Gavin Williamson | Schools Week

Sir Gav’s £17k golden goodbye, and 6 other things we learned from the DfE’s accounts

Bumper payouts for sacked ministers, staff retention issues and fears over SEND performance all revealed in annual accounts

DfE goes shy on ‘try before you buy’ academy deals

The government has quietly slashed funding for trust partnerships, unveiled only last year to revive its multi-academy trust drive

Trust blames not balancing books on lack of DfE Covid cash

An expert said standalone academies faced particular challenges, but Covid boosted rather than worsened many schools’ finances

Academy transfers hit six-year low despite DfE MAT drive

Covid disruption has dented school transfers, but enthusiasm may also be limited among big and standalone trusts alike

Former education secretary Gavin Williamson knighted

Queen approves knighthood for minister sacked last year after heavy criticism of his handling of Covid in schools

Council ditches ‘forced’ academisation plan as Zahawi softens stance

Tory-led Swindon had proposed to convert all schools to academies by 2025 before a U-turn

Williamson reportedly out in Boris’s ‘build back better’ reshuffle

The education secretary has already said goodbye to DfE staff, according to sources

DfE threatened with legal action over ‘unlawful’ Covid attendance rules

The government is being threatened with legal action if it fails to update attendance guidance for vulnerable children and families during the pandemic. The Good Law Project has written to education secretary Gavin Williamson asking him to issue guidance that protects vulnerable children and families, arguing the current rules are unlawful Previous safety measures – […]

Covid: Government ‘allowing mass infection of children’, scientists warn

Scientists have warned the government’s back to school plans are “reckless” and allow the “mass infection of children”. An open letter, published by the British Medical Journal today, accuses education secretary Gavin Williamson of endangering the health of hundreds of thousands of pupils and not following medical advice. The letter, signed by scientists, parents and […]