Schools Week Reporter | Schools Week

The Glenys Stacey Q&A: ‘I think there’s a long backwash to this pandemic in education’

As she prepares to leave the role of Ofqual chief regulator for the second time, Dame Glenys Stacey spoke to Schools Week about the continuing impact of Covid on education, and why she’s not leaving the organisation behind for good. Stacey, who came out of retirement to fill the role vacated by her successor Sally […]

de Souza confirmed as children’s commissioner despite concerns over ‘knowledge and experience’

Dame Rachel de Souza will become the next children’s commissioner for England from next year after MPs narrowly approved her appointment. Gavin Williamson has confirmed the academy trust boss will take up the role next year after the Parliamentary education committee found she was “appointable”. However, the committee said this was “not a unanimous view” among […]

Top results at A-level drop in Autumn resits compared to summer

The proportion of top grades awarded to students in the Autumn A-level exams is overall lower than the summer centre assessed grades, results published today show. Students who received grade A and above in the Autumn resits series in England was 29.7 per cent compared to 38.1 in the summer. But this is still higher […]

Covid workforce funds: Schools with ‘particularly high’ costs may have claims reviewed

Schools attempting to claim “particularly high” costs through the government’s new Covid workforce fund may have their claims “reviewed”. The Department for Education has published additional guidance on the new fund, which was unveiled last month and is meant to help schools cover the cost of absences during this half term. Where costs are particularly […]

7 staff roles, 2-hour training and DHSC sign-off on press: Schools given mass-testing instructions

Schools will have to train staff in up to seven different roles and get government sign-off on dealings with the press under plans for a mass Covid testing regime due to be launched next year. The Department for Education announced today that rapid-result lateral flow tests would be sent to all secondary schools and colleges […]

Rapid Covid-19 tests to be rolled out in all secondary schools from January

Rapid-result coronavirus tests will be rolled out to all secondary schools and colleges across England from January, the government has confirmed. In an announcement today, the government said the rollout means pupils won’t need to self-isolate if one of their number tests positive, providing they agree to daily testing. Schools Week revealed yesterday that such […]

Exams can’t be moved online in the ‘immediate future’, concludes Ofqual study

Large-scale standardised tests can’t be moved online in the “immediate future”, Ofqual has said, after a review found inconsistencies in school IT provision and unreliable internet connections. The study published by the exams regulator today follows the suggestion from some quarters that online or on-screen assessments be lined up as an alternative for pupils who […]

Reduction in self-isolation period for Covid-19 contacts: What it means for schools

The number of days that close contacts of confirmed coronavirus cases need to self-isolate for has been reduced from 14 to 10 – including for school pupils and staff. In a joint statement from the four nations’ chief medical officers on Friday, they said after reviewing the evidence they are “confident that we can reduce […]

Mass testing in London, Essex and Kent schools: Everything you need to know

The government has given more details on how its mass testing programme in London, Essex and Kent secondary schools will be rolled out. Health secretary Matt Hancock announced last night that government had “decided to put in place an immediate plan for testing all secondary school age children in the seven worst-affected areas of London, […]