Freddie Whittaker | Schools Week

Ofsted to resume ITE inspections from April

Full graded inspections of initial teacher education will recommence in April, Ofsted has confirmed. Like its other inspections, Ofsted’s activity in ITE was suspended earlier this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. But the inspectorate has issued a note today confirming the inspections will resume in April. It follows an announcement that full […]

Government ‘misled’ school leaders over National Tutoring Programme cash

The government has been accused of misleading school leaders, pupils and parents after finally admitting that the £350 million for the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) is for two years, not one. An investigation by Schools Week earlier this year showed that £140 million of the promised £350 million for the NTP to run across this […]

Deprived schools will struggle to meet Covid costs, finds NFER report

One in four schools may not be able to meet Covid-related costs despite increased funding from government, and deprived schools will be among the hardest-hit, a new report has found. Analysis by the National Foundation for Educational Research found that existing inflationary pressures, such as teacher pay rises, mean the £2.6 billion increase in school […]

Schools will have to complete EYFS profile in 2021, DfE confirms

Schools will still have to complete the early years foundation stage profile for pupils turning five this academic year, the government has confirmed. The early years foundation stage profile process, which is how pupils’ development and learning is assessed in reception, did not go ahead earlier this year following the cancellation of all primary assessment. […]

Covid recruitment boost sees government meet trainee teacher target for first time in 8 years

The number of people starting initial teacher training courses in England rose by 23 per cent this year, new government figures show. The boost means the government has met its secondary teacher recruitment target for the first time in eight years. However, recruitment in some individual subjects – including physics and maths – remain below […]

League tables scrapped and primary tests scaled back – but year 6 SATs will go ahead

League tables will be scrapped for another year and primary assessment scaled back as part of a raft of measures designed to take account of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. The Department for Education has announced today that test and exam results will not be included in performance tables for the 2020-21 […]

Schools told they will be ‘on call’ until Christmas eve for track and trace

Schools will “effectively be on call” until Christmas eve to help with coronavirus contact tracing, a council has warned headteachers. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council has written to headteachers in its area, claiming to have received new guidance from the Department for Education. It comes after schools were ordered not to close early for the […]

Spielman ‘not expecting’ graded inspections from January

Ofsted is not expecting to resume graded inspections in January, the chief inspector of schools has said. Speaking at the launch of the watchdog’s latest annual report, Amanda Spielman said Ofsted needed to “take account of the national situation, and we’ve always said that the timing and form of our return was under review”. I’m […]

Ofsted annual report 2019-20: 8 things we learned

Ofsted has published its latest annual report following a “year of two halves” which saw inspections halted around six months after the launch of its new inspection framework. The report highlights that the judgment profile for schools remains “broadly stable” following the introduction of the new framework, with 86 per cent rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. […]