Sophie Scott | Schools Week

English literature GCSEs could breach equality laws, claims SEN teacher

The new English literature GCSE could breach equalities laws by discriminating against disadvantaged pupils, it has been claimed. SEN and English teacher Mary Meredith has urged secretary of state Nicky Morgan to reassess plans to ban text books from the reformed English literature exams. Ms Meredith says the ban disadvantages pupils with disabilities impacting on […]

‘Rigour’ mortis for Gove GCSEs?

In November 2013, Michael Gove reminded us the Coalition had “outlined plans for changes to GCSE qualifications designed to address the grade inflation, dumbing down and loss of rigour in those examinations”. “Rigour” was Gove’s watchword. More rigorous exams in English and Maths would be first examined in 2017. This meant teachers had to be […]

Number of teacher training applicants continues to drop, UCAS figures show

The number of applicants for teacher training courses has continued to fall with new figures showing a drop of more than 4,500 compared to last year. Latest figures from UCAS, released yesterday, show the number of applicants in England went down from 38,350 in May last year to 33,730 in the same period this year […]

There aren’t enough academy sponsors for ‘coasting schools’ – so why not let for-profit providers try?

James Croft gives his take on plans to force “coasting” schools to become academies as revealed in today’s Queen’s Speech. A shortage of high quality academy sponsors and an inefficient brokering system threaten successful delivery of government’s plans for improvement of coasting schools. It has been evident for some time that there is a shortage of high […]

The ‘technicality’ that stopped a school from becoming an academy

The opposition of a single staff member to an academy conversion has halted the entire process – with the Government set to rewrite legislation after the loophole was exposed. Schools Week revealed academy conversion plans at Prendergast School, in Lewisham, London, were halted after parents threatened a judicial review over a breach of regulations. The Department for […]

Who is Frank Green?

Frank Green is the Government’s schools commissioner. He leads the eight regional school commissioners, who are tasked with scrutinising academy performance and encourage collaboration. Mr Green took up the post in February 2014 and was previously chief executive of the Leigh Academies Trust for five years. In June 2013 he was awarded a CBE for his services […]

Government to rewrite academy rules after staff member halts school conversion

The Government has been forced to stop the academy conversion of a school after opposition from a single staff member. It will now rewrite government regulations to close the loophole that halted the process. In March, The Department for Education (DfE) issued academy orders for three schools in Lewisham, following applications by the Leathersellers’ Federation which runs the schools. But Schools Week […]

Doomed Black Country UTC failed to promote vocational options, inspectors find

The damning Ofsted report cited as one of the reasons behind the closure of one of the flagship University Technical Colleges (UTCs) was today released, revealing inadequate grades across the board and a failure to promote vocational options. Black Country UTC (BCUTC) announced plans to shut in April partly blaming a “disappointing” Ofsted report for the decision […]

Middlesbrough Council making “big strides” in supporting schools after being judged ineffective by Ofsted

The education watchdog has told a failing local authority it is making “significant improvement” in supporting schools. Ofsted found Middlesbrough Council’s school support service was ineffective in January 2014. Schools Week also revealed last week Middlesbrough was one of four Labour councils which retained its majority in local elections, despite being judged as failing by […]