Sophie Scott | Schools Week

Value for money of teacher training schemes questioned by MPs

Concerns about the value for money of government initiatives to recruit teachers have been aired by MPs. The Public Accounts Committee today heard evidence from the Department for Education’s permanent secretary Chris Wormald and Sinead O’Sullivan, the director of programme delivery at the National College for Teaching & Leadership (NCTL) about the government’s methods of […]

Universities ‘compromise’ teacher training in response to School Direct challenge

Universities are “compromising” their position in initial teacher training (ITT) in order to survive the changing teacher education landscape, a report released today claims. Researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University interviewed more than 120 people based at universities, schools or currently on a School Direct training route, to determine how ITT has been affected by government […]

Lessons in puberty come too late for many youngsters, report finds

One in four girls are starting their periods without having been taught about puberty at school, a report released today shows. The Sex Education Forum asked children and young people between the ages of 11 and 25 about their experience of sex and relationships education (SRE) at school. The survey of more than 2,300 people […]

Postcode lottery in school places allocation and appeals

School place allocations, appeals and investigations processes are subject to a postcode lottery, Schools Week analysis show. Research by The Key, released yesterday, warned of the impending squeeze on secondary school places as schools face a 20 per cent increase in pupil numbers over the next eight years. In October, Schools Week reported how councils […]

Headteachers and local authorities warn of squeeze on secondary school places

More than half of secondary schools say they were oversubscribed this year as warnings start to mount over pressure on places. According to new research, released today by leadership and management support service The Key, 52 per cent of secondary schools had too many applications for places for the 2015/16 year. Latest pupil projection figures […]

Trojan Horse hearings: Teacher told he can return to the classroom

A teacher involved in the alleged Trojan Horse affair is the first to be told he can return to the classroom. Wakass Haruf, a maths teacher at Park View School in Birmingham, was found by the National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) to have made anti-Semitic comments. The NCTL found it proven that while he […]

Trojan Horse scandal: Teacher appeals indefinite ban claiming ‘Islamophobia’

A teacher banned from the classroom in relation to the alleged Trojan Horse plot will appeal the decision, with his union claiming the prohibition order is an example of “Islamophobia”. On Friday, the National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) gave prohibition orders to teachers Akeel Ahmed and Inamulhaq Anwar. They both taught at Park […]

Trojan Horse hearings: Park View teachers banned for ‘undue religious influence’

Two teachers from Park View school in Birmingham have been banned indefinitely from the classroom after being found to have an “undue amount of religious influence” on the school. The National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) today announced that teachers Akeel Ahmed and Inamulhaq Anwar had been given prohibition orders. Last month, Jahangir Akbar […]

Key stage 2 writing assessment deadline moved back after union concerns

Schools minister Nick Gibb has u-turned on the date by which primary teachers must submit key stage 2 writing assessments after unions raised concerns. In a letter to Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), Mr Gibb today confirmed the decision. Last year, schools had until the end of June […]