Nicky Phillips | Schools Week

Schools forced to pay for computers under old PFI

Schools tied in to ICT contracts as part of their Building Schools for the Future (BSF) makeovers now must find extra cash for consultants to get them out of their poor value deals, an investigation by Schools Week has found. A majority of schools that were part of the government’s £55 billion BSF school rebuilding […]

‘Partnering up is the future for academies’

In 2011, two thirds of primary academies were standalone – but by 2015 65 per cent were in a multi-academy trust. For many schools, outcomes have improved because they support each other The government’s academy programme is growing fast. Sixty five per cent of secondary schools and 18 per cent of primaries now operate outside […]

How do you pronounce ‘cear’? Funny phonics leaves blogger baffled

Parents and professionals have been left baffled by a list of nonsensical words in a phonics book with no clear way to pronounce them. An anonymous blogger, known by the pseudonym “itsmotherswork” recently shared an image from a Project X Code book that her youngest daughter was reading. The words (pictured above) include “cear” “ghermb” and […]

Government report reveals dire free school stats in south west England

Fears about the quality of free schools in some parts of England have been raised after government statistics showed regional variations in the proportion of “high quality” schools in each area. Figures published in the parliamentary education committee’s report into the regional schools commissioners show that just 56 per cent of free schools, university technical […]

Bristol biker

A student from Bristol has been ranked seventh in the UK and 22nd in the world for trial bike riding. Victoria Payne (pictured right), 17, attends King’s Oak Academy and rides for the Malcolm Rathmell Sport team and competes in races across the country and Europe. She also rides for the Great Britain Youth Squad, […]

Awards scheme goes national

An awards scheme to help schoolchildren become self-confident and resilient has been launched nationally. The SkillForce Junior Prince’s Award scheme comprises 40 hours of activities that include teamwork challenges and community projects. It is delivered in schools by SkillForce instructors, who are predominantly ex-Services personnel. So far, the scheme has reached more than 3,000 pupils […]

Students’ app could save a life

A life-saving app developed by three pupils from Suffolk for use in schools across England is now available on the iTunes app store. The first aid platform, called Fab, short for First Aid Buddy, was devised by year 11 students Gemma Marsh, Ned Nettleton and Alfie Sagon at Ormiston Sudbury Academy. It is designed to […]

Money managing scheme expands

Funding for a financial education programme that helps primary schoolchildren to manage money and learn how to save has been expanded. The £500,000 funding for LifeSavers, a joint Church of England and Young Enterprise financial education programme, was announced by the Treasury last week, meaning it can expand beyond the pilot scheme currently underway. The […]

Janet Hilary, Kate French and Debbie Stokes

Floreat Education Academies Trust (Feat) has appointed Janet Hilary as its first chief executive. Ms Hilary, the current executive principal of the trust, will begin the position from 1 February. The trust’s founder and current managing director, James O’Shaughnessy, becomes a senior adviser as he balances his role at Feat with his new responsibilities as […]