Samantha Booth | Schools Week

Ofqual consults on coursework and fieldwork changes for 2022 GCSEs and A-levels

Students could see changes to coursework and fieldwork for some GCSE and A-level subjects next year under proposals put forward by Ofqual today. The exams regulator has launched a two-week consultation this morning on arrangements for non-exam assessment for 2022 qualifications. It focuses on subjects in which preparation and work will be taking place this […]

Is the government fulfilling its £300m mental health promises?

Theresa May’s 2018 Green Paper on transforming children and young people’s mental health committed to a radical £300 million shake-up of support in schools. The government promised its plans would tackle the “burning injustice” of mental health illness. But the impact of Covid and ad-hoc announcements tacked on to the existing promises mean it is […]

‘Expulsions’ expelled: Critics persuade DfE to U-turn on exclusions lingo

The Department for Education is ditching its use of the “dated” word “expulsions” to describe permanent exclusions, after concerns were raised that it harked back to the era of corporal punishment. However, the government will continue to refer to fixed-term exclusions as “suspensions”, despite worries that the word “trivialises” the action. Ministers switched to using […]

Decision to axe £15m catch-up resources ‘not taken lightly’, says DfE

The decision to pull a £15 million contract to produce catch-up resources was “not taken lightly”, according to the Department for Education. The department had launched a procurement process to find a supplier to produce free, non-mandatory “in-class curriculum resources”. It was due to close today, but in an email sent this morning, the DfE […]

£17m school mental health support boost: what you need to know

The Department for Education has set out how it will spend over £17 million for mental health initiatives in schools and colleges today. But over half of the cash has already been announced, it has emerged. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he was providing new funding so every young person “knows who and where to […]

Ofsted to review framework’s impact on staff wellbeing, new charter pledges

Ofsted will review the impact its inspection framework has on staff wellbeing and the government has promised not to publish guidance outside of working hours as part of a new charter unveiled today. The Department for Education and Ofsted have made 12 commitments as part of the new education staff wellbeing charter. From the autumn, […]

Tell us why pupils’ exam grades will be withheld, heads tell Ofqual

Headteachers are demanding Ofqual come clean over why pupils might have exam grades “withheld” this summer. Ofqual’s chair and chief regulator last week warned results could be withheld should an exam board and school not agree on the teacher-assessed grade awarded. We have asked these questions, but have not been able to elicit any further […]

Timpson two years on: Exclusions review chair wants action

The author of a landmark exclusions review has secured a crunch meeting with ministers to kick them into action over promised reforms. This week marks the two-year anniversary of Edward Timpson’s review, but the government has implemented just six of its 30 recommendations. No action has been taken on 12. What I want to really […]

Berridge happy for en-masse conversions in faith schools academies plan

Baroness Berridge said she would not rule out the rapid growth of religious trusts, after announcing over £2 million to help more faith schools become academies. The Department for Education will work with the Catholic Education Service and dioceses across the country to establish a £1.25 million “turnaround” trust based in the north west. An […]