Jess Staufenberg | Schools Week

Fact Check: Is Brent Council the ‘first’ to allow multi-belief assemblies?

Several national newspapers this week reported Brent Council as the first in Britain to allow multi-belief school assemblies in place of daily Christian worship – but Schools Week has found little evidence for the claim, with the council insisting its schools have been able to do this for 11 years. The reports were based on […]

Sir Michael Wilshaw joins board of Education Policy Institute

Sir Michael Wilshaw has become a trustee at Education Policy Institute (EPI) following his departure from Ofsted at the end of last year. The former chief inspector has joined the board at EPI, a think tank based in London, at which he has given talks and even spoken critically with regards their reports previously. He swells the […]

Ofsted inspectors urged to crack down on schools ‘off-rolling’ pupils

Ofsted has urged its inspectors to crack down on schools found to be “off-rolling” pupils, suggesting those transferring large numbers of children before their Year 11 exams could be penalised. Sean Harford, Ofsted’s director of education, has told inspectors to check if the number of pupils on roll reduces towards the school’s final secondary year – indicating […]

Asbestos ‘significant cause for concern’ in over 100 schools

Nearly one in five schools are failing to manage asbestos properly – with the government having to intervene in more than 100 schools found to be a “significant cause for concern”. The government’s first comprehensive survey of asbestos in school buildings, published today, found 83.1 per cent of those that responded (5,592) contained the life-threatening […]

Give schools 12-month warning on policy changes, and 5 other education committee ideas to solve recruitment crisis

The education select committee has published its teacher retention and recruitment inquiry today. The report gives a number of recommendations for improving recruitment, particularly across hard-pressed subjects and regions, and for ensuring retention in the face of workload and policy pressures. Schools Week has the 6 key findings: 1. The government should give at least a year’s […]

MPs call for national CPD ‘annual entitlement’ to boost teacher retention rates

The government should roll out an annual entitlement of continual professional development (CPD) for all teachers to boost retention rates, cross-party MPs have claimed. The education select committee has today published the findings of its teacher recruitment and retention inquiry, which found the government lacks a long-term plan to address teacher shortages. It warned that rising […]

Pathway to ‘chartered teacher status’ will open in 2018, says College of Teaching

A programme for “chartered teacher status” will open next year, promises the Chartered College of Teaching. But critics question how “proven expertise” will be measured. Lucy Crehan (pictured), an education consultant and former teacher, told the Roundtable that chartered status would bring a “mark of quality” amid unregulated career progression. A college spokesperson confirmed the […]

Long-awaited Ofsted report on double inspections to be published ‘before March’

A long-awaited Ofsted report on the “reliability” of inspections – tested through sending two inspectors to a school to see if they give the same judgment – will finally be delivered this month. Joanna Hall, director for schools at the inspectorate, told Schools Week a report on the results of its “double inspections” would be […]

Schools forced to ‘reintegrate’ pupils after UTC and studio school closures

Schools that lose high proportions of pupils to university technical colleges (UTCs) and studio schools often have to “reintegrate” youngsters a year later because institutions close or pupils “don’t enjoy” them. Data obtained exclusively by Schools Week has revealed the ten schools with the largest percentage of pupils that left to join 14-19 institutions. The […]