Potteries Educational Trust
‘LAURA MCINERNEY’
Today’s Policy Exchange ‘research’ conveniently released a bunch of positive facts about free schools on the exact same day that David Cameron announced 49 new ones and committed to opening 500 more. Well, fancy that. There have been endless back and forths about the correctness of the report. People seem to see what they want […]
In Short, Opinion
In a press release today, the Department for Education claims: “This move brings the total number of free school places created since 2010 to almost a quarter of a million, making this policy the most successful new schools programme in national history with schools being created more quickly than ever before.” Except…. There are now […]
Opinion
Headlines today are focusing on Ofsted’s disappointment at schools over the progress of ‘most able’ students. Having a go at schools is an easy soundbite. It gets onto tv, it gives teachers a ‘kick’, it plays well to people who feel their child’s genius isn’t adequately recognised. But the soundbite misses out the 34 pages […]
Sir Greg Martin, head of Durand Academy, today faced questions from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over the work of his school, its academy trusts and connected companies. The hearing followed a National Audit Office (NAO) report released last year, that raised concerns about “related-party transactions” made between the trusts and associated private companies. Here’s […]
Last week the Department for Education voluntarily released the application forms submitted by free school founders to secure the opening of their schools – despite former education secretary Michael Gove saying he would do “everything possible” to stop their release. First asked for in 2012 by SchoolsWeek editor, Laura McInerney, the forms show the original […]
News
The Sunday Times Festival of Education has confirmed Schools Week as a 2015 media partner. The annual festival will be taking place on June 18 and 19 at Berkshire-based Wellington College and more than 100 speakers from across the world of education and training and beyond have already been confirmed. After being confirmed as a 2015 media […]
The Department for Education (DfE) has published the first three waves of free school application forms, more than two years after they were first requested. Waves one, two and three of application forms submitted by free schools in order to gain approval for opening were supposed to be published before Christmas, but the DfE said last […]
Educational outcomes for children in care have been historically low. A Naional Audit Office report last year looked into the matter and found an alarming dearth of data and joined up services. This week, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee interrogated the matter further. Reporter Freddie Whittaker live-tweeted the details. Click here to view […]
In Parliament this morning, Conservative MP for Gainsborough Sir Edward Leigh, proposed a motion to end imbalances in grammar funding. The majority of the debate, however, focused on the benefits (or otherwise) of grammar schools. Our reporter, Freddie Whittaker, was live-tweeting. Here’s his 10-point summary of the arguments.