Author: Freddie Whittaker

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 […]

There will be reforms to the free schools programme, a review of provision for excluded pupils, and a new fund to trial teaching approaches bright pupils, in a much-anticipated action plan Justine Greening will set out today. The document, titled ‘Unlock Talent and Fulfil Potential’, is expected to lay out the education secretary’s approach to improving […]

Over 60 schools branded ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted 17 months ago have still not been taken over by an academy trust, despite new laws requiring the government to make it happen. Ofsted’s annual report reveals that of 170 local authority-maintained schools that were languishing at the lowest rating in April last year, when new rules around […]

A growing number of private religious schools are “deliberately flouting British values and equalities law”, Ofsted has said. According to the watchdog, illegal schools are also being created to avoid teaching the “fundamental values of democracy, mutual tolerance and respect” required in registered schools. Statistics in Ofsted’s annual report show that 26 per cent of […]

The proportion of schools that recovered from a ‘requires improvement’ grade this year was the lowest on record, Ofsted has revealed. In its annual report, Ofsted said a lower proportion of schools previously judged to ‘require improvement’ improved at their inspection this year than in any other year. In 2016-17, 33 per cent of primary […]

The schools watchdog has identified 130 schools that have not been rated ‘good’ for over 10 years, despite investment and attention. Although Ofsted’s 2016-17 annual report paints an improving picture of England’s schools – 90 per cent of primaries and 79 per cent of secondaries are now rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ – some continue to […]