It was great to hear Aussie Prime Minister Julia Gillard championing Australian education last week. She was encouraging us to win the Education Race in order to remain an economic powerhouse.

It was rousing stuff, but wait a minute - a race?

Since when?

Living in Sydney, some 15000km away from the UK, the current state of the UK education system is not always at the forefront of my thinking.

But as a teacher who was born, raised and trained in the UK and who spent a few years working in the inner...

For those born into poverty, every day is a natural disaster. Yet in this case, society often appears to turn a blind eye. The very same people who shed tears watching the aftermath of the Japenese Tsunami are the ones who cross the road to avoid the homeless. Those who...

There, I've said it! Well maybe not quite...

What I mean is: Schools should go to kids - meet them on their turf.

Genuinely engage them. Find out what makes them 'tick.'

Use the technology they use on a day-to-day basis.

In my opinion too many teachers, schools and parents...

According to the World Health Organisation, the number one cause of illness in 2030 will be Depression. By the time today's Year 7 students are in their mid-thirties, they will face a greater health risk from depression than from cardiovascular disease, diabetes or cancer.

Schools have long understood...