Author: Pippa Allen-Kinross

Michaela Community School has described an employment claim against it as a “waste of taxpayers’ money” after a tribunal rejected allegations it racially discriminated against a former employee. The free school in Wembley, north London, says it is seeking to claim costs against its former receptionist after an employment tribunal ruled in its favour. Yuri […]

Attending careers talks can boost GCSE pupils’ motivation and improve academic attainment, with less engaged learners gaining most, a study claims. Research by the charity Education and Employers suggests that pupils who attended three careers talks grew in confidence and studied harder, while some went on to outperform their predicted grades. The charity has released […]

An academy in Preston was rated inadequate and criticised for its “embryonic” curriculum plans – despite receiving £1.8 million from its multi-millionaire sponsor to focus on computing and digital technology. Ofsted rated Fulwood Academy inadequate across the board after an inspection in February criticised its “unacceptable standard” of education, ineffective leadership and “extremely poor behaviour”. […]

The use of non-disclosure agreements is increasing in some large academy trusts, just as senior ministers are questioning their use. Lord Agnew, the academies minister, told MPs last week that he is worried about the “endemic” use of the “gagging clauses” in the public sector, while Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has vowed to end […]

An all-through school that made a net loss of almost £746,000 last year has been ordered to urgently improve its finances by the government. Thrybergh Academy and Sports College, a 3-16 school based over two sites in Rotherham, must approve a balanced budget or face having its funding agreement terminated after being issued with a […]

A quarter of teachers have witnessed off-rolling in schools, with two thirds of these believing the practice is on the rise, according to a survey published by Ofsted. Just a third of those teachers who experienced off-rolling believed the pupils went on to other mainstream schools, and just a fifth said there was any follow-up […]

Politicians in councils ranked among the worst in the country for school performance held on to their seats at last week’s local elections. Political parties at 11 of 14 councils identified as having poorly performing schools held on to power on Thursday. Just three had a change in control: Wirral, Walsall, and Southend. The remaining […]

The former chair of two free schools broke the law over payments of more than £500,000 to his own company, a government investigation has found. A probe by the Education and Skills Funding Agency has cast “significant doubts on the legitimacy” of money paid by Collective Spirit Free School and Manchester Creative Studio to the […]

Headteachers should give change back to pupils receiving free school meals, a charity has said, after a new report found £65 million of unspent funds are kept by meal providers each year. Citizens UK warned unspent funding for free meals is not rolled over to use another day but kept by providers, often private companies, […]