John Dickens | Schools Week

SEN pupils more likely to be unhappy at school, study finds

Secondary pupils with special educational needs (SEN) are more likely to be unhappy at school than their peers, a new wellbeing study has found. The research, commissioned by the Department for Education and published today, also found that SEN pupils were more likely to have psychological difficulties, including hyperactivity and inactivity, conduct problems, and were more […]

Headline EBacc attainment measure to be replaced by average points score

The headline EBacc attainment league table measure is set to be replaced by a new rating where schools are given an average EBacc points score. The government currently publishes the proportion of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in EBacc subjects. But from next year schools will instead be given an EBacc average point […]

High-performing schools should partner with struggling neighbours to boost standards, report claims

There are enough high-performing schools with the potential to provide improvement support through partnerships with failing schools in almost every region, a new study has claimed. However the amount of support potentially available for those struggling schools varies dramatically per area – with some northern areas lagging way behind London. A report published today by […]

Temporary RSC waves through 21 academy conversions (with just 2 board members)

A regional schools commissioner who temporarily stepped in to preside over another area has agreed 21 academy conversions and approved the opening of a new sixth form at a meeting attended by just two other advisors. In April, Tim Coulson, the commissioner for north-east London and the east of England, chaired a headteacher board meeting […]

Experienced teachers less likely to trust Ofsted, and five more attitude survey findings

Teachers are less likely to trust Ofsted the longer they have worked in schools, a new survey has found. The annual Ofsted attitude teacher survey, published today, also found that seven in 10 teachers think the watchdog exists to push the government’s agenda, but found that inspections are getting friendlier. The online survey, run by […]

Free schools and healthy pupil scheme suffer under £1.3 billion funding boost

The education secretary has pledged to deliver free schools in a more “cost-effective” manner so she can divert savings to increase school funding. School improvement funding and the healthy pupil pot – to build new sports facilities – will also have cash diverted to fund the £1.3 billion school funding boost promised by Justine Greening […]

Revealed: Sub-regional improvement boards set up to advise RSCs

The government has brought local authorities back into the fold as part of new “sub-regional improvement boards” set up to advise school commissioners on struggling schools. The structure, which Schools Week has learned involves four sub-regional improvement boards in each regional schools commissioner area, gives a clue to what education secretary Justine Greening (pictured) had […]

Academy bosses increasingly use ‘GAG pooling’ to take control of funds

Multi-academy trusts are increasingly using new freedoms to pool their schools’ budgets into one central pot before dishing out funds to academies they think need the cash most. A Schools Week investigation has uncovered that more trusts are using, or eyeing-up, this controversial budgeting method known as general annual grant (GAG) pooling. It’s a major […]

Investigation: Government delay on consultations totals over EIGHT years

As schools close for the summer break, the government has yet to respond to nine consultations on new reforms – three of which have been outstanding for over 16 months. With a total of eight years of delays between them, the most important is a consultation proposing tougher new laws on illegal schools, following concerns […]