The Education and Adoption Bill has passed through Parliament – here’s what it means for schools

The Education and Adoption Bill completed its passage through Parliament on the night of 23 February. This includes new measures that allow swifter intervention where a school is coasting or failing, which will see more schools become academies. The DfE says the measures will "speed up the transformation of our worst schools, removing bureaucracy" and …

On PSHE and the Department for ‘Entanglement’

The latest wheeze from Nicky Morgan’s Department for Entanglement – it is ever thus known down our way – is to refuse to give PSHE statutory status. An odd decision, one might muse, at a time when every teacher in the land must be drilled on “British Values”, spotting a terrorist and guarding against radicalisation …

North East schools ‘particularly encouraged’ to take part in EEF trial

Read Write Inc. Phonics and Fresh Start Read Write Inc. Phonics is a comprehensive literacy programme for children learning to read in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 and for children in Years 3 and 4 not yet reading age appropriately. It is used by more than a quarter of the UK’s primary schools.  Fresh  …

Primary School STEM Competition launching next month

All Primary Schools in North Tyneside, Newcastle and Northumberland are invited to participate in a STEM Competition. Targeting 10 and 11 year olds, this unique, exciting and ambitious Challenge will aim to engage inspire and educate future generations in enterprise and STEM based activities. The project helps young people realise their ambitions and aspiration, creating better …

Northern Powerhouse will ‘splutter and die’ if education in the North is not excellent, says Ofsted Chief

Sir Michael Wilshaw raised concerns, during an IPPR conference, about the Northern Powerhouse crashing if the declining secondary school performance is not tackled. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector brought up examples from Manchester, Liverpool and many of their surrounding towns, stating that too many of the schools in the area are inadequate or require improvement: "Manchester and …

DfE agrees to change deadline for primary assessment after unions’ ultimatum

In a letter to the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), School Minister Nick Gibb confirmed that the Department for Education will comply to teaching unions' demands for a "dramatic change". The deadline for primary schools to submit teacher assessments have now been changed to 30 June for both Key Stage 1 and 2, for …

Heads’ subject? All subjective

While I was enjoying time with the family over Christmas, and, obviously, eating and drinking too much, The Times reported a Good Schools Guide survey identifying the subject specialisms that seem to produce the best headteachers of independent schools (I don’t know why only independent). It came out in favour of historians, just ahead of …

North East careers conference deemed a great success

SCHOOLS NorthEast held its second annual FutureReady Careers Conference last Thursday (4 February 2016) where a stellar line-up of national and regional speakers, as well as representatives from schools in the North East, discussed what every young person needs to succeed in the 21st century. Excellent careers education, teaching character virtues, embedding them in the curriculum …

England’s biggest academy chain hits out at Ofsted after damning report

Representatives of the biggest academy chain in England, Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), expressed their disappointment at Ofsted's inspection process after the inspectorate warned the Trust is "failing too many pupils". In response to Ofsted's report, the AET said "the trust feels that the inspection process and the letter have fallen short of the Secretary of …

DfE misses recruitment targets amid fears of teacher shortage crisis

The Department for Education has not met its trainee recruitment targets for the past year, a new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) reveals. Whitehall's independent watchdog also found that the need for new teachers is more urgent than ever, as existing teachers leave the profession at increasing rates. The report states that 11% more teachers …