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13 April 2026

Author: Billy Camden

Birmingham council ‘encourages respect for human rights’ in wake of Trojan Horse

Birmingham City Council has published a curriculum statement pledging that its schools will focus on encouraging the human rights of all cultures. The statement promises that children in Birmingham will learn in an environment without prejudice or inequality, and promises to not allow “any attempts to narrow the curriculum”. Razia Butt (pictured), a schools resilience […]

Troubled UTC Plymouth pauses recruitment at 14

An ‘inadequate’ university technical college will not take on any new year 10 pupils from September and is on the hunt for a new leader, following the resignation of its principal. UTC Plymouth will not admit any 14 year olds for the 2017-18 academic year, although it hopes to start up recruitment again for new […]

Grammar schools ditch ‘tutor-proof’ 11-plus provider

Grammar schools in Buckinghamshire have sacked their high-profile 11-plus test provider and reappointed their former supplier. GL Assessment, which delivered the 11-plus test for all Buckinghamshire grammar schools before 2013, will replace the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) in providing selective school entrance exams for the area from 2018. It comes five years after […]

Corbyn fails to dish up evidence on free meals as councils admit there is none

Jeremy Corbyn’s claim that councils that provide free meals to all primary pupils are boosting attainment and health has been dealt a hammer blow after local authorities admitted no such evidence exists. The Labour leader has pledged to charge VAT on private school fees to raise £1.5 billion to pay for an extension of universal […]

Most UTCs half empty as pupil numbers dwindle

Most established university technical colleges (UTCs) are still more than half empty, a Schools Week analysis reveals. And nearly two-thirds also experienced a drop in pupil numbers this academic year. Ministers now face calls to scrap the “failing” project, just two years after the Conservative Party 2015 manifesto pledge to establish a UTC “within reach […]

Ofsted removes date from new ‘good’ logo – but why?

Ofsted has removed the dates of inspection from revamped promotional logos for good and outstanding schools, but has denied it is because of “embarrassment” over lengthy gaps between visits. The education watchdog has unveiled new logos for schools given a grade one and, for the first time, grade two ratings. But the revamped logos do […]

Teacher trainers told they can recruit 25% more trainees

The government has made the unprecedented decision to allow teacher training providers to recruit an extra 25 per cent of trainees on top of their original allocated amount. The National College for Teaching and Leadership, an arm of the Department for Education, today wrote to initial teacher training providers to tell them of the unexpected […]

Schools urged to coincide inset days with elections

Schools are being urged to reschedule inset days to coincide with planned elections in order to reduce “unnecessary” school closures. Theresa May’s announcement this morning of a snap election will leave schools all over the country bracing themselves for another turn as a makeshift polling station on June 8. It will follow local government elections […]