Sophie Scott | Schools Week

“School-to-school support is more important than ever”

In Nicky Morgan’s first major announcement since the election, the education secretary has declared she would accelerate plans to “revolutionise” state schools, with tough new measures to sack underperforming headteachers. Although addressing the failings of schools is important; care and attention should be given to ensure schools receive the best chance of survival. If we […]

Suffolk County Council “too slow” in improving education, Ofsted says

A local authority has been criticised by Ofsted for damaging relationships with headteachers during its plan to improve education in Suffolk. The schools’ inspectorate published its second report this morning into Suffolk County Council’s school improvement plans, having identified the county last year as one where the achievement of pupils at both primary and secondary […]

Flags designed by primary school pupils fly in Parliament Square

Flags designed by 79 primary school children to represent their local communities are flying in Westminster in the week that the new 2015 parliament meets. Created by pupils in over 450 primary schools from across the UK, the 2015 Flag Project forms part of the Houses of Parliament’s public programme Parliament in the Making. The […]

Fund set up to improve learning for English as additional language pupils

A two million pound fund has been set up to find the best way of improving learning for pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL). It will fund up to five projects to be trialled and evaluated in schools. The results will help shape an evidence base of the most effective ways to […]

Ofsted chief and “superheads” on the top 100 list of most influential Catholics

Chief inspector of schools Sir Michael Wilshaw and “superheads” Dame Rachel de Souza and Martin Tissot are included on the list of top 100 most influential Catholics. Sir Michael, who leads schools inspectors Ofsted, is number two on the list released by Catholic journal The Tablet – with only the governor of the Bank of […]

Updated Ofqual list: GCSEs and A-levels that will begin in 2017

Ofqual has today released an update for which qualifications will be reformed from September 2017. The qualifications regulator released an initial list of qualifications in March which could begin teaching in September 2017. But officials asked for a review into eight qualifications over concerns they did not meet the new reform principles. Exam boards were invited to prove […]

Why we should focus on well-rounded young people – not exceptional grades

Earlier this week the headteacher of Lady Eleanor Holles School, Heather Hanbury, launched an attack at the state of the current education system and its focus on the attainment of high grade test results. For a headteacher, to say that a C grade is perfectly acceptable is not only brave, but something which has been […]

Number of children calling ChildLine about exam stress rises by 200 per cent

Calls about exam stress to telephone counselling service ChildLine rose by 200 per cent in the last academic year, new figures show. More than 120,000 young people contacted the service, either online or by calling, with concerns about school. Educational concerns, however, ranked seventh in the list of top ten worries children and young people […]

Prince Charles challenged teachers as “facilitators”, letters reveal

A private letter sent by Prince Charles to then Labour education secretary Charles Clarke described how the heir to the throne challenged the “fashionable” view that teachers acted as “facilitators” to learning. Writing to Mr Clarke in November 2004 about his Education Summer School, held in Buxton that June, he describes the impact of the schools, […]