Association of Trust Schools

We may have smiled at Richie Benaud's commentary when he said, "Glenn McGrath out for 2, just 98 runs short of his century". What is the big deal about a century though? Tim explores this question in relation to school sport in this week's Sports article. atszim.org/2026/11/01/what-i…

What has dancing got to do with learning? Find a surprising answer to that question in this week's Education article by our Executive Director, Tim Middleton. atszim.org/2026/11/01/dances…

In professional cricket, being out for a duck is dreaded but we must help our children understand that the ugly duck(ling) can become something special. Tim expands on this important point in this week’s School of Sport article. atszim.org/2026/10/25/duckin…

As we look at education, we might echo the words from the film ‘Braveheart’: what will we do without wisdom (as well as freedom)? In this week’s Education article, Tim Middleton, our Executive Director, seeks to answer that question with some wisdom. atszim.org/2026/10/25/cry-wi…

Have we ever wished or dreamed of changing our parents for what we might consider to be better ones? Did we choose them wisely? In this week’s School of Sport article, Tim reflects on what effect parents can have on their child’s sporting dreams. atszim.org/2026/10/18/unmet-…

“Time is money, money is power, power is pizza, and pizza is knowledge, let’s go!"? In this week’s Education article, Tim Middleton, our Executive Director, shares some thoughts on how pizza might play a part in our children’s education. Confused? Read on! atszim.org/2026/10/18/the-le…

Why do we have tests in education and how can we prepare children for them? Tim Middleton, our Executive Director, discusses how sport plays such a big part in that, in this week’s School of Sport article. atszim.org/2026/10/11/testin…

If there was one subject in the curriculum that everyone would probably achieve an A*, it would naturally be the subject of Excuses. In this week's article, Tim offers his thoughts on why we must eliminate this subject from schools and subsequently society atszim.org/2026/10/11/no-exc…

We can honour sport and those involved in it in equal measure by performing the ‘haka’ (or our own cultural alternatives) and by playing as a hacker. Tim Middleton, our Executive Director, unpacks this claim in this week’s School of Sport article. atszim.org/2026/10/04/hacker…

How do we go about rating schools? The standard way can be grating. In this week’s Education article, Tim Middleton, our Executive Director, considers alternative, more meaningful ways that we should use to rate a school. atszim.org/2026/10/04/gratin…

There are reasons for the seasons but there are also reasons why we should continue to ensure that we have different seasons and different sports for our schoolchildren. Take a moment to read this week’s School of Sport article. atszim.org/2026/09/27/reason…

We all love specials and to be seen to be special – and education is no different. Tim Middleton, our Executive Director, explores ways that education can be special for our children in this week’s Education article. atszim.org/2026/09/27/todays…

The character played by Brad Pitt in the film ‘Moneyball’ said, “I hate losing more than I love winning.” But what is so bad about losing when there is so much to be won by it? In this article, Tim leads us through some interesting questions on this matter atszim.org/2026/09/20/whats-…

Ships may be positive and constructive, whether commercial or military, but ships can also be dangerous and destructive. Tim, highlights two dangerous ships to be found in education in this week’s article and challenges us to be shipshape in our thinking. atszim.org/2026/09/20/ss-dan…

There is one thing in sport and in life that we must never let die, especially with our children. Tim Middleton, our Executive Director, shares some insights on this matter in this week’s School of Sport article. atszim.org/2026/09/13/hope-i…

Laurence J. Peter once pointed out, “Against logic there is no armour like ignorance”. Tim Middleton, our Executive Director, gently points out in this week’s Education article in what ways parents sometimes fail to follow logic. atszim.org/2026/09/13/lesson…

So much of sport can turn on the bounce of the ball as well as the bounce of the players – how often (and how) can sportspeople bounce back? Tim Middleton, our Executive Director, offers some thoughts on this topic in this week’s School of Sport article. atszim.org/2026/09/06/bounce…

If “Two and a half people” refers not to two adults and one child, as we would expect, but rather to two children and one adult, what does that make a pensioner? In this article, Tim shares more on the matter as it relates to our children’s education. atszim.org/2026/09/06/an-age…

Tom Watson, the five-time winner of the Open golf Championship, once said “Sometimes you do everything right and lose. Sometimes you do everything wrong and win.” Find out more on this quotation with relevance to our children in this week’s article. atszim.org/2026/08/30/that-s…