Freddie Whittaker | Schools Week

Coronavirus: Just 52% of primary schools reopened to more pupils last week, DfE data shows

Just over half of of primary schools reopened to more pupils last week, official government figures show. Attendance data from around 18,500 educational settings shows just 52 per cent of schools that normally educate nursery, reception or years 1 or 6 pupils welcomed back at least one of those year groups last Thursday, June 4. […]

Ministers to drop ambition to see all primary pupils back before summer – reports

The government is to drop its ambition to see all pupils return to primary school before the summer, according to reports in several national newspapers. Ministers had hoped to see all primary-age pupils return for at least a few weeks before the break, but have faced pressure to drop the aim after a mixed response […]

Extend free school meal vouchers over summer holiday, says senior Tory MP

The government’s national free school meal voucher scheme should be extended to cover the summer holidays, the chair of the Commons education committee has said. Robert Halfon, a former Conservative education minister, has written to children’s minister Vicky Ford to express “huge concern” that the scheme will stop in mid-July. It comes after food charity […]

Coronavirus: Trust was warned over local spike days before it was forced to close school

An academy trust forced to close one of its schools days after reopening because of a coronavirus case had previously been warned about a rise in infections in the area. The David Ross Education Trust closed Cedar Road Primary School, in Northampton, on Wednesday after a member of staff tested positive for Covid-19. The government’s rush to […]

Coronavirus: Heads struggle to keep up with DfE guidance updates

School leaders have had to read almost 100 updates to government guidance during the coronavirus crisis – a quarter of them published during antisocial hours. Analysis by Schools Week found the government has published 29 guidance documents or announcements for schools about the pandemic since mid-February, and issued 94 coronavirus-related updates for the sector. The […]

AP settings to get £7m post-16 transition funding, but only for one year

Alternative provision settings will given up to £750 for each year 11 pupil to aid their transition into post-16 work or training. But there are calls for the funding, totalling £7 million to cover 11,300 pupils this year, to become an annual addition to AP budgets, amid fears that excluded pupils lose support once they […]

Williamson backs national online tutoring pilot

The government has backed a national online tutoring pilot that will see hundreds of disadvantaged pupils receive free tuition from university undergraduates, but it will reach fewer youngsters than originally hoped. Schools Week revealed last month that four education charities were in talks with ministers about plans to test whether one-on-one tutoring could help narrow […]

Coronavirus: Unions report academy trust to health and safety watchdog over ‘unsafe’ return of pupils

One of England’s largest academy trusts has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive over allegations it put employees and pupils at “serious and imminent risk” by allowing more pupils to return too early. The David Ross Education Trust (DRET) has also been accused of failing to inform staff at one of its schools […]

Coronavirus: 50% oppose back-to-school plans as trust in government slumps

The government’s plan for the wider reopening of schools from today is opposed by half of Britons, a new survey shows. It comes as headteachers estimate between 40 to 70 per cent of eligible pupils have returned to school today, while education secretary Gavin Williamson told schools there is “no reason” why they shouldn’t take […]