Nick Linford | Schools Week

Nicky Morgan to launch ‘flexible jobs website’ for women teachers

A leadership coaching scheme which will see women in schools encouraged to mentor others and a website to promote flexible working opportunities for women are to be launched by the government. Education secretary Nicky Morgan has today announced plans for a site which matches women with flexible roles and job-share partners, and called for volunteers […]

Government ‘exploring’ national teacher vacancies website plan

The government is considering setting up a national teacher vacancies website in response to complaints by schools over the cost of recruitment and job advertising, Nicky Morgan has revealed. The education secretary told the Association of School and College Leaders annual conference in Birmingham today that she was “very interested” in the idea of a […]

School demands detailed holiday plans from parents to tackle extremism and radicalisation

A head whose school demands detailed holiday plans from parents requesting term-time leave has spoken of the need to have “robust procedures” to prevent extremism and radicalisation. Kamal Hanif, executive headteacher of Birmingham’s Waverley School, told a meeting at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) annual conference today that his school required parents to provide specific […]

Nicky Morgan’s three messages for school leaders

Nicky Morgan will address the Association of School and College Leaders today. From what we’ve seen of the speech so far, we’re not expecting anything new. Here are her three main messages. Educational underperformance is often focused in certain parts of England “I don’t need to tell you that too many of those struggling schools […]

Schools commissioner: Council workers could set up academy trusts

Council education staff could be encouraged to set up and run multi-academy trusts (MATs), the national schools commissioner has said. Sir David Carter told the Association of School and College Leaders annual conference today that he would “welcome a conversation” with those “currently employed” by local authorities who might want to become sponsors of academies. […]

The 4 questions Sir Michael Wilshaw wants every school leader to answer

There are four key questions all secondary heads and academy trust bosses should be able to answer on demand, Sir Michael Wilshaw has revealed. The Ofsted chief inspector will this afternoon tell the Association of School and College Leaders annual conference in Birmingham today that school leaders must be able to address “systemic weaknesses” in […]

We need more ‘trust and encouragement’ from Ofsted chief, say school leaders

Teachers should get more “trust and encouragement” from Ofsted’s chief inspector who should deliver more “positive messaging”, school leaders have claimed. Speaking to press ahead of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) annual conference in Birmingham today, the union’s interim general secretary Malcolm Trobe said Sir Michael Wilshaw offered the profession “a little […]

National funding formula speculation ‘irresponsible’ says DfE as director laments consultation delay

Speculation that the release of proposals for a national funding formula could be postponed until after May’s London mayoral elections has been dismissed as “irresponsible” by the government, despite the apparent frustration of a senior civil servant over ongoing delays. Sue Baldwin, the Education Funding Agency’s academies and maintained group director, admitted today that she […]

5 things we learned from Sir Michael Wilshaw’s evidence to the education committee

Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw didn’t pull his punches when appearing in front of MPs this morning. Here are the key things we learned from the HMCI… 1. 16 to 19-year-olds should be educated in schools, not colleges In what definitely wasn’t his first attack on the further education sector, Sir Michael said schools (in the […]