Mark Gould

Lacey

Artist, Journalist and Editor at Freelance

Writer

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Articles

Venice Biennale 2025

1 week ago | markgould.substack.com | Mark Gould

I’m told Venice in spring is always a city of anticipation, but in 2025, the mood is more electric, and perhaps more uncertain. The world’s oldest and most prestigious art biennial opens its doors against a backdrop of global instability – wars still rage on Europe’s edge, climate anxiety is at a fever pitch, and the very concept of art is changing again through generative systems of artificial intelligence.
The New AI Follies

2 weeks ago | markgould.substack.com | Mark Gould

If you’re of a certain age you remember counterculture or ‘underground’ comics from the 60s and 70s – The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Fritz The Cat and other Robert Crumb strips, and Spain Rodriguez’ Trashman. Well, the times they are a-changing, in reverse apparently, and so without further ado, realizing full well that there was precious little ado …
Guernica in the Age of the Algorithm

1 month ago | markgould.substack.com | Mark Gould

In the 20th century, Picasso’s Guernica bore witness to a massacre the fascists denied. It did not depict a hero. It offered no moral clarity. It simply screamed. It was a rupture — a wound on canvas — a record of truth that refused to disappear. But today, truth doesn’t vanish in silence. It dissolves into a media saturated pool of liquid.
Third of teenage girls ‘no longer feel safe in school’

1 month ago | tes.com | Mark Gould

Secondary school students in England, particularly girls, report some of the lowest levels of enjoyment of school and satisfaction in their relationships with peers and teachers, research shows. Students’ emotional engagement rates - their enjoyment of school, their relationships with their peers and teachers, and the extent to which they feel safe and that they belong in school - have suffered a marked decline since the Covid pandemic.
New CEO appointed at Academy Transformation Trust

1 month ago | tes.com | Mark Gould

Mark McCourt, a leading figure in maths education, has been appointed chief executive officer at Academy Transformation Trust (ATT). He succeeds Sir Nick Weller, who became the trust’s CEO in 2022. ATT runs 22 academies across central England, including primary, secondary, special schools and further education colleges.
Teenagers’ socioemotional skills ‘significantly worse’ in England

1 month ago | tes.com | Mark Gould

The socioemotional skills of 15- and 16-year-olds in England are significantly weaker than many of their peers’ in 30 comparator countries, according to research published today. These weaknesses - in areas such as cooperation, curiosity, empathy, persistence and stress resistance - could damage young people’s job prospects if ignored, the report’s authors warn.
Sir Martyn Oliver: Ofsted backs school phone bans

1 month ago | tes.com | Mark Gould

Ofsted’s chief inspector has told parents that inspectors will back headteachers who take the “tough” decision to ban phones, warning that exposure to online content on devices can be “damaging” to children. Sir Martyn Oliver, who used to be chief executive of a large academy trust, said that in the past he had walked into schools where phones were “rife” that were in “utter chaos” .
Schools need more targeted funding to improve attendance

1 month ago | tes.com | Mark Gould

Schools need targeted funding to develop and expand interventions to help tackle attendance problems, which remain substantially higher than pre-pandemic levels, according to a new study. The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) report recommends that the extra funding should be directed to initiatives such as home visits, recruiting additional pastoral staff, including attendance officers and assistant heads of year, and tailored support for disadvantaged students.
Classes ‘shivering’ in winter and ‘overheated’ in summer

1 month ago | tes.com | Mark Gould

Most teachers in England say their classrooms are too hot in summer because of poor ventilation, and a quarter say they are too cold in winter due to inadequate heating systems, a major new survey reveals. Around one in five teachers questioned by Teacher Tapp for an Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) report were working in rooms with broken windows or doors, and more than 10 per cent had leaking ceilings.
The New Arctic Fortress

1 month ago | markgould.substack.com | Mark Gould

The Arctic chill has transcended the meteorological; it's now geopolitical. As Mr. Donald flirts with expansionist fantasies—casting covetous glances at Canada as the "51st state"— there’s now a growing Arctic security movement afoot. While some Canadians may be swayed by the lure of American citizenship and dollar signs (Ipsos), many in Canada's northern territories are digging in, and preparing for confrontation.