John Dickens | Schools Week

Government cuts funding for School Direct shortage subjects

Physics and maths graduates training to be teachers under the School Direct salaried route next year could get less cash after the government cut funding for schools. Initial teacher training funding figures published today show that schools offering School Direct places for the shortage subjects of maths and physics will get up to £6,000 less […]

Teacher severance pay cap will cost schools, warns union

Schools are facing the prospect of more costly employment tribunals after the government announced it was clamping down on generous exit packages, a union leader has claimed. The Treasury has confirmed today it will be enacting a £95,000 cap on severance payments following a consultation that proposed to end six figure exit pay-outs for public […]

Peter Lauener bags third chief executive job – despite concerns over EFA workload

The Education Funding Agency’s top boss has been announced as the shadow chief executive of a new independent body to oversee apprenticeships – meaning he will now split his time between three jobs. Peter Lauener has been appointed shadow chief executive of the Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) with immediate effect, it was announced today. It […]

Academies Enterprise Trust relocates HQ to London so staff have better train access

The country’s largest academy chain is moving its headquarters to London because staff need better access to train stations. The Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), which runs 66 schools, says the journey for its staff to and from its current base in Hockley, Essex, and to its schools across the country is “not an easy one”. […]

DfE faces landmark judicial review after school commissioner ‘flouted’ sixth form rules

The Department for Education is facing a judicial review over claims a regional schools comissioner flouted the government’s own guidelines in granting permission for a new sixth form. The Association of Colleges (AoC) has joined with Havering Sixth Form College to launch a high court challenge against the DfE’s decision to fund a new sixth […]

Former Lilac Sky CEO disputes revised accounts

The co-founder of an academy chain that is due to be wound up has claimed the trust released inaccurate financial accounts to try to “embarrass him”. Trevor Averre-Beeson resigned as chief executive of the Lilac Sky Schools Academy Trust (LSSAT) in March last year, before its nine schools were handed to new sponsors in July […]

Financial investigation into Bright Tribe trust remains ‘hidden’ by education secretary

The education secretary has been accused of “hiding” a financial investigation into a controversial academy trust run by the government’s former free schools director. The Bright Tribe trust was the subject of an Education Funding Agency (EFA) review last month over payments it made to companies connected to its founder, venture capitalist Michael Dwan. Lord […]

Vote Leave campaigner and Tory donor behind Parents and Teachers for Excellence campaign

One of the two directors behind the Parent and Teachers for Excellence (PTE) movement was a key figure in the official campaign for the UK to leave the EU, Schools Week can reveal. Jon Moynihan, a venture capitalist and chairman of the finance committee of Vote Leave, is listed alongside Dame Rachel de Souza, chief executive […]

Pro-academy campaign group launched by ‘superhead’ Rachel De Souza – but funders remain anonymous

A line-up of education reformers – including a former adviser to David Cameron – have joined forces to launch a new campaign aimed at mobilising parents to highlight the achievements of academies and free schools, but details of the group’s funders will not be released. Rachel De Souza, chief executive of Inspiration Trust, has founded the […]