Billy Camden | Schools Week

Schools miss T-level enrolment targets

Schools have missed their T-level enrolment targets, with digital proving to be the toughest subject to sell to students. But leaders are still celebrating the initial figures, which could increase slightly as recruitment continues in the coming weeks, because of the impact of Covid-19 and the chaos of this summer’s GCSE exams. Skills minister Gillian […]

MPs question £3m spent on UTC membership body

An influential cross-party group of MPs has raised concerns over the value for money offered by the membership body for university technical colleges, after its cost to the public purse reached £3 million. The costs smack of a far too close, special relationship with too little scrutiny from government and too much entitlement from the […]

Ofsted raps first school over Baker clause

A school has been rapped by Ofsted for flouting the Baker clause, as the inspectorate begins to police the controversial rule. Leicestershire-based King Edward VII Science and Sport College was rated ‘inadequate’ in a report published on Wednesday following an inspection in January. While Ofsted has suspended publishing reports during the coronavirus outbreak, it does […]

Coronavirus: Ofqual reveals three week ‘window’ for estimating vocational and technical grades

Schools will have a three week “window” to provide calculated grades for vocational and technical qualifications from June 1, Ofqual has revealed. The exams regulator has today published further guidance on grading the courses this summer following the cancellation of exams. It follows an announcement at the end of April that schools and colleges can […]

Coronavirus: Schools will grade BTECs, says Ofqual

Schools will calculate pupils’ grades for the majority of BTECs and other vocational qualifications this year, but a full list of those in scope will not be ready until after Easter. In a briefing this morning, Ofqual said qualifications such as BTEC nationals, Cambridge technicals, UAL diplomas and functional skills will be graded in a […]

Coronavirus: Oldham sixth form college gets impending Ofsted deferred

Oldham Sixth Form College has become the first education provider to successfully defer an Ofsted inspection due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Inspectors were due into the 16 to 19 academy this week but the visit has now been postponed to an unknown date, the watchdog has confirmed. On Friday, Ofsted released new guidance stating that […]

Sixth form funding hike still leaves schools with less than they had in 2013, minister admits

Plans to raise the school funding rate for 16 to 19-year-olds will still leave schools with less than they had seven years ago, a minister has admitted. Chancellor Sajid Javid announced last year that school sixth forms would receive £4,188 per pupil from August 2020, a 4.7 per cent cash-terms increase on the current rate of […]

Rebooted Troops to Teachers fails to take off

Gavin Williamson’s rebooted attempts to train more armed forces veterans as teachers has been labelled “pointless” after take-up tanked. New £40,000 Troops to Teachers bursaries were introduced last September to encourage ex-service personnel into the classroom. Announcing the move in March last year, former defence secretary Gavin Williamson (pictured), who has since become education secretary, […]

Profile: Simon Connell

Simon Connell, the new chief executive of the Baker Dearing Trust, is on a mission to change perceptions of university technical colleges, he tells Billy Camden Things are changing at the organisation that runs university technical colleges. The Baker Dearing Trust’s new chief executive, Simon Connell is determined that it will move from “quantity to […]