Pippa Allen-Kinross | Schools Week

Government extends private art school grants, but unions demand funding ‘for all pupils’

Funding to help the most talented pupils get a place at private music, dance and drama schools has been extended, but unions have warned the majority of children are missing out on the arts. Schools minister Nick Gibb announced in November 2016 that the Department for Education would invest £29 million a year in the […]

Catholic school at centre of child abuse inquiry stripped of safeguarding duties

A Catholic boarding school under investigation over its handling of abuse allegations has been stripped of its safeguarding responsibilities by the Charity Commission. An interim manager has been appointed to take on responsibility for safeguarding at Ampleforth Abbey and the St Laurence Education Trust, which run Ampleforth College, as a result of what the commission […]

Research: Grammar schools do not do better and should be scrapped

Grammar schools do not have better pupil attainment than other state schools and should be closed for the negative impact they have on social mobility, a new study has concluded. In fact, the quality of the results achieved at grammar schools are simply because they select naturally high-achieving pupils from wealthier backgrounds. Furthermore, once factors […]

Universities asked to open more post-16 maths free schools

Universities are being sought by the government to open specialist post-16 free schools to encourage more pupils to study maths at A-level. The government will also provide £350,000 dedicated funding every year to each existing and future maths school to support outreach work with local schools and colleges, schools minister Nick Gibb will announce today. […]

Ombudsman to look into DfE’s handling of information requests about school closure

The parliamentary ombudsman is to investigate the government’s handling of a school closure in Coventry. Clare McArthur, a campaigner and former teacher, has complained about the way Department for Education (DfE) officials handled requests for information about the closure of Woodlands Academy. She received the final documents she wanted in January this year, 18 months […]

Financial warning notice for UTC which owed government £500k

A university technical college which owed the government over half a million pounds after it overestimated its pupil numbers has been served with a financial notice to improve because it failed to produce a balanced budget or submit its audited accounts on time. UTC@Harbourside, a specialist marine engineering college in East Sussex, has been criticised […]

University of Bolton vice-chancellor resigns from troubled Bright Tribe academy trust

A director at the troubled Bright Tribe Trust has resigned days after his UTC was criticised by the government for paying out hundreds of thousands of pounds to the trust. Professor George Holmes, the vice-chancellor of the University of Bolton, resigned on February 28 after two years on Bright Tribe’s board. The trust said he […]

Sponsor found for two more WCAT academies

Two schools formerly run by the Wakefield City Academies Trust (WCAT) have found a new sponsor, leaving just two still without a home. The Department for Education has confirmed that Kinsley Academy and West End Academy will join the Waterton Academy Trust, but no final decision has been made yet for the future of Mexborough […]

Unauthorised absence rate highest since records began

Unauthorised pupil absence rates have reached the highest on record, new government figures show. Statistics released today show that the rate of unauthorised pupil absence rose from 1.1 per cent in 2015-16 to 1.3 per cent in 2016-17. This means the unauthorised absence rate is now at its highest since records began in 2006-7. The overall […]