Author: Freddie Whittaker

The Department for Education appears to have abandoned any potential split in Teach First’s contract between several suppliers. Last year the government floated the idea of using “new funding mechanisms” for its high-potential initial teacher training programme and delivering the programme through “collaboration between a number of suppliers”. But pre-tender documents for the next round […]

The Department for Education has unexpectedly published its new framework for initial teacher training, months earlier than planned. Last month, DfE policy adviser Rachel Hayward told the National Association of School Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT) annual conference that the ITT framework wouldn’t be published until the spring. ITT providers said this left them with only […]

Pupils with the most prestigious vocational qualifications earn more later in life than those with top A-levels, a new study has found. Analysis by the Department for Education found that pupils who achieved level 3 qualifications in subjects like economics or engineering had higher average earnings six years later than those who got A-levels in […]

Schools advertised almost 1,300 more teacher vacancies last year than in the previous 12 months, according to new research that suggests the recruitment crisis is worsening. Analysis by SchoolDash and the Gatsby Foundation found 1,279 more secondary teacher vacancies were advertised in 2018-19 than in 2017-18 – a 4.6 per cent rise. The government is […]

Hundreds of schools are rescheduling nativity plays and Christmas concerts while parents scramble to make childcare arrangements, following the announcement of next month’s general election. The election on Thursday, December 12, called to break the parliamentary stalemate over Brexit, will take place in the penultimate week of term for most schools. School leaders and MPs […]

Two former education secretaries will leave Parliament at the upcoming election. Justine Greening, who served from 2016 to early 2018, announced in September that she would not run again for her Putney seat at the next election. And last night Nicky Morgan, Greening’s predecessor at the Department for Education, announced she too will stand down, […]

Schools face having to reschedule nativity plays and even take down Christmas decorations to facilitate a December 12 election, MPs have warned. During a debate on plans for an early election in the House of Commons last night, MPs lamented the impact the poll will have on schools. We should be saying sorry for the […]

Parliament has approved plans by the government to hold an election on December 12. So what does this mean for schools?   1. Schools face election closures for THIRD time in a year Schools that are used as polling stations have already had to close twice this year – for council and European Parliament elections […]

A senior member of the NASUWT teaching union is seeking to challenge the establishment candidate to become its new general secretary, pledging to hand control of the organisation “back to its members”. Paul Nesbitt, the union’s national executive member for the West Midlands and a serving teacher, is seeking nominations from branches to run against […]