Author: Freddie Whittaker

New trustees at the under-fire Bright Tribe academy trust are investigating allegations that the chain made repeated false claims for building and maintenance grants. An investigation by BBC Panorama, due to air on national television tonight, alleges that Bright Tribe received public money for building work, lighting upgrades and fire safety improvements that were either […]

The schools minister Nick Gibb has defended his department’s plans to encourage grammar schools to expand, claiming they will result in “significantly more” help for disadvantaged children. Although plans to open new grammar schools were dropped last year, the government has created a £50 million annual funding pot, which is on offer to grammar schools […]

The government’s EBacc performance measure is not driving arts subjects out of schools, Nick Gibb claimed today. The schools minister told the ResearchED national conference in London that he “doesn’t accept” that the EBacc – which requires the vast majority of pupils in every school to study a core five academic subjects – is contributing […]

A London academy shut down by the government following a row over executive pay and potential conflicts of interest has reopened this week with a new name and sponsor, but part of its site remains in private hands. Durand Academy was finally rebrokered to the Dunraven Educational Trust earlier this year after its previous sponsor, the […]

Christine Quinn, the regional schools commissioner for the West Midlands, is to retire at the end of this year, after just over two years in the role. Announcing her departure plans on twitter Today, Quinn said the privilege of serving as RSC for the region as her last full time role is “one I could […]

Trustees at a Nottinghamshire special school have been replaced by an interim manager sent by the Charity Commission, amid concerns over governance and management. Guy Hollander, from accountancy firm Mazars, has been appointed at Hope House School Limited. The charity runs Hope House School, an independent school for five to 19-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder in Newark. […]

Cuts to Ofsted’s budget mean the watchdog is not providing the level of assurance that schools need, an influential group of MPs has said, in a damning report that warns the credibility of the inspectorate is now on the line. The parliamentary public accounts committee, which keeps government agencies in check, has released the critical […]

MPs have expressed “disappointment” with the chief inspector of schools, Amanda Spielman, for failing to speak out about issues facing the sector – such as the impact of funding pressures. In its report into the school inspection system, the influential public accounts committee accused Spielman of failing to make the most of Ofsted’s “unique position”, […]

A powerful committee of MPs has demanded an overhaul of Ofsted’s inspection system, after a damning report found it is not up to scratch. The public accounts committee, which probes government spending, has today released a report on school inspection. Here are the recommendations from the report.   1. Consider training leaders of ‘inadequate’ schools […]