Freddie Whittaker | Schools Week

Amanda Spielman at education committee: 5 things we learned

The chief inspector of schools faced questions from MPs this morning. Amanda Spielman appeared at a hearing of the parliamentary education committee. Here’s what we learned… 1. Inspectors can’t link extremism in schools and terrorism A lack of investigative powers is preventing Ofsted inspectors from identifying links between extremism in unregistered schools and terrorism. Spielman […]

Ofsted’s illegal schools taskforce to get another £1m

Ofsted is to receive a further £1 million for its “illegal schools taskforce”, as it comes under increasing pressure to root out extremism in unregistered schools. The watchdog told Schools Week it expects “the same level of funding” as previous years will be “confirmed again shortly” for the next financial year. It had £1 million […]

Ombudsman: Transfers of SEND pupils to EHCPs delayed by up to 90 weeks

Pupils with special educational needs are waiting up to 90 weeks, or almost two years, to be transferred from the old statements system to new education and health care plans (EHCPs), according to an investigation which found “worrying patterns of delay”. All SEND pupils are supposed to be moved on to new EHCPs – the […]

Progress 8 ‘is forcing schools to ask for more PRU places’

Schools are asking for more places in pupil referral units for excluded pupils as a result of new accountability measures, a senior council official has claimed. MPs on the parliamentary education committee have heard evidence from headteachers and local authority officers, who warned that vulnerable pupils are being forced out of mainstream schools due to […]

Cumbria Education Trust lined up as new sponsor for Whitehaven Academy

The Cumbria Education Trust has been named as the government’s preferred sponsor for the struggling Whitehaven Academy. However, Cumbria’s largest chain, which has four primary schools and two secondaries already on its books, has said there are “many issues to review” before its board approves the takeover. The future of Whitehaven has been up in […]

Liberal Democrats: ‘Ditch Ofsted and school league tables’

The Liberal Democrats have pledged to scrap Ofsted and school league tables, in favour of a less “high-stakes” school accountability system that assesses teacher and pupil wellbeing. In a set of proposals due to be put to members at the party’s spring conference in Southport this weekend, the Lib Dem leadership calls for Ofsted to […]

Report schools that don’t let you talk to pupils, minister tells colleges

Schools that flout their new legal obligation to allow training organisations the chance to speak to pupils about technical qualifications and apprenticeships should be reported to the government, the skills minister has said. In her monthly column for Schools Week’s sister paper FE Week, Anne Milton said further education providers should report ANY non-compliance with […]

MPs to question heads over provision for excluded pupils

Headteachers will join local government officials to give evidence to MPs about the state of alternative provision on Tuesday. The parliamentary education committee is running an inquiry into the quality and availability of pupil referral units and other alternative provision used for excluded pupils in England. The committee has held several hearings already. The first, […]

Cornish diocese forces an entire MAT board to resign

According to official Department for Education guidance, members of academy trusts have the power to appoint and remove trustees at will. The diocese of Truro is listed as a member of the St Barnabas Trust in its latest accounts. Another trust school, Millbrook Academy, was rated ‘RI’ when it joined the trust, and it remained […]