Freddie Whittaker | Schools Week

Schools forced to rethink teacher training after ‘short-sighted’ grant cut

Schools are being forced to rethink whether their entire teacher training programmes are “viable” after the government took an axe to the level of teacher training bursaries and grants from next year. All bursaries previously offered to teacher trainees in shortage subjects have either been reduced or scrapped, while the much-vaunted early-career payments of up […]

MATs miss apprenticeship targets requirement, but DfE softens stance

The Department for Education looks to have relaxed the requirement for public bodies to publish their progress towards the 2.3 per cent apprenticeship target, claiming it is merely “good practice”. It comes after an investigation by sister title FE Week found multi-academy trusts had failed to meet a new government requirement to publicise what percentage […]

Private schools group branded ‘insensitive’ over partnership with debt collection agency

A new “partnership” between an organisation representing more than 500 private schools and a debt collection agency could result in hard-up parents being “hounded” for unpaid fees during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Independent Schools Association (ISA) announced this week that Frontline Collections has become a “gold preferred supplier” to its members. It will seek to […]

Leading AP academy trust to close

A leading academy trust for excluded and vulnerable learners is to close and give up its seven schools after its financial position became “unsustainable”. The TBAP trust has confirmed it will relinquish its alternative provision schools in London and Cambridgeshire, and that the move had been approved by the academies minister, Baroness Berridge. It follows […]

Shadow schools minister Margaret Greenwood resigns

Margaret Greenwood has resigned as shadow schools minister to vote against the so-called “spycops” bill. The Wirral West MP and former teacher has only been in the role since April. Labour whipped its MPs to abstain on the government’s human intelligence sources (criminal conduct) bill, which would authorise spies to commit criminal offences. But according […]

Coronavirus: Almost 1 in 10 schools now partially closed

Almost one in ten schools in England was partially closed as of last week, new government data shows. Attendance statistics published by the Department for Education show the proportion of state schools that were fully open fell to 90.8 per cent as of last Thursday, down from 92.4 per cent the week before. Eight per […]

DfE wields axe on teacher training bursaries as Covid causes supply rises

The government has slashed some teacher training bursaries by as much as 73 per cent, with others scrapped altogether, as the supply of people wanting to be teachers rises because of the coronavirus. New guidance on initial teacher training funding for the 2021-22 academic year shows all bursaries previously offered by the government to trainees […]

Exams 2021: Most GCSEs and A-levels pushed back three weeks

Pupils will still sit one GCSE English and one GCSE maths exam before the summer half term next year, despite a move to push most other exams back by three weeks. The Department for Education has confirmed today that most GCSE and A-level exams will take place three weeks later than usual in 2021, to […]

11 special Covid-19 gongs for schools sector in Queen’s birthday honours

Eleven people from the English schools community are to be recognised for their contribution during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Queen’s birthday honours list. Among those recognised for their work are Oak National Academy principal Matt Hood and curriculum lead David Thomas, who will both receive the OBE. Outside the sector, Marcus Rashford, the footballer […]