Author: Pippa Allen-Kinross

Schools are asking for toys, books, and “scientific slime” via Amazon wishlists as unions warn budgets have reached a breaking point. Schools Week conducted a search of schools’ publicly-available wishlists across England and found hundreds have shopping lists using which parents and alumni can help stock libraries and provide stationery. Donors have paid for objects […]

The government has published 26 more warning notices identifying failings at private schools around the country. The notices, which cover December 2017 and this January, include special and religious schools, and warnings about poor safeguarding, teaching and facilities. The Department for Education also published 27 reports issued to private schools in November earlier this month. The existence […]

More than 20,000 pupils in rural England have lost free school transport in the last three years as county councils struggle to meet the costs. Local authorities have warned that more cutbacks to home to school transport will emerge unless the government acknowledges the “rural premium”, where transport costs in remote areas can become up […]

A free school in Gloucestershire awarded the worst inspection rating by Ofsted will close this summer. St Anthony’s School in the Forest of Dean has been in special measures since 2015, and was rated ‘inadequate’ again by Ofsted after an inspection just before Christmas. In February, the school was issued with a pre-termination warning notice […]

Ofsted is evaluating six international lesson observation models as it considers how to rate schools from next year. The watchdog’s inspectors will follow a new inspection framework from September 2019, and Ofsted is currently critically evaluating its current lesson observation practice as it prepares the new document. Lesson observation is a “fundamental part of inspection that […]

The expansion of grammar schools is “unlikely to bring benefits for young people” as selective schools do not offer better social, emotional or educational outcomes than non-selective establishments. Instead of encouraging existing grammar schools to expand, the government should focus its funding on improving education “for all young people”, according to a new study. Earlier this month, […]

Secondary schools with the most ethnic diversity help pupils develop the most positive feelings towards other races, and “promote social cohesion” according to new research. A study of almost 4,000 year 10 pupils from 96 state schools in England found that although pupils tended to have warmer feelings for their own ethnic group, those attending […]

A website promoting the benefits of teaching in London has been launched by Sadiq Khan, as new research shows the capital is losing teachers faster than anywhere else in England. Teach London, an online resource described as “a simple one-stop shop for people who want to become a teacher in London”, was launched today by […]

Two multimillion-pound government schemes aimed at widening access to the most prestigious drama, dance and music schools have been criticised for not reaching enough pupils from the poorest backgrounds. In November 2016, schools minister Nick Gibb announced the government would invest £29 million a year in the ‘Music and dance’ scheme (MDS) and £13.5 million […]