Star academy trust fell victim to ‘historic fraud’ over several years MAT with 36 schools says ‘all reasonable steps taken’ following ‘significant financial irregularity’
Secret £1m bailout as PFI windfalls and school woes grow ‘Confidential’ deal to cover £1m ‘bullet payment’ revealed as figures suggest PFI firms could have made £86m in one year
Piloted in-school SEND support ‘cut exclusions’ – report Standardised EHCPs also welcomed by parents and councils, researchers find
Struggling trust failed to clear payment to outgoing ‘senior executive’ MAT also did not conduct internal audit as reserves tumbled due to ‘rising costs’, accounts show
Councils snub alternative funding to press on with special schools Local authorities were offered the choice of continuing with projects or taking cash to boost places elsewhere
Schools with good governance ‘better prepared for Ofsted’ Those with effective boards ‘more likely to sustain improvement beyond the inspection cycle’, report finds
Community health hubs could use empty classrooms LocatED chief ‘seriously worried’ closures due to demographic shifts could undo the work of the free schools programme
DfE schools boss gets new job as white paper looms Director general for schools will continue to play a ‘pivotal role’ in reforms before moving to the Cabinet Office
Dr Jenny Blunden, CEO, Truro and Penwith Academy Trust When Dr Jenny Blunden took charge at her Cornish trust, its three schools were ‘broken’. But in a fight against low aspirations, the CEO has added successful schools and continues to battle for them as budgets remain squeezed