Nick Linford | Schools Week

Nicky Morgan must run for Conservative leadership by noon on Thursday

Schools will know by noon on Thursday if education secretary Nicky Morgan is to run for the leadership of the Conservative Party. A ruling today means all potential party leaders must be nominated by the midday Thursday deadline, giving the education secretary days to work out if she has enough support among colleagues. Uncertainty over […]

Pat Glass: 8 facts about the new shadow education secretary

Pat Glass is the new shadow education secretary. Here are some of the things we know about her. 1. Her background is in education at a council and government level. She has been a senior official in local education authorities and advised both councils and governments. Her specialist area is special educational needs. 2. She has […]

Pat Glass becomes shadow education secretary in Corbyn team shake-up

Former shadow education minister Pat Glass will serve as shadow education secretary following the resignation of Lucy Powell, it has been announced. Glass, who is the MP for North West Durham and a former senior local education authority worker, most recently served as shadow Europe minister in Jeremy Corbyn’s frontbench team. Her promotion comes after […]

Shadow education secretary Lucy Powell resigns

Shadow education secretary Lucy Powell has resigned from the Shadow Cabinet led by Jeremy Corbyn. In a letter to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Powell wrote that his leadership of the party was “untenable” and that he was “unable to command the support” of the cabinet and country. Powell is the fifth cabinet member to resign […]

DfE seeks new £800-a-day director after Paul Marshall stands down

A new lead non-executive director is being sought by the Department for Education (DfE) after academy trust chair Sir Paul Marshall announced his intention to stand down from the role. The government has posted an advert for Marshall’s successor, who will need experience of senior leadership in “large and complex” organisation and an understanding of how government works, […]

Two in three sixth form colleges seek academy conversion after rule change

Almost two-thirds of sixth form colleges (SFCs) have registered an interest with the government in converting to an academy, it has been revealed. According to the Sixth Form Colleges’ Association, about 60 of the England’s 93 sixth form colleges have registered an interest with the Education Funding Agency, the first stage in the conversion process. The news comes […]

Primary school locked down after shooting that injured MP

Parents are being re-assured that pupils and staff at Birstall Primary Academy are safe after the school was locked down following a shooting nearby. The Labour MP for Batley and Spen Jo Cox is in a critical condition and a man has been injured following the incident at the town library which prompted a police […]

Sir David Carter: I don’t want to go to war with councils over academies

Government should not “get in the way” of local authorities that want to form multi-academy trusts, with the national schools commissioner claiming he does not want to “go to war” with councils. Sir David Carter, the national schools commissioner, and Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector of schools, have both voiced their support for councils […]

Health check for growing academy trusts will focus on standards and improvement

A requirement for academy trusts to demonstrate a “track record” of school improvement before being allowed to expand “could be counter-intuitive”, national schools commissioner Sir David Carter has admitted. Appearing in front of the education select committee this morning, Carter confirmed a key part of a “health check” he was introducing for multi-academy trusts which […]