Billy Camden | Schools Week

Dangerous drivers prompt body cameras for school-duty staff

More headteachers are opting to arm school crossing patrol officers with body cameras to clamp down on dangerous driving during the school run. Harlands primary school in west Sussex last week became the latest school to allow their patrol officer to record incidents and capture evidence of abuse. The decision followed a six-week pilot at […]

It’s official: Schools to employ apprentices, but BBC and Parliament let off

The government has confirmed today that schools will be included among public sector bodies expected to employ apprentices – although larger organisations such as the BBC and Houses of Parliament are handed exemptions. The move comes despite schools expressing concerns about the affordability of paying for new apprentices, as well as “practical difficulties” in employing […]

Examiner awards scheme launched to lure teachers amid growing demand

An awards scheme that will recognise “exceptional commitment” from exam markers is being set up by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) to entice more teachers to take on the job. The move comes off the back of a report by the headteachers’ associations, JCQ and other exam boards, which warned thousands more examiners are […]

Grammars profit from sales of ‘mock’ 11-plus exams

Grammar schools are pocketing tens of thousands of pounds from mock 11-plus tests, fuelling worries that reintroducing selective schools will “end up assessing wealth not ability”. Sutton grammar school’s parent teacher association (PTA) openly advertises the sale of mock tests at £28 a pupil to help to prepare them for entrance exams. A newsletter put […]

College of Teaching officially opens its doors for members

The Chartered College of Teaching has today officially opened its doors for new members to join. The college, headed by Dame Alison Peacock, pledges to place research and evidence “at the heart of learning” for teachers. It costs £39 to join for an introductory period, with wider membership “following soon”. Schools Week has previously revealed […]

School fines pupils for lateness

A school’s plan to fine parents if their children are consistently late for registration will not solve the problem, say union leaders – although the government has told headteachers they can legally issue penalty notices in such circumstances. Catherine Stalham, head of Winter Gardens primary academy in Essex, last week told parents they would be […]

EEF to test impact of school theatre trips under £2.5m trial

The educational impact of taking pupils to the theatre and visiting exhibitions will be tested under a new £2.5 million trial. The project will be focus on schools in deprived areas where cultural participation is low, and will be run under a partnership between the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the Royal Society of Arts […]

DfE recruits team of behavioural scientists

The Department for Education is recruiting a team of “behavioural insights” experts to aid ministers in their policymaking decisions. The move is aimed at changing the “culture” of the department with psychology specialists applying behavioural science from the start when new policies are developed. The team is also expected to help policymakers adopt a more […]

Travel costs to send students from closing UTC to Silverstone hit £100k

The government is to stump up thousands of pounds in travel costs to send children from a closing university technical college to another 20 miles away, according to the leader of the failed institution. Daventry UTC announced in December that low student numbers would force it to close this August. The “new technologies” specialist institution […]