Sarah Evans

Columnist for the Birmingham Post on education matters. Former principal of King Edward VI High School for Girls

Other countries do without governors - so why can't we?

Lots of other countries manage without governors. If we want to continue this historic custom, it needs a modern re-think.

Schoolchildren learn more than the curriculum from teachers

Pupils will only learn about mercy, pity, love and peace if they see that from their teachers and parents

On the child’s side – not the parents’

All parents want the best for their children and all teachers want the best for their students but children have got to be themselves, between 11 and 18 they need the space to consider who they are and what they want.

Exam results week – so be prepared

Families need a Plan B, C and even D to cover most result eventualities. If these have been discussed already at home, it is not such a frightening shock if the results are not what are hoped for or expected.

Navigating the troubled teen waters

Youth culture dwells on relationships with an all consuming passion and young people as a result see perfect relationships with their peers as being the principal purpose of their life.

A milestone for me as the year ends

Sarah Evans, outgoing principal of King Edward VI High School for Girls, completes her final term at the Edgbaston school.

More than one way to make a mark

Because of governments’ needs for short-term illustrations of success, an inordinate amount of value has been placed on examination results.

Two words that help us bind society

Our expectations of schools go way beyond hitting exam targets – and that is why judging schools on them is so senseless.

A diet of outrageous DofE ideas

If Michael Gove wants schools to be havens of peace and security, (as well as wholesome canteens) he needs to meddle with them a bit less.

Revolution in the training of teachers

Sarah Evans writes "Teachers have largely been trained either by going from school straight to a higher education course preparing them to teach – a BEd course in most recent years – or, after a degree, undertaking a one-year PGCE course."

Single sex schools are best for girls

Sarah Evans writes "Most of the country swept away single-sex education in the 1960s and 70s but Birmingham was much less keen to embrace this for a number of historical reasons."

Disaster puts our lives in perspective

Sarah Evans writes "The most common reaction when I tell people that I am head of a school is one of pity mixed with horror".

Sarah Evans: Heading in the direction of a sustainable approach

Economic Development

The next time you think of getting on the phone and berating a head teacher - pause.

Sarah Evans: Why we need teachers to unlock code

Economic Development

I went to a conference last week and one of the main speeches was quite terrifying - its title was "Why we don't need teachers".

Sarah Evans: Sex education in a world of exploitation

Economic Development

The legal position is clear - discrimination against people who change gender is illegal, but for the tiny minority of those who undergo a gender change, illiberal attitudes are still much feared both in the workplace, the media and personally.

Sarah Evans: Testing times for good old course work

Economic Development

May is the month in which GCSE examinations start and this year's students may well be pondering the value of an exam that has been criticised for years.

Sarah Evans: Why thinking on early years learning could do with 'improvement'

Economic Development

All over the world - where dreadful things aren't happening - toddlers play about.

Sarah Evans: Achieving more than just a sporting victory

Economic Development

No one could call me "happy clappy" where sport is concerned.

Sarah Evans: Life's tough - let our young have dreams

Economic Development

Influential figures in the world of industry and employment are horrified at the results published in a report last month.

Sarah Evans: Stop meddling and let teachers get on with it

Economic Development

Michael Gove got another hammering recently by 100 academics who all signed a letter criticising his proposals for the new national curriculum.

Sarah Evans: Moving away from a target-setting culture

Economic Development

Last week I wrote about the four pillars of a new educational strategy and funnily enough only three appeared in the published version so I have been worrying all week about a three-pillared edifice.

Sarah Evans: Independent schools must use 'freedom'

Economic Development

I went to an excellent head teachers' get together last week - the Society of Heads annual conference for heads from independent schools.

Sarah Evans: Reading to our children and ourselves

Economic Development

When it was very cold last week, I thought about a story I used to read to my son when he was very little.

Sarah Evans: A hard lesson we should be teaching

Economic Development

When I read about the convictions of three Birmingham bomb plotters who had been through our schools I felt a dreadful sense of failure.

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