The School of Education Blog

King’s speech 2024: experts explain new government’s plans for workers’ rights, rail nationalisation, education, and more

Posted on July 29, 2024December 13, 2024 by School of Education University of Bristol

The king’s speech has been delivered, marking the state opening of parliament (technically, this was the first king’s speech with a Labour government in 74 years). The speech was written by Keir Starmer’s government, not the king, and lays out the government’s agenda for the coming year. Here, a team of The Conversation’s academic experts break down the key policies most likely to have a direct impact on people’s lives.

Read the rest of our expert reactions to the government’s plans for political reform here. (more…)

If the government is serious about tackling child poverty, it should extend free school meals

Posted on July 24, 2024December 13, 2024 by School of Education University of Bristol

Will Baker, University of Bristol

The government has created a new ministerial taskforce for its child poverty strategy, led by Work and Pensions secretary Liz Kendall and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. It is urgently needed: 4.3 million children in the UK are living in poverty.

The government has already committed to making sure free breakfast clubs are available in all primary schools in England.

We know that having a good breakfast at school can help improve child behaviour and readiness to learn, and helps children achieve more at school. The introduction of breakfast clubs for all primary school children is welcome – but this cannot be the limit of the government’s ambitions if it is serious about tackling child poverty and dealing with its consequences. Extending free school meals in England would be a powerful step here. (more…)

Exploring issues in secondary subject English: Reconnecting curriculum, policy and practice

Posted on June 18, 2024December 13, 2024 by School of Education University of Bristol

By Dr Lorna Smith, School of Education, University of Bristol

The Victorian writer, philosopher and critic, John Ruskin, once invited his readers to ‘Commiserate [with] the hapless Board School child, shut out from dreamland and poetry, and prematurely hardened by the pressure of codes and formularies. He spends his years as a tale that is not told’ (Lawson & Silver, 1973, p. 330). But what tale could be told of today’s hapless secondary state-school student of English in England, who might be similarly shut out from dreamland and poetry and prematurely hardened and diminished by the pressure of narrow assessment objectives?

(more…)

Teacher professional development in Africa – a decolonial synthesis of the research evidence

Posted on April 24, 2024 by School of Education University of Bristol

By Dr Rafael Mitchell, Senior Lecturer in Comparative & International Education, University of Bristol, UK

What does professional development provision look like for teachers in African schools? What patterns exist across the region in terms of the focus and forms of provision? Who is able to access professional development opportunities, and who is being left out? What are teachers’ experiences and outcomes from provision?

(more…)

‘They don’t have enough’ – schools in England are running food banks for families

Posted on April 18, 2024December 16, 2024 by School of Education University of Bristol

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Will Baker, University of Bristol

The peak of the cost-of-living crisis may have passed, but millions of families are struggling to buy enough food to feed their children. Experiencing food insecurity can be deeply damaging for children and negatively affects their achievement at school.

My research, alongside other studies, shows that schools are operating their own food banks and providing charitable food aid to families. This shows how the education system – from early years to secondary schools – is increasingly at the front line in responding to child poverty, food insecurity, and destitution. (more…)

Embrace your learning journey: exploring formative assessment

Posted on April 16, 2024May 1, 2024 by School of Education University of Bristol

By Lala Ismayilova, School of Education, University of Bristol

Greetings! I’m Lala Ismayilova, a graduate of the University of Bristol’s Master’s programme in Educational Leadership and Policy. I’m currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Education, driven by a deep passion to enhance the quality of education through research and advocacy.

During my time at Bristol, I delved into the diverse academic landscape, gaining valuable insights into the challenges faced by international students. Specifically, my research focused on understanding international students’ perceptions of formative feedback and its impact on their learning journeys. Through this research, I explored how cultural differences and educational backgrounds influence students’ engagement with formative feedback.

You can read my first blog on this topic here: Unveiling the feedback secret: Your bridge to academic success (more…)

CJERN- the new Climate Justice Education Research Network

Posted on March 14, 2024August 30, 2024 by School of Education University of Bristol

members of CJERN at the workshops — Idea generation in action CJERN

By Loz Hennessy, School of Education, University of Bristol

Colleagues across the GW4 have teamed up to form the new Climate Justice Education Research Network (CJERN). This is a new initiative, which loosely builds on the work of the previous CCERN network, but takes an explicitly justice-centred approach. The activities of the new network involve bringing together a core group of researchers from across the GW4 to explore potential collaborations in the field of climate justice education.

(more…)

Of manifestos and modelling

Posted on March 5, 2024August 30, 2024 by School of Education University of Bristol

By Dr L orna Smith (Associate Professor in Education), Dr Jessie Abrahams (Lecturer in Education), Jo Carrington (Assistant Head of Literacy and English at Clevedon School) and PhD student, School of Education, University of Bristol.

We are in an era where top-down prescription in English secondary schools is greater than ever. This often results in students’ voices being diminished and opportunities to talk suppressed. For example, some schools virtue-signal their strict ‘no-hands up’ policy – meaning that students speak in class only when they are invited to. Therefore, although high-quality talk has long been established as a vital component of learning (Alexander, 2020; Bleiman, 2018; Littleton and Mercer, 2013), there may be few

opportunities for students to experience ‘natural’ conversation – listening and contributing according to the ebb of the discussion. (more…)

Are you interested in a career in secondary teaching?

Posted on February 27, 2024December 13, 2024 by School of Education University of Bristol

If you have a passion for your subject and you want to inspire the next generation, teaching could be the career for you.

Our PGCE programmes for secondary teaching here at the University of Bristol are rated ‘Outstanding’ in the most recent Ofsted review. The PGCE is demanding and hands-on, but you’ll be supported and guided to become an excellent qualified teacher, opening up a wealth of career possibilities. (more…)

Why the International Day of Education matters for Bristol

Posted on February 2, 2024 by School of Education University of Bristol

By Leon Tikly, International Ambassador for Bristol, Professor in Education, University of Bristol & UNESCO Chair.

In a world marked by conflict, there is much that Bristol schools, colleges and universities can do to foster peace in the city and around the world. 24 January marks UNESCO International Day of Education, an annual event meant to highlight the importance of an Inclusive and Quality Education available to all across the lifespan. The theme for this year is Learning for Lasting Peace. This is highly relevant given the number of conflicts currently going on around the world from Gaza to Ukraine, to Afghanistan to Syria, and in the Horn of Africa. (more…)

By Dr Lorna Smith, School of Education, University of Bristol

By Dr Rafael Mitchell, Senior Lecturer in Comparative & International Education, University of Bristol, UK

By Lala Ismayilova, School of Education, University of Bristol

By Loz Hennessy, School of Education, University of Bristol

By Dr Lorna Smith (Associate Professor in Education), Dr Jessie Abrahams (Lecturer in Education), Jo Carrington (Assistant Head of Literacy and English at Clevedon School) and PhD student, School of Education, University of Bristol.

By Leon Tikly, International Ambassador for Bristol, Professor in Education, University of Bristol & UNESCO Chair.

By Dr L orna Smith (Associate Professor in Education), Dr Jessie Abrahams (Lecturer in Education), Jo Carrington (Assistant Head of Literacy and English at Clevedon School) and PhD student, School of Education, University of Bristol.