The series unveils uncomfortable truths about youth alienation and online radicalisation — but the real crisis lies in austerity and the absence of class consciousness in addressing young people’s disillusionment, says teacher ROBERT POOLE

From colonialism to the Troubles, the story of England’s first colony is one of exploitation, resistance, and solidarity — and one we should fight to ensure is told, writes teacher ROBERT POOLE

As the government moves to rein in academy freedoms, former darling of conservative education reform Katharine Birbalsingh cries ‘Marxism.’ Education columnist ROBERT POOLE examines how academisation has failed our children while enriching executives and empowering ideologues at the expense of democratic accountability

ROBERT POOLE reports back from his mission to Cuba delivering aid and learning from Cuban educators

After an inspiring meeting in Bolton Socialist Club addressed by a visitor from the Cuban Ministry of Higher Education, teacher ROBERT POOLE reflects on what we can learn from the education system in Cuba

As the NEU meets for its annual conference, teacher and union rep ROBERT POOLE reflects on the most intense period of industrial action in his teaching career

Teacher ROBERT POOLE reflects on the year past and the year to come, as education staff prepare to fight the government not just for their rights, but for the future and purpose of schooling itself

Teacher and trade unionist ROBERT POOLE offers some revolutionary thoughts while on holiday in Nerja

After decimating its left, Labour has now turned its sights on teachers and children, in a wave of policy announcements that have left the education community incredulous, writes teacher ROBERT POOLE

From marking to cheating, from saving time to cutting jobs, secondary school teacher and NEU rep ROBERT POOLE considers the role AI may play in education

As the strikes rumble on, NEU rep ROBERT POOLE asks if, with the four main teaching unions set to take joint action, it is time for one big education union

NEU activist ROBERT POOLE reflects on his first day on the picket line last week and the need to continue to build the union

Rishi Sunak’s maths gimmick doesn’t add up: as we enter the new year, teacher ROBERT POOLE looks at the challenges we will face from a fragile Tory government

As educators take one step closer to strike action, teacher ROBERT POOLE reflects on how the pandemic helped refocus the politics of those who’d banked on Parliament for change – leading to an upsurge in organisation and resistance

As strikes spread through the country, union rep ROBERT POOLE says it is time for workers to take a stand, form new coalitions and say ‘enough is enough’

Teacher ROBERT POOLE reflects on a week so turbulent in Westminster it's provided a brief respite from unwanted interference in the education system — now if only Ofsted would go on an indefinite strike too...

Yes, the Tories are particularly bad, but we must ignore any politician that claims they can force improvements in our educational attainment by doing anything other than creating a more just and equal society for our kids, writes ROBERT POOLE

Teacher Robert Poole reflects on the government’s education white paper and the key events from the NEU 2022 conference

Teacher ROBERT POOLE asks what role educators can and should play in helping young people make sense of the world and why the government is suddenly looking to answer that question for them

ROBERT POOLE looks at the state of education in 2022 and concludes that it is time for workers to take action against the unfair advantages of the rich and powerful

Robert Poole questions if education really is a priority for this government and calls for redistribution and vaccine equity

ROBERT POOLE reflects on the appointment of a new shadow education secretary and what this tells us about the current state of the Labour Party

Exhausted educator ROBERT POOLE asks, does this government value education?

Teacher and NEU rep ROBERT POOLE looks at Westminster’s promises for education and comes to the conclusion that if there is hope it lies with the union

Teacher ROBERT POOLE reflects on the top 10 ‘greatest hits ’of the erstwhile education secretary

Teacher ROBERT POOLE cannot, for the life of him, see how introducing Latin to the masses will solve systemic educational inequality

While the right fights culture wars in our schools, teacher ROBERT POOLE asks would their time and money not be better spent on helping our young people?  

As NEU’s annual conference begins, union rep ROBERT POOLE writes that we can’t rely on politicians in Whitehall to give us a national education service — we need to fight for it with our new-found strength

This pandemic has shown that economic injustice is structural, especially in education — but do we need a corporate-sponsored ‘old boys’ network in reverse’ or do we need to ditch the pearl-clutching postmodernists and talk about good old working-class solidarity, asks ROBERT POOLE

How architecture transformed the Russian capital into a modern metropolis

The Covid crisis has been brought about by the bumbling of an inept Prime Minister but a rush back to the classrooms is not the answer, writes NEU rep ROBERT POOLE

When teaching trade unionists realised that the government was ignoring the advice of its own scientific advisers, they stepped up to defend pupils, staff and communities, says ROBERT POOLE

We as trade unionists must be the voice of the disenfranchised and we must now stand together and demand more from our elected representatives, writes NEU rep ROBERT POOLE

If we are going to have a second lockdown we need to do it properly — and that means closing schools, colleges and universities, argues ROBERT POOLE

As we are about to be plunged into the deepest recession of a generation, this is the time where we need to be looking for solutions to capitalism - not criminalising criticism, writes ROBERT POOLE

With Covid-19 cases rising in schools and the testing system buckling, educators are under increasing strain. Now is time for a fair reward for teachers writes ROBERT POOLE