Freddie Whittaker | Schools Week

National funding formula: the winners and losers by local authority area

The documents for the second stage of the government’s consultation on its proposed national funding formula have been published, and give a breakdown of indicative gains and losses for each local authority in England. Based on a calculation of the percentage change in funding in the first year of the NFF in 2018/19, we can see that […]

Government to pilot ‘secure schools’ after Taylor review condemns youth prisons

The government will adopt proposals for new ‘secure schools’ to educate young offenders by following the lead of pupil referral units after a review of youth prisons revealed problems with violence, curriculum and staffing. Liz Truss, the justice secretary, will pilot the scheme with two institutions, one in the north of England and one in the south, […]

Just six areas meet government’s grammar school criteria (and they aren’t in deprived places)

Just six areas meet government criteria for new grammar schools, according to a study published today, that found the areas all had low rates of deprivation. The Education Policy Institute (EPI) research found Solihull, Essex, North Yorkshire, Dorset, Northamptonshire and North Somerset are the only local authority areas that meet the government’s ‘expansion principles’ for […]

Child refugees: One school’s international solution for new arrivals

While schools and councils across the country deal with the challenge of mid-term arrivals, officials in the London borough of Wandsworth can call upon the expertise of one institution thanks to a scheme set up a decade ago. At Southfields academy, an “international group” takes responsibility for all child refugees who arrive in the south […]

Schools prepare for arrival of ‘hundreds’ of child refugees

Schools are being told to prepare for the arrival of hundreds of child refugees over the coming months following the closure of the Jungle camp in Calais. According to councils, more than 200 unaccompanied young refugees arrived last month after the camp’s closure in October. But local government leaders have called for better support and […]

‘Just about managing’ pupils significantly under-represented in grammar schools, claims Sutton Trust

The children of families who are ‘just about managing’ are “significantly under-represented” in grammar schools, the Sutton Trust has warned as it called for subsidies to give all pupils access to 11-plus test preparation. The expansion of selection in England is a key part of Theresa May’s strategy to help people who are in work […]

DfE hires grammar school critic as head of strategy and social mobility

The Department for Education has appointed Emran Mian, the director of the Social Market Foundation think tank and a critic of grammar schools, as its new head of strategy. Mian will take up the post of director of strategy and social mobility next year, filling a void left by the department’s former strategy boss Tom […]

Teacher pay: 1 per cent rise will cost schools £250m, warns government

An increase in teachers’ pay of just 1 per cent would cost schools an additional £250 million next year, the government has warned. Justine Greening, the education secretary, said earlier this year that there was a “strong case” for a continued 1 per cent cap on teacher pay rises in 2017-18. The same rise was applied in 2014, 2015 […]

Minister to ‘accelerate’ proposals for changes to sex education

Ministers have suggested that sex and relationships education could be made statutory in schools through upcoming legislation due early next year. Edward Timpson, the children’s minister, told MPs yesterday that officials would be ordered to “accelerate” work on proposals for changing sex education so they can be circulated in the near future. I will ask officials to […]