In this week’s TES Professional, Alex Quigley, director of research at Huntington School in York, offers some tips to help teachers stand up confidently against the pressures of workload and accountability. While admitting that teaching is arguably harder than it has ever been, he offers four ways that teachers can regain control of their professional lives and get support to help them through the current difficulties. 

What parents of children with SEND want teachers to know

Meanwhile, Fiona Hughes talks to parents of children with SEND about their relationships with schools. What she discovers is that conversations between parent and teacher can often be unproductive - with both sides at fault - so she gets parents to compile a wishlist of the things they want to say to teachers, but feel they can’t. 

A book for every school leader

David James, deputy headteacher at Bryanston school, says he has found a book that all school leaders should add to their collection: Dylan William’s Leadership for Teacher Learning. He reviews the contents for TES and concludes that the breadth of expertise and knowledge the book contains makes it an integral tool of school leadership.

How to join - or create - a MAT

Stephen Munday, headteacher at the Comberton Village College and CEO of Comberton Academy Trust, explains how to become part of a MAT - or create one yourself. It is the second in a five-part series looking at academies and MATs that aims to provide all the information school leaders need about the process. 

Why you can’t blag SEND

Our SEND Focus columnist Nancy Gedge takes on the topic of specialist knowledge in her column this week. She argues that expecting the Sendco to do everything is unfair on the child, and says that every teacher should aim to have proper knowledge of the needs of the children they teach. 

Will the living wage up your pay packet?

Lawyer Alice Reeve explains how the living wage won’t just benefit the lowest paid, it may cause knock on effects up the pay scale, with staff demanding proportionate increases too. 

Read all these articles in full in the 13 May edition of TES. This week’s TES magazine is available in all good newsagents. To download the digital edition, Android users can click here and iOS users can click here

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