It is no secret that the new 30 hours free childcare incentive being phased in from April 2024 has the sole objective of getting people into work. The government are not considering any collateral benefits like improving the quality of Early Years Education or helping the most disadvantaged families to access good quality Early Years Education. Here we suggest this is a missed opportunity to help families that need it the most by funding childcare for families in education and training as well as working families. Why is the 30 Hours Free Childcare being expanded? The new entitlements are a co ..read more

When buying a house recently I noticed just how prominent Ofsted inspection reports have become for estate agents promoting a neighbourhood. It was also notable that houses within the catchment area of an outstanding school were selling for more money. Ofsted outstanding schools near me is frequently entered into search engines, the be all and end all of choosing a school. It got me thinking whether parents should be so influenced by Ofsted inspection reports. Here we have a look at how useful Ofsted inspections really are for parents and how else they could choose the right school for their c ..read more

As a SEN Teaching Assistant recruitment agency in London we see first-hand the integral part teaching assistants play in delivering SEN support in primary and secondary schools. It is surprising therefore the little mention they received in the recently published review of SEN support. Here we have a look at how Teaching Assistants should be at the heart of reforms if SEN support is to be improved across the system How Are Teaching Assistants Used in schools? As a Teaching Assistant Jobs agency, the majority of positions we fill are placing experienced SEN Assistants into roles to work 1:1 wit ..read more

There’s good news this year for both overseas trained teachers and aspiring overseas teachers looking to gain a UK recognised teaching qualification to teach in the UK. From 1st February 2023 the government have widened the countries from which eligible overseas teachers can automatically apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and this could possibility be widened to all countries by the end of the year! There is also an exciting new iQTS being rolled out, which will allow aspiring teachers from all over the world to get QTS abroad without having to visit the country and pave the way to teac ..read more

Since January 2021 there is a points based immigration system which applies to both EU and non-EU nationals coming to the UK. This has made it easier for foreign teachers to teach in the UK.  Here we have a look at who is eligible and how to get a UK visa as an overseas trained teacher or as a teaching assistant Are Teachers Eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa? The UK’s Shortage occupation list has previously been a stumbling block for overseas teachers seeking to get a UK visa to work in schools.  There are UK Schools sponsoring foreign teachers but only a few secondary school subj ..read more

Just a quick notice to communicate a problem we’re currently experience with receiving emails. Our hosting company has had a wide spread outage which, unfortunately, included our email servers. They’re working hard to rectify the problem, however, in the meantime, this means many emails sent to us are not making it through. So if you email us currently, I’m afraid we may not receive your email. We are very sorry. To help while this issue is ongoing, we’ve create a temporary gmail account that you can email us on – keyskillseducationlondon@gmail.com . Please could we ask you use this for now if ..read more

The principles of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War have gained notoriety for their application across many sectors including business strategy, management practices, law and sports. With a worsening teacher recruitment crisis in England, the same reasons keep coming up as to why teachers are leaving the profession. Here we have a look at 4 big areas where the people at the top should take heed of the ancient general’s lessons to improve morale, bring some purpose into the profession and improve teacher retention. What do those at the top envisage as the Purpose of Education? The general who advances w ..read more

Private schools are notorious for “teaching” character strengths such as determination, perseverance and resilience yet they do so without ever mentioning them. Here we look at this elusive paradox and consider whether private schools are better than state schools. Are Private Schools better than State Schools? Much is made of academic achievement in schools. Across the country examination results are the measure for the success of each school, with primary and secondary schools alike striving for ways to improve. Naturally private schools have very high academic achievement, although how far ..read more

Over the last few decades there have been  a multitude of education policies aimed at narrowing the education gap and increasing social mobility, most of which have achieved very little if anything at all. It is easy to blame the education system for this but the reality is that the education gap is the result of wider social and economic disparities that cannot be resolved in schools. Research suggests that child poverty is a big factor, which raises alarm bells as to the adverse effects that the current cost of living crisis will have on the education gap. Here we have a look at what th ..read more

Job satisfaction, rapid career progression, opportunity to earn high salaries and long holidays are all good reasons to explore a career in teaching, but is it the right career for you? Here we look at some important character attributes and skills needed to be a teacher. Communication and Interpersonal Skills Becoming a teacher is a good way to share your knowledge and passion for your subject but being knowledgeable is only useful to your students if it is communicated effectively. In addition to delivering compelling lessons, teachers require strong interpersonal skills with students, colle ..read more