Zofia Niemtus

London

Deputy Commissioning Editor at Tes

Writer and Editor at Freelance

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Articles

The plan to tackle the reading crisis in secondary schools

2 weeks ago | tes.com | Zofia Niemtus

Teaching reading is generally seen as the job of primary schools. This makes sense, given that it is the foundation upon which all other learning is built. In reality, though, too many teenagers start secondary school lacking the reading ability they need to access the secondary curriculum.
Tim Peake: from A-level disappointment to outer space

2 months ago | tes.com | Zofia Niemtus

Just how far can intellectual curiosity take a person? For UK astronaut Tim Peake, the answer speaks for itself - and is rooted in his early experiences of education. From his formative years as a test pilot to his scientific contributions aboard the International Space Station, Peake’s story is one of dedication, inquiry and the power of education. We caught up with him to hear about his path to seeing our planet from afar and where he sees the role of schools and teachers in securing its future.
What's really going on with teenage girls?

Jan 29, 2025 | tes.com | Zofia Niemtus

What is happening with the mental health of older female students? The figures paint a stark picture. The Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) - which tracks around 19,000 young people born across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2000 to 2002 - found that at age 14, some 23 per cent of young women had self-harmed (compared with 9 per cent of young men). By the age of 17, that figure had risen to 28 per cent (and 20 per cent for young men).
Trauma: what is it and what role should schools play in support?

Dec 10, 2024 | tes.com | Zofia Niemtus

Trauma has become a contentious issue in schools. The lack of a clear definition of what constitutes trauma, a lack of clarity about how to diagnose and support young people with trauma, and the complex intersection between trauma, special educational needs and disabilities, and mental health have all contributed to a fractious and often polarised debate about how schools should approach it. So what does “trauma” actually mean?
The struggle to spot (and develop) effective teachers

Nov 5, 2024 | tes.com | Zofia Niemtus

Just what is it that makes an effective teacher? It’s a question that has occupied researcher Matthew A Kraft for decades. He’s currently associate professor of education and economics at Brown University in the US, and has published more than 40 papers exploring questions around education and effectiveness, from the effect of teachers on cognition and social-emotional competency, to the how prestige of the profession has changed over the past 50 years.
Why your SEND intervention isn’t working

Oct 15, 2024 | tes.com | Zofia Niemtus

With more eyes than ever before on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision in mainstream schools, headteachers, principals and trust leaders will be looking closely at the targeted interventions claiming to improve outcomes for those who need additional support. What they will likely find is that the ones they are using may not be those that are actually proven to have an impact.
Social purpose

Jul 23, 2024 | nordangliaeducation.com | Zofia Niemtus

From Insta-worthy ‘voluntourism’, to corporations obsessing over ESG (environment, social and governance) ratings, you could be forgiven for sometimes feeling like everyone is preoccupied with appearing to do the right thing, rather than actually doing it. But Generation Z may be changing that.
8 expert-recommended education reads for summer

Jul 17, 2024 | tes.com | Christian Bokhove |David Reynolds |Zofia Niemtus |Zhenzhen Miao

When the final bell of the summer term has rung, it’s unlikely that your first thought will be about continuing professional development. And rightly so. Resting, relaxing and recharging should be the priorities, with all thoughts of school relegated to the end of the mental to-do list. But if - or maybe when - you do find your thoughts turning to the classroom, a bit of book-based professional development can be just the thing.
How boys are being led to misogyny - and what to do about it

Jul 2, 2024 | tes.com | Zofia Niemtus

While the publicity surrounding the arrest of Andrew Tate did much to raise awareness of incel culture and growing social trends promoting misogyny, most teachers were already well aware that he was only a small part of a growing problem. They had seen the videos that many of their male students were watching, witnessed the results of that in classrooms and corridors, and were already worried about what was happening to teenage boys in schools.
The rise of ear defenders in schools: what teachers need to know

Jun 4, 2024 | tes.com | Zofia Niemtus

Edith was struggling with the noise. It wasn’t that her primary school was particularly noisy but the whole-class conversations, one-to-one chats, the whirr of laptops, the scraping of chairs and the snotty noses were leaving her feeling overwhelmed. She was often upset and unable to work, and she found her class of nine-year-olds intolerable.