23 h. ago I loved being a principal, but Australia has grown complacent about the growing violence directed at educators | Andy Mison

School principals are resilient but, in an alarming number of cases, their job harms them. We would not tolerate these conditions in other workplacesI’ve been lucky. I’ve enjoyed a rewarding career in education, including almost 15 years as a principal in the Northern Territory and the ACT. I’ve worked with wonderful teachers and administrative staff, and shared in the successes of hundreds of young people and their families as they grow and graduate high school, going on to further study, employment and life adventures.I’ve also experienced verbal and physical abuse, aggression and violence from students and their carers, directed at me and my colleagues in the course of my work as a school leader. I once regarded these occasional events as part of the job, normal in our frontline occupation. I now think we have grown complacent about the levels of violence toward a predominantly female workforce that we would not tolerate in other workplaces. As the latest data from the Australian...

Politics

5 d. ago Trump breaks with 175 years of Smithsonian tradition and pushes for more control to rid it of ‘anti

Trump to overhaul the world’s largest museum, education and research complex to ‘restore truth and sanity to American history’

Politics

6 d. ago The US right is coming for disabled people. Here’s why that threatens everyone

Trump’s administration is dismantling disability rights and education. History has shown this can be a warning sign for all civil libertiesTwelve days before Donald Trump took office, Charlie Kirk, media personality and rightwing activist, complained on his eponymous show about the presence of American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters at emergency press briefings for the Los Angeles fires. Another rightwing activist, Christopher Rufo, took his cue on X, calling interpreters “wild human gesticulators” who turned briefings into a “farce”. The rightwing theorist and Origins of Woke author Richard Hanania, quote-tweeting Rufo, declared ASL interpretation an “absurdity”.Around this time, Elon Musk was skulking around the platform, campaigning to bring back the R-word. Use of the slur tripled on X after his post. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Rachel Reeves announces MORE welfare cuts after watchdog judges Chancellor's previous benefits squeeze (announced only last week) was worth billions LESS than thought

The Chancellor put a further squeeze on benefits after the Office for Budget Responsibility said her previous action would not save as much as she'd hoped.

Economics

7 d. ago Spring Statement 2025 LIVE as Rachel Reeves to announce further DWP benefit cuts

The budget watchdog has warned that cuts to benefits announced last week will not save as much money as minister had hoped

Politics

1 week ago My teacher threatened to rip my teeth out after raping me. But I blocked the memory until a surprising moment changed everything, reveals AMY GRIFFIN

After Amy Griffin narrowly lost a school election aged 12, one of her favourite teachers, Mr Mason, stopped her in the hallway. 'You're the real leader of this school', he reassured her.

Events

1 week ago My teacher threatened to rip my teeth out after raping me aged 12. But I blocked the memory until a surprising moment changed everything, reveals AMY GRIFFIN

After Amy Griffin narrowly lost a school election aged 12, one of her favourite teachers, Mr Mason, stopped her in the hallway. 'You're the real leader of this school', he reassured her.

Events

1 week ago Labour's 'destructive approach' to independent schools will not be looked on kindly by history after VAT tax raid, warns UK's most powerful education figures

Speaking yesterday, Philip Britton, incoming Chair of the HMC, hit out at the 'enormous and damaging change' caused by the VAT on school fees tax since it was imposed in January.

Events

2 w. ago Ad watchdog announces crackdown on degrading images of women in gaming apps

Eight ads which appeared in the apps included harmful stereotyping of women as sexual objects and the use of pornographic tropes, the ASA found.

Politics

2 w. ago The US government has sent Columbia University a ransom note | Sheldon Pollock

Like a mob boss, the government threatens to cut off two of the university’s fingers: academic freedom and faculty governanceOn 15 March, Columbia University received what can only be described as the most dangerous letter in the history of higher education in America. The sender was the United States government. Like a ransom note, the government letter insists that Columbia comply with a list of Trump administration demands in order to even have a chance at recovering the $400m in federal funding for scientific research that the government canceled on 7 March.Oddly, one of the specific targets identified in the letter was Columbia’s Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (Mesaas), a small humanities department devoted to studying the languages, cultures and history of those regions. The government demanded the Mesaas department be put into “receivership” – basically, be taken over by the University – as a precondition to further negotiations. Continue readi...

Politics

2 w. ago Paedophile scoutmaster who spent 27 years on the run after fleeing to Thailand when he was due to appear in court is found guilty of dozens of child sex abuse offences

Richard Burrows, a former boarding school housemaster and scout leader, had admitted 43 offences and denied 54 others, which jurors convicted him of today.

Events

2 w. ago Ofsted gets 'first religious school leader in its history' as education watchdog announces its new chairman

Sir Hamid Patel (pictured) will enter the top board position temporarily until a replacement is found for Dame Christine Ryan, who announced her intention to step down in November last year.

Politics

2 w. ago Social media platforms must be ‘brought to heel’, says UK schools leader

Headteachers’ conference to be told that rise in bullying, abuse and malicious use of deepfakes is being reportedSocial media operators must be “brought to heel” for the misery and disruption they are causing to the lives of students, teachers and parents, according to a senior school leader.Manny Botwe, the president of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), will tell the association’s annual conference that teachers are reporting increased bullying, abuse and the malicious use of “deepfakes” against pupils and staff through social media. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Council leader urges South Lanarkshire families to check if they qualify for School Clothing Grant

The Early Years Clothing Grant was introduced by the Labour-led administration, but this year it will rise to £150 in line with the School Clothing Grant for primary school-aged children.

Politics

4 w. ago Children should be allowed to leave school at 14 if they would be better off doing an apprenticeship, says Scottish Tory leader

Children should be allowed to leave school at 14 if they would be better off in college or doing an apprenticeship, Russell Findlay will say today.

Politics

4 w. ago Four in five school leaders have been abused by parents in the past year

One school leader spoke of ‘slanderous vexatious complaints' while others said 'abusive emails' are the norm

Politics