Nicky Phillips | Schools Week

Coding skills put to the test

Fifty girls from schools in Norfolk learned a new computer programming language in just four hours. At an event organised by the Programming Challenge 4 Girls, hosted at City Academy Norwich, the girls had to code a 3D animation using the Alice programming language. The day was organised as part of the international PC4G initiative, […]

SEN: schools can’t do it alone

Away from boarding schools and instead looking at SEN provision, Mark Baker discusses the challenges of budget cuts in schools attempting to meet new reforms Children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), their parents and schools are currently facing huge changes. Quite rightly, parents have wanted more of a say in SEN provision, […]

Teenage bullying dips 5 per cent since 2004

Fewer teenagers were bullied last year than in 2004, suggest figures published by the Department for Education (DfE) to mark Anti-Bullying Week. Forty per cent of year 9 students, however, still said they experienced some form of bullying in the previous 12 months, and the research concluded that “for a significant minority of young people, […]

Selective schools are not what this country needs, says Clegg

The deputy prime minister has spoken out against the creation of “new” grammar schools following two councils’ moves to open “satellite” grammar campuses. Speaking at the Skills Show, Nick Clegg (pictured) told Schools Week he did not believe selective schools were the way forward. His comments come after Kent County Council resubmitted plans to open […]

Sir Michael backs shift to boost vocational education

Ofsted’s boss has called on schools to form “clusters” allowing pupils to move between institutions at 14 to boost vocational education. Sir Michael Wilshaw (pictured) told business leaders at the CBI conference on Tuesday that he wants clusters to join forces with local business networks, such as chambers of commerce, to identify specific industries in […]

Sandwell still waits for outcome of BSF hearing

The outcome of a tribunal hearing into the release of private government documents on the cancellation of Building Schools for the Future (BSF) funding in Sandwell is still not known, nine weeks after the hearing. Sandwell Council placed a freedom of information (FOI) request in 2011 asking for the disclosure of interdepartmental emails and any […]

UTC wants to admit pupils at 13

The new sponsor of an under-performing university technical college (UTC) is hoping to allow pupils to join the school from 13. Central Bedfordshire UTC, in Houghton Regis, is currently consulting on extending its age range from next September. At present the UTC takes in pupils aged between 14 and 19, but wants to admit pupils […]

£300 million IT supply for schools goes up for grabs

Suppliers are needed for an estimated £300 million worth of school IT spend over the next four years. The government has launched a procurement exercise to replace a Becta framework contract in use since October 2010. Becta, once responsible for promoting the use of technology in learning, was closed in the “bonfire of the quangos” […]

NGA rolls out new framework for governance

A new Framework for Governance developed by the National Governors Association (NGA) will be rolled out from the new year. Delegates at the association’s annual conference held in Birmingham on Saturday were given a preview of the framework, which has been developed with the medical research charity, Wellcome Trust. It was introduced at the conference […]