John Dickens | Schools Week

Fund mentoring and CPD for heads to stop ‘post-Covid exodus’, commission warns DfE

Early career teacher support reforms, such as increased mentoring and professional development, should be rolled out to encompass school leaders to prevent a “post-Covid exodus”, a school improvement commission has said. The National Association of Head Teachers report comes as a survey of its members found 47 per cent are now less likely to remain […]

Order long-life food to minimise Brexit disruption, DfE tells schools

Schools have been advised by the government to consider buying longer shelf life food products to “minimise the effect” of any supply chain disruption because of Brexit. In updated guidance today, schools were reminded the new UK Border Operating Model will apply to all goods entering the UK from 11pm on December 31. The guidance […]

Daily check-ins and four hours’ work a day – DfE to update remote learning expectations

Schools should provide four hours of work a day for self-isolating pupils, with teachers expected to check in daily with every child under planned new government guidance on remote education. While there is already current guidance on remote learning, Schools Week understands the guidance is now in the process of being updated. It is expected […]

DfE to consult on post-qualification admissions as Williamson signals ‘radical change’

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has signalled plans to “radically change” the university admissions system which is “letting down” the brightest pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. Williamson said that he will review a post-qualification university admissions (PQA) system, whereby students in England would receive university offers once they have obtained their final grades. The move comes […]

Pupils in hard-hit regions face exams ‘Covid penalty’

Pupils face a “covid penalty” unless Ofqual takes geographical differences into account when awarding grades next year, a leading academy trust boss with schools in hard-hit coronavirus regions has said. The intervention by Hamid Patel, the chief executive of Star Academies, comes as pressure on the government to ditch exams ramped up this week after […]

Private schools can partially opt-out of Teachers’ Pension Scheme from spring

Private schools will be allowed a “phased withdrawal” from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme from spring next year, the government has confirmed today. The Department for Education has ratified the plans which allow independent schools to keep current teachers in the TPS, but offer alternative pension schemes to new entrants. The amount schools had to pay […]

Charity claims after-school sports clubs CAN now go ahead after government climbdown

A controversial new lockdown rule banning after-school sports clubs unless they were for childcare has been ditched, the government has confirmed to a sports charity, marking a climbdown on official guidance. The government sparked confusion and criticism with its new national lockdown guidance last week, which said schools could only continue to run after-school sports […]

DfE seeks views on ‘undervalued’ level 2 and below quals market

The Department for Education has launched a call for evidence to find out what is “working well” with post-16 qualifications at level 2 and below. It is part of the government’s review that seeks to simplify England’s “confusing” vocational and technical qualifications landscape by removing funding for those qualifications that compete with T Levels and […]

Academy trusts to face tougher financial checks

Academy trusts can expect tougher checks on their finances as auditors sharpen up following high-profile auditing scandals – and cash-strapped chains can no longer rely on government bail-outs. Government guidance published last week said trustees and finance staff would face “more detailed questioning” from auditors assessing whether their trusts have enough cash to continue. The […]