark Upton

School funding, standards and the abolition of private schools: the general election story so far

With manifestos published and polling day getting closer for the 2019 election, Mark Upton identifies the likely flashpoints in education and ambiguities within party policies. School funding, or the lack of it, was identified as a liability for the Conservatives at the 2017 general election. A...
Read more...