Freddie Whittaker

  • Ex-NSN director’s government appointment 'blocked' by Downing Street

    Luke Tryl, the ex-director of the New Schools Network and a former adviser at the Department for Education, has had his return to government blocked by Downing Street, Schools Week has learned. It was announced last month that Tryl was leaving the free schools charity after just a few months in the role to become…

    11.59 Aug. 9th, 2019 | News

  • Six 'quick wins' for Gavin Williamson

    With an election looming, the new education secretary will need some quick announcements up his sleeve that will actually help schools, says Ollie Lane. The education views of the new secretary of state, Gavin Williamson, are not widely known and many are wondering what his priorities might be. But as a true politician, and part…

    16.56 Aug. 8th, 2019 | Opinion

  • New rules on exam readers could become a headache for schools

    A change in the rules on reading assistance in exams for pupils with special needs could cause a jump in the number receiving such assistance next year. Can we quantify such a potential rise and what will it mean for schools, asks Barney Angliss. JCQ’s decision to change the rules on what it requires from…

    13.12 Aug. 7th, 2019 | Opinion

  • The children's commissioner is wrong about children in care and school Ofsted grades

    Exclusively sending vulnerable children to ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ schools is narrow-minded, unattainable and not in the best interest of the pupil, argues John Cosgrove. “We want to see children in care placed in good or outstanding schools only,” Anne Longfield, the children’s commissioner for England, writes in the Stability Index report 2019, published earlier this month.…

    15.16 Aug. 6th, 2019 | Opinion

  • DfE urged to give more time for KS2 reading test after word count soars

    The government is facing calls to allow pupils more time to sit key stage 2 reading tests after the the word count of the paper was upped by 45 per cent this year. The combined word count of the three texts in the test sat by pupils in May was 2,168, the longest it has…

    11.31 Aug. 6th, 2019 | News

  • 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Supporting Pupils with Autism

    When I first read the title, I wondered whether this little green book would be patronising and offer a simplistic overview of autism; I was pleasantly surprised at this useful manual for teachers in primary schools. Autism is complex and using inclusive techniques for all children in mainstream can be challenging; 100 ideas for primary…

    11.45 Aug. 2nd, 2019 | Reviews

  • National Citizen Service cuts ties with largest provider

    The National Citizen Service has announced it will ditch its largest provider of summer school programmes from next year, after a dispute over shared IT systems and following an incident which saw 4,000 pupils miss out on places. The NCS, a flagship government scheme which organises outward-bound trips and community work for 15 to 17-year-olds…

    14.27 Aug. 1st, 2019 | News

  • Dear Gavin Williamson, it's time to invest in teachers' development

    The new education secretary must prioritise targeted investment in teachers and school leaders, argues Melanie Renowden. At Ambition Institute, we know that the quality of teaching and school leadership are the best levers – within control of the school system – for improving pupil outcomes, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Evidence shows us that…

    13.19 Aug. 1st, 2019 | Opinion

  • Luke Tryl to leave New Schools Network for government role

    Luke Tryl, the director of the New Schools Network, is leaving the charity to return to government. Schools Week understands Tryl will return to his old role as special adviser to Nicky Morgan, who recently re-entered the cabinet as culture secretary. The Conservative campaigner has only been in his current role since March. He was…

    15.20 Jul. 31st, 2019 | News

  • Meet the team: Your guide to the new DfE ministerial line-up

    The Department for Education’s new ministerial team is now complete. Boris Johnson has finished his reshuffle after becoming Conservative leader and prime minister. Here’s your handy guide to who’s who on the seventh floor of Sanctuary Buildings.   Gavin Williamson Education secretary The MP for South Staffordshire since 2010, Williamson previously served as Theresa May’s…

    15.12 Jul. 30th, 2019 | News

  • Schools can no longer close the gap for disadvantaged pupils

    Over the past year, disadvantaged children have fallen even further behind their more affluent classmates in terms of GCSE attainment, which could signal the start of growing educational inequality, writes Jo Hutchinson. In the face of mounting financial pressures and disappearing wider social support, we can no longer say that the gap is on course…

    11.59 Jul. 30th, 2019 | Opinion