Author: Freddie Whittaker

The exam board AQA has announced plans to review its training for staff who review exam marks, following an investigation by Ofqual into a huge rise in the number of GCSE grades changed this year. Ofqual has published an undertaking made by the exam board, in which it admits to not having “acted sufficiently” to […]

The Bright Tribe academy trust has already spent “the majority” of a £1 million grant to help to encourage expansion in the north of England, despite taking on only three schools in the region, Lord Agnew has revealed. The academies minister has written to members of the parliamentary education committee in response to questions asked […]

The sharp rise in the number of GCSE grades that were changed at marking review this year came about because some exam boards “didn’t follow rules”, the head of the exams regulator has said. Sally Collier, the chief regulator of Ofqual, told MPs on the parliamentary education committee this morning that the 52-per-cent increase in […]

Teachers are being asked for their views on what should be included in the new sex and relationships education curriculum. The government has launched a “call for evidence” to help update guidance on what should be taught when the subject becomes compulsory in all schools in 2019. Parliament voted earlier this year to make relationships […]

The Department for Education has published its long-awaited consultation on plans to reform teacher training and development, including proposals for a pilot of a “sabbatical fund” for teachers. The consultation on strengthening qualified teacher status is seeking views on on the benefits of setting up a sabbatical fund, which would be open to teachers “who have […]

A £23 million fund to trial new teaching practices is being targeted at the brightest pupils because they “could do with a bit of extra help”, Justine Greening has said. Speaking exclusively to Schools Week after the launch of her social mobility action plan this morning, the education secretary defended her decision to focus on […]

Hundreds more local authority maintained schools had a budget deficit in 2016-17 than the year before, new data from the government has revealed. In 2016-17, 1,461 maintained schools ran a deficit revenue balance, up from 1,000 in 2015-16, a rise of 46 per cent. The proportion of maintained schools with a deficit also rose, from […]

The government will name and shame academy trusts which submit their financial returns late or fail to send them off from next September. Eileen Milner, the new head of the Education and Skills Funding Agency, has written to academy trusts to warn them of strict new rules. From September 2018, of trusts with two or […]