Freddie Whittaker | Schools Week

Prime minister Theresa May: What does this mean for schools?

Theresa May could soon become our new prime minister after her only opponent in the Conservative leadership race Andrea Leadsom pulled out. Here’s what it could mean for schools… 1. No more Nicky? May is likely to reshuffle most of the cabinet’s posts once she takes over at Number 10. Nicky Morgan, who backed Michael […]

Apprenticeships: how the levy and hiring targets will affect schools and multi-academy trusts

In recent weeks, readers have asked how two key apprenticeship policies will affect schools and academy trusts. They sound similar, but are actually independent policies based on different criteria. Conflating them is easy, but wrong. Political reporter Freddie Whittaker, who knows his stuff on this, takes a look. First, there’s the apprenticeship levy. This is […]

Character education awards 2016: Who are the winners and why were they picked?

The government has unveiled the winners of this year’s character education awards. Nine regional awards worth £15,000 and one national award with a £20,000 prize are handed out every year to schools, youth projects and pupil referral units which demonstrate commitment to the government’s character education aims. Here are this year’s winners… Thorseby Primary School, Hull – […]

Skills shake-up won’t stop schools offering A-levels and BTECs

A planned overhaul of post-16 education won’t stop schools offering A-levels and vocational courses like BTECs together, the author of a government review has said. Lord Sainsbury (above right) has told Schools Week that a shake-up prompted by his inquiry into technical education in England would not prevent schools from offering BTEC and other “applied […]

Angela Rayner, shadow education secretary

Angela Rayner has a constituent named Dave who calls her “Boudicca” in his emails. “It’s because I’m fiery and tenacious and stand in the face of danger,” the new shadow education secretary tells me, as she poses for a photo near the statue of the Celtic queen opposite Westminster’s Portcullis House. Rayner has been “squatting” […]

Fury over Spielman rejection ramped up by Morgan aide’s letter

Education heavyweights have today publicly backed Amanda Spielman to be the next Ofsted chief inspector after a cross-party group of MPs rejected her appointment. Among those who have publicly announced their support for Spielman this morning are Sir David Carter, the schools commissioner, and Sean Harford, Ofsted’s national director of education. Schools Week also learned […]

Pupil absence fines soar, but smaller proportion lead to prosecution

The number of fines issued to parents for unauthorised absences of their children at school has increased almost five-fold in the last five years, but a smaller proportion are being prosecuted for failing to pay. Figures released today by the Department for Education show that 151,125 fines were issued in 2014/15, compared to 53,370 in […]

Amanda Spielman rejected by cross-party MPs for Ofsted chief inspector role

The House of Commons education committee has rejected the government’s proposal that Amanda Spielman become the next chief inspector of Ofsted. But Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, has signalled her belief that her candidate is still “the best person” for the job. Spielman, chair of Ofqual, was named on June 10 as the government’s preferred […]

Teachers’ pay scales rise by 1% but ‘significantly higher’ increase needed

Teachers’ pay scales will shift by just 1 per cent from September, but government advisers have warned of the need for a “significantly higher” rise before 2020. Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, has announced that she intends to accept a recommendation from the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) that the lower and upper ends of […]