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12 May 2026

Author: Freddie Whittaker

ASCL survey: 9 in 10 leaders believe inspection isn’t consistent, fair or accurate

Nine in ten school leaders believe Ofsted inspections fail to “consistently, fairly and accurately” judge their schools, an ASCL survey has revealed. Despite three quarters of respondents reporting that Ofsted’s new inspection regime is an improvement on the old framework, the vast majority are still not happy with the set-up, the union claims. The findings […]

Coronavirus: Schools won’t be penalised for absences, says Williamson

Schools will not be penalised for issues “that are completely outside their control”, Gavin Williamson has said, amid concerns about pupil absences caused by coronavirus. The education secretary told journalists at the ASCL conference in Birmingham this afternoon that the Department for Education would be taking a “sensible and pragmatic approach” to things like absences […]

Coronavirus: Williamson pledges exams will be ‘fair’ for pupils

The government is “doing everything to make sure” this summer’s exams are fair for pupils and their efforts are “fairly rewarded” amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gavin Williamson has said. Addressing the ASCL union conference this morning, the education secretary said concerns about exams were “only to be expected, especially when so much hard work has […]

Coronavirus: Heads summoned to DfE meeting to discuss potential school closures

Leadership unions and academy representatives have been summoned to the Department for Education to discuss schools’ response to coronavirus. Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the ASCL union, said today that his organisation, along with the National Association of Headteachers and Confederation of School Trusts, have been asked to attend a meeting on Monday about […]

Labour leadership Q&A: Rebecca Long-Bailey

Less than a month remains until the end of the Labour leadership contest, with party members across the country currently voting on who they want to replace Jeremy Corbyn. We asked each of the three candidates the same six questions on education policy issues that have dominated Labour politics in recent years, to find out […]

Labour leadership Q&A: Sir Keir Starmer

Less than a month remains until the end of the Labour leadership contest, with party members across the country currently voting on who they want to replace Jeremy Corbyn. We asked each of the three candidates the same six questions on education policy issues that have dominated Labour politics in recent years, to find out […]

Labour leadership Q&A: Lisa Nandy

Less than a month remains until the end of the Labour leadership contest, with party members across the country currently voting on who they want to replace Jeremy Corbyn. We asked each of the three candidates the same six questions on education policy issues that have dominated Labour politics in recent years, to find out […]

Do what’s best for pupils, even if government doesn’t like it, Barton tells heads

Schools leaders should defy the government and snub GCSE English to help the “forgotten third” of pupils destined to fail, the leader of the ASCL union has said. Geoff Barton, once a maverick headteacher who railed against Ofsted and said he would have to be dragged “kicking and screaming” into running an academy, has been […]

No school closures yet as government moves to coronavirus ‘delay’ phase

Closing schools at this stage in the spread of the coronavirus epidemic could do “more harm than good”, Boris Johnson has warned, as he announced closures are not yet on the cards despite an escalation of the government’s response. The prime minister yesterday reiterated advice that schools “should only close if they are specifically advised […]