Nicky Phillips | Schools Week

DfE’s performance descriptors – panel of consultants revealed

The names of the 10 experts who drafted the new teacher assessment “performance descriptors” have been released after a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request. A report launched for consultation by the Department for Education (DfE) in October sought views on the “practical use and implementation” of new statutory teacher assessment performance descriptors, designed to […]

Ofsted chief defends ‘impartial’ inspectors

Ofsted’s chief inspector has defended the impartiality of inspectors when they inspect faith schools. Sir Michael Wilshaw said inspectors, and those working through its service providers, must report any potential conflicts of interest before they inspect a school. He was responding to Lord Warner, chairman of the all-party parliamentary humanist group (APPHG), who asked in […]

MP calls for clarity as RSC powers expand

Regional school commissioners will need to be more transparent about their decisions when they adopt strong new powers next year, says Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion. To date, the commissioners (RSCs), part of the government’s new middle tier of accountability for academies, only recommend to ministers which free school projects should go […]

Poor pay leaves support staff sweeping the roads

Many school support staff have to take on a second job to make ends meet, suggests a survey for the trade union Unison. Its survey of more than 15,000 school support staff discovered that 16 per cent have a second job to boost their income – including bar and restaurant work, delivering newspapers and sweeping […]

Sue Williamson, chief executive, SSAT

Sue Williamson smiles when she says that her late father would be “appalled” that she’s an Arsenal fan. Her allegiance is mainly geographical as the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) is just two miles from the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s homeground. Growing up in Finchley, north London, her father introduced her to the world of […]

Where are Gove’s ‘magnificent seven’ now?

On March 26, 2012, Michael Gove namechecked his so-called “magnificent seven” academy leaders in a speech to the Association of School and College Leaders. Following the recent suspension of one of them, Schools Week asks: where are they now? The suspension of an academy chain executive principal amid allegations of gross misconduct has shed light […]

Getting maximum pupil opportunity at 14

Sir Michael Wilshaw’s CBI speech wasn’t about academic selection but about a move to high-quality vocational education being an equal status option available to all students Sir Michael Wilshaw’s speech to the Confederation of British Industry earlier this month has been heavily criticised for appearing to support “streaming” at 14, and a return to the […]

Your Life campaign gets official nod

Education secretary Nicky Morgan got behind a campaign to boost maths and physics when she told a group of students from University Technical College (UTC) Norfolk that both subjects could lead to many career options. Five students from the UTC, including Maddie Newman,14, were invited to the launch of the three-year government Your Life campaign, […]

Garden waits to spring into life

A Peterborough care home will soon get fresh organic fruit and veg from new school gardens at Stanground Academy. The new garden is part of an environmental project at the academy headed by design and technology teacher Mike Schofield, who has spent the past six months securing donations and assistance from volunteers. Stanground’s principal, Ged […]