Exam Nation by Sammy Wright review – testing times
A teacher’s view of a schools system in crisis – and how we can fix it
The big idea: should we abolish exams?
At the moment, we use academic results to assign social worth. That has to change
Rampant slaughter! Sexy armour! Tiger maulings! We bust the gladiator myths
As swords and sandals make a bloody return to the screen, the ‘Colosseum consultant’ who advises all the epic productions about accuracy tells us why he is ‘paid to be ignored’
Academic journals are a lucrative scam – and we’re determined to change that
Giant publishers are bleeding universities dry, with profit margins that rival Google’s. So we decided to start our own, says academic Arash Abizadeh
Sandy Brownjohn obituary
Other lives: Poet and educator whose books transformed the teaching of poetry-writing in schools
‘Reading’s in danger’: Frank Cottrell-Boyce on books, kids – and the explosive power of Heidi
He has written hit films like 24 Hour Party People and cooked up the Queen’s Olympic skydive. But now, having been crowned Children’s Laureate, he’s on a mission to show kids that books will change their lives
The Truth About English Grammar by Geoffrey K Pullum review – the pants rule and other pipe dreams
A breezy guide to grammar sides with the ordinary Joe against the nitpickers
‘If there’s nowhere else to go, this is where they come’: how Britain’s libraries provide much more than books
The long read: In 2024, libraries are unofficial creches, homeless shelters, language schools and asylum support providers – filling the gaps left by a state that has reneged on its responsibilities
Richard Abraham obituary
Other lives: History teacher and writer on the leading figures of the Russian revolution
The big idea: why we need to put death on the curriculum
Most British children experience bereavement, and schools should help them deal with it
Children reading fewer, less challenging books, UK and Ireland study finds
Survey of more than 1.2 million pupils finds a decrease in volume of books read, with a ‘sharp drop’ in difficulty for older secondary students
How US schools became a political battleground: ‘These are proxies for a bigger clash in society’
In They Came for the Schools, Mike Hixenbaugh looks at how a conservative agenda caused conflict in his Texas school system
Chris Williams obituary
Other lives: Historian who specialised in research on Welsh radical traditions and edited Richard Burton’s diaries
Maureen O’Connor obituary
Other lives: Crime novelist and founding editor of Education Guardian
Award-winning UK teacher aims to show adults their historical blind spots
Shalina Patel’s book highlights stories traditionally left out of the textbooks, particular those of women and people of colour