Freddie Whittaker | Schools Week

Schools to get two weeks’ notice of reopening, plus 4 more findings from Williamson’s media rounds

The education secretary did the morning media rounds this morning, facing questions about the safety of schools, when settings might reopen and calls for his resignation. Here’s what we learned from Gavin Williamson this morning. 1. Two weeks’ notice of reopening… Williamson told Sky News this morning the government wanted to give schools “as […]

Nick Gibb the ed tech convert? Minister wants ‘resilient education system’ with ‘firm digital foundations’

The government is exploring options for a strategy to “create a more resilient education system” based on “firm digital and technological foundations”, the schools minister has said. Nick Gibb told the BettFest education technology event today he wanted a system that uses technology to improve outcomes “for all children and adults in education”. His comments […]

‘His record is shambolic’: Labour demands Williamson’s resignation

Labour is calling on education secretary Gavin Williamson to resign over a “series of failures” during the Covid-19 pandemic. Shadow education secretary Kate Green said it was “time for Gavin Williamson to go”, following a debate in Parliament on the government’s work to provide free school meals and remote education support. He has bounced from […]

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 […]