John Dickens | Schools Week

Councils urged to claw back cash as ‘excess’ school surpluses top £500m

Councils are being urged to claw back cash from schools holding “excess” surpluses – as new figures show the total amount stored away by cash-rich schools was nearly £600 million. Department for Education figures published on Thursday show a worsening financial position for council-maintained schools – with more than three in ten secondary schools now […]

Colin Diamond, professor of educational leadership, University of Birmingham

Colin Diamond, professor of educational leadership, University of Birmingham As we stroll through the bustling Edgbaston campus of the University of Birmingham, Colin Diamond talks effusively of the city that he now calls home – but it wasn’t always this way. “I was a spy in the camp,” he says with a wry smile as […]

Ofsted’s annual report 2018: Watchdog ‘concerned’ over SEND exclusions, and 8 more findings

Ofsted has this morning published its annual report for 2018. The key topics include off-rolling, SEND provision, and ‘stuck’ schools. We have the speed read. 1. Ofsted ‘concerned’ over exclusion of SEN pupils The row over exclusions has been significant this year. And Ofsted has now said it is “concerned” that in secondary schools […]

PFI: Council faces £400,000-a-year school closure bill

A failing school handed an academy order more than a year ago is set to close after a sponsor couldn’t be found – leaving the council facing an annual £400,000 PFI bill. South Shields School, in South Tyneside, was ordered to become an academy by the government after being rated “inadequate” by Ofsted last year. […]

Hinds tells review body 2019-20 teacher pay rises must be ‘affordable’

Education secretary Damian Hinds has urged the independent teacher pay body to give “careful consideration” about whether any pay rises recommended for next year are “affordable across the school system”. Hinds, in a letter to the School Teachers’ Review Body, outlined his expectation that the body also informs him of the steps they have taken […]

Trusts still worried over long-term ‘financial viability’ – despite getting extra cash to expand

Academy trusts handed a share of £31 million under government funding to expand were “overly ambitious” in some cases, while others were worried over “financial viability” despite being given cash to expand, a report has found. The government has today published an evaluation of its regional academy growth fund, a £31 million pot of cash […]

DfE slammed for 48-hour ‘fire sale’ of troubled Durand academy

An academy trust was given just 48-hours to decide if it wanted to take on a troubled school, it has emerged. David Boyle, the head of Dunraven Educational Trust told a public accounts committee hearing today his trust was given just two days to decide if it wanted to take over the Durand Academy, now […]

AET to give up two more schools after minister demands change

The country’s largest academy trust is to give up two more academies – despite recently being given the green light to take on more schools again. The Academies Enterprise Trust announced today it has agreed with the Department for Education to give up two of its schools – Felixstowe Academy and Langer Primary. AET has […]

Private firm took 8% fee for superhead’s second salary

The firm that was paid £1.3 million to provide services to Perry Beeches Academy Trust took an 8 per cent management fee to pay the trust’s chief executive a second salary. Liam Nolan was banned from teaching this week over his role in the trust paying the £1.3 million to Nexus Schools without a contract […]