Alix Robertson | Schools Week

Teaching apprenticeship rumoured to launch this week

A teaching apprenticeship for graduates is due to be announced this week, Schools Week understands, but it will only be at level six, equivalent to an undergraduate degree. In January, the Department for Education confirmed that a postgraduate teaching apprenticeship would be available to schools within the next two years. Speaking at a Public Accounts Committee […]

Defence secretary announces more state school cadet units

The defence secretary has announced that 31 new cadet units will open in state schools – but Schools Week analysis shows that just 81 state schools have been approved to have cadets since 2015, despite an injection of £50 million and promises to launch 100 units per year. Sir Michael Fallon announced the new units […]

Matrix Academy Trust ordered to review governance after ESFA investigation

The Matrix Academy Trust has been ordered to review its governance arrangements and financial management after a government review found it could not justify costly staff trips and had not ensured separation of powers between its members and directors. The investigation was prompted by “anonymous allegations” made against it in October 2016, relating to “potentially […]

How Schools Week complained about a job advert and uncovered a strange situation

A misleading job advert targeting prospective teaching assistants has been removed by the company responsible after pressure from Schools Week. The New Skills Academy, a private online training company, was using The Guardian’s popular jobs website to advertise a teaching assistant diploma. The description claimed that to secure a job as a TA, applicants must […]

New National Institute of Education set up to help schools use apprenticeship levy

A new National Institute of Education is being set up to run courses specifically aimed at helping schools to use the money they pay into the apprenticeship levy, Schools Week can reveal. Since April, many schools have paid money into the government’s apprenticeship levy. Those paying the levy can then claim funding back in order […]

Six organisations win a slice of £75m Teaching & Leadership Fund

The first six organisations to receive their share of a £75 million teaching fund have been named, almost two months after a leaked list of the winners appeared online. Schools Week looks at what’s in store for the first winners, and speaks to two organisations featured on the leaked list but missing from the Department […]

Nearly 5,000 prospective teachers fail QTS tests 3 times

Almost 5,000 prospective teachers failed the compulsory numeracy and literary skills test three times in 2015-16, shutting them out of the profession for at least two years. Any candidate who wishes to reach qualified teacher status must pass the computerised professional skills tests within three attempts, but those who fail two resits in either literacy […]

Only 1 in 4 pupils meets expected standard in science tests

Less than one in four primary pupils reached the expected standard in science last year, according to figures buried in a data release at the end of the last academic year. In July, the Standards and Testing Agency released the key stage 2 science sampling results for 2016, which showed that just 23 per cent […]

Costs exclude poorer pupils from residential school trips

Teachers in the most disadvantaged areas do not believe their pupils can afford the residential trips offered by their schools, exclusive research for Schools Week has found. Analysis by the education think-tank LKMco showed pupils in deprived areas face a double disadvantage: they attend schools that are less likely to organise residential trips in the […]