Freddie Whittaker | Schools Week

Covid-19: Nine things we learned from scientists at education committee

Government scientific and medical advisers were questioned by MPs today about the science behind school closures and the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Parliamentary education committee held a hearing with government deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries, Department for Education chief scientific adviser Osama Rahman, his deputy Dr Dougal Hargreaves and Professor […]

Williamson repeats ‘unhelpful myth’ live lessons claim, and 4 more edu Qs findings

Gavin Williamson and his ministers faced questions in Parliament about the government’s response to Covid-19, including issues relating to live lessons, free school meals and mass testing. Here’s what we learned. 1. Williamson repeats live learning claim branded ‘unhelpful myth’ by Ofsted Ministers were asked several questions about the provision of live teaching by […]

No conditions on local FSM vouchers – but schools need ‘decent audit trail’

The government has loosened restrictions to make it easier for schools to use local free school meal voucher schemes if they don’t want to use the national scheme or provide food parcels. The Department for Education confirmed last week that schools could choose between food parcels, local vouchers or the national Edenred voucher scheme, which […]

Ofqual publishes 2021 summer exams consultation

The exams regulator Ofqual has published its consultation on alternative arrangements for the awarding of GCSEs and A-levels this summer. It follows a decision last week to cancel exams due to take place in 2021 amid partial school closures. The consultation document proposes that students’ grades in each subject “will be based on their teachers’ […]

The never-ending saga: Durand takes fight to Supreme Court

A charity demanding compensation in exchange for giving up commercial facilities on the site of the former Durand Academy in south London has applied to take the case to the Supreme Court. The court this week confirmed to Schools Week that the Durand Education Trust (DET) lodged an application on January 6 for permission to […]

Food parcels fiasco: How the pandemic exposed free school meals failures…again

The government is facing questions over its handling of the free school meals fiasco after it emerged that ministers pushed schools to prioritise food parcels following lobbying by the catering industry. Making sure children get proper, healthy meals should be the top priority for ministers, not listening to lobbyists from the catering industry Department for […]

Williamson pleads ignorance over new Covid strain ahead of Greenwich decision, despite Hancock’s warning hours earlier

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has claimed he did not know about the new strain of coronavirus before ordering a council to keep its schools open, despite one of his colleagues having warned of the dangers of the variant over an hour before the direction was issued. The government sparked widespread criticism when it issued a […]

Edenred is back: Free school meals voucher scheme to relaunch Monday

The government’s national free school meals voucher scheme will relaunch next Monday and be run by original supplier Edenred – with schools now given the freedom to provide food in whatever way they see fit. Ministers announced their intention to restart the voucher programme last week, but did not confirm details until today. The scheme […]

Ofsted inspections to be done remotely after U-turn

Ofsted monitoring inspections will now take place remotely until half term, following a U-turn by the watchdog. The inspectorate had been due to begin in-person monitoring inspections of schools from next week. However, Ofsted announced tonight that following a review of its plans, it has decided that “all planned inspection activity will be undertaken remotely […]