Author: Sophie Scott

More than nine in ten school leaders agree that sex and relationships education (SRE) should start in primary school – but many do not feel teachers would be comfortable teaching the subject. It comes after the education select committee, a cross-party group of MPs, last week called for SRE to be mandatory in primary schools. […]

Pearson is increasing its hold on the market in choice by schools for qualifications, a report by Ofqual released today shows. In the report by the exam regulator, which was commissioned to understand purchasing behaviours in schools, shows exam board Pearson increased its market share in GCSE qualifications by six per cent between 2010/11 to […]

Learning progress in primary school pupils can be boosted by up to 16 per cent in a single year if classrooms are well-designed, according to new research. Differences in the physical characteristics of classrooms such as air quality, colour and light can together increase pupils’ progress, says the report by the HEAD Project (Holistic Evidence […]

Durand Education Trust (DET) is facing new scrutiny after the Charity Commission announced today it is to open a statutory inquiry into the academy trust. It is the latest in a number of investigations into the Trust, which runs Durand Academy in south London. The commission launched the inquiry on February 11 and said it […]

Attempts to tackle underperformance in Blackpool schools have been criticised with more than 2,500 children now getting an inadequate education, Ofsted has said. The education watchdog today published a letter sent to Blackpool Borough Council outlining concerns after a school improvement inspection in December. Ofsted said there are still “significant weaknesses” in the local authority’s […]

Sex and relationships education should be compulsory in all schools, says a report published today by the education select committee. The cross-party group of MPs called for the government to give personal, social and health education (PSHE) and sex and relationships education (SRE) statutory status in both primary and secondary schools, including academies and free schools. […]

The government has put together a six-point action plan to help tackle “excessive” teacher workload, it has announced today. The Department for Education (DfE) this morning published the results of its Workload Challenge, as launched in October by education secretary Nicky Morgan and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg. There were almost 44,000 responses to the […]

Unions have criticised the government’s plans to address teachers’ heavy workloads, claiming it has shown “contempt” for teachers and staff still feel ignored. The reaction comes after the Department for Education (DfE) this morning published the results of its Workload Challenge, launched in October by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and education secretary Nicky Morgan. […]