John Dickens | Schools Week

Schools hit by 17% rise in exam costs, new price guide shows

The cost of GCSEs and A-levels has soared by 17 per cent across the past three years, Ofqual’s first ever exams price guide has revealed. Unions have blamed the rise on the government’s reformed qualifications, stating its “another unwanted burden on budgets”. The finding is from the exam regulator’s new qualifications price index (QPI), published […]

Gender gap widens, and 2 more 2019 key stage 2 SATS results findings

The government has today published further details of this year’s key stage 2 results, breaking them down by subsets such as gender and school type. Here’s your trusty Schools Week round up. 1. The gender gap is widening Girls continue to outperform boys across all subjects at the expected standard – with the gender […]

DfE plans accreditation scheme in bid to regulate online schools market

The government plans to launch an accreditation scheme for online schools in a bid to regulate the growing market. Under the plans, such schools would volunteer for inspection against measures similar to the independent schools standards. Those who meet the grade would become accredited Department for Education (DfE) providers. Online schools are typically used by […]

Study suggests BTECs are scored too generously

Pupils studying BTEC qualifications score on average the equivalent of a grade higher than they do in GCSE English and maths, a new analysis has found. The study, by Education Datalab, analysed the average progress 8 points scores of pupils across both GCSE and technical qualifications compared to their English and maths scores. It found […]

UK projects scoop top prize in global awards

Three UK education projects have scooped the top prize in a major global award. Micro:bit, Street Child and United World Schools have been crowned winners in the 2019 World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) awards for their work providing “innovative learning and education to children in remote and underprivileged parts of the world”. Stavros Yiannouka, […]

Does the government’s school funding pledge actually stack up?

Back to school week often signals new beginnings and a renewed optimism for the year ahead. Seemingly, in the spirit of that optimism, the government made a series of education funding pledges in the run up to the start of term. The luxury of a three-year budget settlement for schools, plus a significant funding increase […]

Analysis: Ofsted ‘outstanding’ exemption OUT, new school finance rating IN

The government has today confirmed it will scrap the inspection exemption for ‘outstanding’ schools – with new plans for Ofsted to rate schools on their financial health. In a series of announcements this morning centred on school improvement, the government also pledged to set up a specialist academy trust to takeover the schools no-one wants […]

Confirmed: Teachers’ starting salaries will rise to £30k by 2022

Starting salaries for teachers will be bumped up to £30,000 by 2022, the government has confirmed today. It marks a massive increase of up to £6,000 (25 per cent) over the next three years in a bid to make the profession more competitive in the graduate labour market amid flagging recruitment numbers. However, funding to […]

Former RSC joins academy trust as regional CEO

Former regional schools commissioner Martin Post has been appointed a regional chief executive for the Aspirations Academies Trust. Post left his role as RSC for north west London and central England earlier this year after five years in the post. He was one of the original eight RSCs. It was announced today he will join […]