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Coronavirus: Government must say why it wants to reopen schools, say heads

The government must explain why it wants to reopen schools in order to build “confidence and agreement” in its plans, headteachers have said. Leadership union ASCL has published a summary of its members’ responses to questions posed by the Department for Education about the reopening of schools. The document reveals the government is considering plans […]

Coronavirus: Social distancing in schools ‘very difficult’, says government medical adviser

Social distancing of young pupils in schools “would be very difficult”, the government’s deputy chief medical officer has said. Professor Jonathan Van-Tam told today’s Downing Street press briefing that discussions about schools reopening formed part of “detailed daily deliberating and study” about how, and crucially when the government might relax social distancing measures across the […]

Coronavirus: Williamson expects ‘phased’ return to schools

The education secretary has said he expects schools to reopen “in a phased manner”. Giving evidence to the Parliamentary education committee this morning, Gavin Williamson said the government was giving “a lot of consideration” to how the return of pupils to schools will be managed. Schools have been closed to all but the most vulnerable […]

Coronavirus: Routine inspections not likely before summer, says Spielman

Ofsted is unlikely to resume routine inspections of schools this academic year, Amanda Spielman has told MPs. The chief inspector appeared in front of the Parliamentary education committee by video link this morning, to answer questions about coronavirus and other pressing issues facing the inspectorate. Here’s what we learned. 1. Routine inspections unlikely before […]

Coronavirus: Williamson pledges to ‘work with the sector’ on school reopenings

Gavin Williamson has promised he will “work with the sector” to decide how schools should reopen, but only “when the time is right”. The education secretary also promised the “difficulties that social distancing present” in schools will be “taken into account”. But he reiterated “no timetable has been set” for reopening. Schools have been closed […]

Coronavirus: Too early to say when schools will reopen, says government science adviser

It is too early to say when schools will reopen, the government’s deputy chief scientific adviser has said. Professor Angela McLean (pictured) told today’s Downing Street press briefing that it would be “completely premature” for her to provide a definitive answer on whether schools would reopen to all pupils before the summer holidays. It follows […]

Schools offer to stay open until 9.30pm to support key workers

Schools in one region are offering to operate between 6am and 9.30pm to provide care for children of key workers as “pressure ramps up” during the coronavirus pandemic. Across Stoke-on-Trent, 10 of the city’s 100 schools have lengthened their opening hours from today to provide safe care for children of NHS workers, firefighters and police. […]

‘They think it’s exclusive…but it’s done on a massive scale’ – inside the glossy mag that charges schools £3,500 for exposure

The Parliamentary Review “misleadingly implied” it was an official government magazine, the advertising watchdog has ruled. A Schools Week investigation now takes a looks behind the scenes at the controversial publication. Last year, we revealed how schools were approached by the Parliamentary Review through letters from senior politicians, including Lord Pickles, the former communities secretary, […]

DfE took no action against schools that ignored new careers duty

The Baker clause has been labelled a “law without teeth” after it emerged the government did not take any action against schools for non-compliance in the first year of its existence. The Department for Education also admitted it only wrote to half of the trusts it originally claimed to have contacted in relation to non-compliance. […]