We’re only one week into the summer term and it already feels as if the half-term break never happened. Teacher-assessed grades are due this month for secondary teachers and transition is in full swing in primary.

If classroom life has meant that you haven’t had a chance to read the latest Tes news and features, do not worry. Rather than make you hunt around, we’ve put them all in the one place for you.

News

• Gavin Williamson: ‘Too many schools’ restricting lunch hours

Education secretary Gavin Williamson says “too many schools” are restricting lunch breaks, while outlining plans to review the length of the school day to support Covid catch-up. 

• Assume sexual harassment is in your school, heads told

A new report from Ofsted warns headteachers they must act on the assumption that sexual harassment is happening in their schools. 

• Monthly catch-up spend a tenth of Eat Out to Help Out

The Covid catch-up funding pledged by the government for the whole of the next academic year amounts to little more than the cash spent on the month-long Eat Out to Help Out scheme, new analysis shows.

• Exclusive: Boys’ sexual misconduct ‘not down to teachers’

Four in five people believe that the responsibility for school-aged boys’ sexual misconduct lies with parents, rather than teachers, new research from YouGov suggests.

• Exclusive: 94 per cent of GCSE-grading teachers report problems

Almost all teachers grading this summer’s GCSEs and A levels are reporting problems with the process, a Tes survey reveals. 

• GCSEs 2021: Most teachers lose at least a week grading

Nearly two-thirds of teachers grading this year’s GCSEs and A levels have reported losing at least a week of their own time to the process.

Features

• Are we using out-of-date language in schools?

Language everywhere is being reconsidered, so is it time schools looked again at their own words and phrases?

• How to stop homework being stuck in the past

Here is the easy answer to bringing your homework policy up to date without adding to the marking load.

• Three myths busted about maternity leave

Despite schools being well used to parent-teachers taking time off when they have a baby, these three myths about maternity leave prevail.

• 11 ways to help your NQTs starting in September

New teachers will always have questions they want answered at induction - but are there ones you’re missing out? We find out what teachers really want to know when they’re new to a school.

• SEND: How to plan an inclusive sports day

School sports days are back - but are your plans SEND-friendly? Check out this article for tips on how to include all learners in the fun.

• How to withdraw from a teacher job interview

It’s important to be aware that you can withdraw from a teacher job interview process at any point. Here is our guide to exiting with dignity.

• Dylan Wiliam: Let’s look again at research feedback

Expert education researcher Dylan Wiliam says that not all research on feedback is useful for teachers’ classroom practice - and suggests new ways of looking at the evidence

Videos

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