Author: Freddie Whittaker

Catholic school leaders are cautious about a new drive to lift the cap on faith-based admissions, after some took a “huge financial risk” and had their “fingers burned” the last time it was promised, Schools Week has learned. Damian Hinds, the education secretary, pledged to lift the cap – which prevents free schools in areas […]

The new chief executive of the Cambridge Assessment Group has withdrawn from the role before he even started, citing “personal reasons”. Bill Anderson was due to take over from Simon Lebus on March 5, but has today announced that he will no longer be taking the job. “It is with great regret that, for purely […]

The government will press ahead with plans to hike the basic amount some small private schools pay for Ofsted inspections by more than 600 per cent. Following a consultation on proposals announced last October, the Department for Education announced today that the changes will go ahead. This is despite the majority of respondents to the […]

The school at the centre of a row over its decision to ban younger pupils from wearing the hijab remains ‘outstanding’, according to Ofsted inspectors sent in to investigate concerns about leadership and management. Inspectors said senior staff at St Stephen’s Primary School in east London continued to run an ‘outstanding’ school, but criticised the London […]

Kathy Kirkham has returned to the troubled Bright Tribe trust as a director, almost exactly a year after she resigned as the chain’s chief executive. Documents filed with Companies House show that Kirkham was appointed to act as a director of the trust on February 8. She previously resigned from the trust on February 17 […]

Damian Hinds has given his first two major interviews since he was appointed as education secretary on January 8. The MP for East Hampshire has spoken to The Sunday Times, and appeared on The Andrew Marr Show this morning. Here’s what we learned… 1. More grammar schools will be encouraged to expand Although controversial proposals […]

A future Labour government will put sprinkler systems in all new school buildings and pay to remove asbestos and flammable cladding from existing sites, the shadow education secretary Angela Rayner has announced. Today’s commitment forms part of a £14 billion capital investment pledged by Labour, which the party claims will “bring all schools up to a […]

A lack of support from schools is making teachers “cautious” about blogging and using social media, an academic has warned. Dr Helen Woodley told the annual conference of the Chartered College of Teaching today that curriculum changes and increasingly “hierarchical” school structures undermine the voice of teachers, prompting some to turn to platforms like Twitter […]

Schools are being urged to ignore “dangerous” new guidance on pupils’ gender from a pressure group. Transgender Trend, an organisation set up by parents who “question the trans narrative”, has this week published what it calls a “schools resource pack”, offering advice to teachers and school leaders about how to support pupils dealing with gender […]