Children’s Commissioner

Sluggish SEND review risks leaving kids ‘stuck in vicious cycle’, says de Souza

‘We have two more years of children being fed into this cycle with commensurate poor outcomes that has necessitated the review in the first place’, says children’s commissioner

‘The Big Ask’: New children’s commissioner starts role with plan to survey school pupils

School pupils will be surveyed by the new children’s commissioner for a “once-in-a-generation review of the future of childhood”. Former academy trust boss Dame Rachel de Souza, who took up the post on March 1, has announced plans for “the largest consultation with children ever undertaken in England” as part of her plans for a […]

Children’s commissioner to warn of over-focus on school improvement in critical last speech

Ministers should commit to making children “better-off” rather than talking about increasing numbers attending ‘good’ or better schools, the outgoing children’s commissioner will say tomorrow. Anne Longfield will use her last speech in the role to launch a broadside against government, claiming she has often had to “force officials and ministers to the table” to […]

de Souza confirmed as children’s commissioner despite concerns over ‘knowledge and experience’

Dame Rachel de Souza will become the next children’s commissioner for England from next year after MPs narrowly approved her appointment. Gavin Williamson has confirmed the academy trust boss will take up the role next year after the Parliamentary education committee found she was “appointable”. However, the committee said this was “not a unanimous view” among […]

Children’s commissioner candidate grilled over exclusions at her academy trust

Dame Rachel de Souza has claimed her experience of “putting right” issues with off-rolling, exclusions and SEND support in her academy trust make her a good candidate to be the next children’s commissioner. de Souza, who is the government’s preferred candidate for the role, was questioned by the education committee this morning about what chair […]

Dame Rachel de Souza is government’s pick for new children’s commissioner

Prominent academy trust boss Dame Rachel de Souza is to be put forward by the government as their preferred candidate to be the next children’s commissioner, Schools Week has learned. If the appointment is approved, the chief executive of the Inspiration Trust will take over when current commissioner Anne Longfield’s six-year term ends next February. […]

Schools should be ‘first to open, last to close’ in future lockdowns, says children’s commissioner

Schools should be “first to open, last to close” in any future coronavirus lockdowns, the children’s commissioner for England has said. Anne Longfield’s office has published a briefing paper called Putting children first in future lockdowns, in which she insists education should be “prioritised over other sectors” if the country locks down again. If a […]

Re-engage vulnerable teens to prevent ‘lost generation’, says children’s commissioner

Schools must work with councils and the police to prevent the creation of a “lost generation” of teenagers, the children’s commissioner has said, after a report found 1 in 25 young people are at risk of “falling through the gaps”. Anne Longfield said public bodies should focus resources on re-engaging teenagers most at risk of […]

Children in care ‘should only attend good or outstanding schools’

Children in care should only attend ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ schools, the children’s commissioner warned local authorities this week. Anne Longfield, children’s commissioner for England, said in her latest Stability Index report that she will be writing to councils where a “significantly lower proportion of children in care are in these schools”. Longfield said she will […]