Exam review changes draw criticism

Ofqual has attracted widespread criticism from the teaching profession after the announcement of new regulations to the system of reviews and appeals governing examination results which ignore many of the recommendations made by school bodies. The Regulator launched a consultation last December aimed at “improving transparency and fairness” in the system. The move came on …

The Power of Collaboration; the Joy of Working in Federation

Working as part of a federation between a primary and secondary school in a shared building means that collaboration is the bread and butter of what we do day by day. I have been fortunate enough since January 2015 to be Head of School at Huntcliff School - a school which in 2014 was federated …

Northern schools greatly underfunded despite high levels of disadvantage, says leading think tank

A new study is urging the Government to allocate greater funding to secondary schools in the North through a new national funding formula. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) North has echoed previous calls by SCHOOLS NorthEast for policy makers to take the opportunity given by the reforming of the funding formula to boost budgets, as northern …

Future of education – white paper and academisation

Nearly 300 school leaders from across the North East gathered together this week to understand the current direction of education policy. The White Paper and academisation: implications and options conference organised by SCHOOLS NorthEast saw a range of education experts give top quality independent and impartial advice in order to help delegates make the right decisions for …

MPs debate education announcements in Queen’s Speech

Education, skills and training were top of the agenda on Wednesday as MPs debated the Queen's Speech. While the debate focused mostly on higher education fees and teaching quality, as well as apprenticeships, the Education and Adoption Bill was also scrutinised. Education Select Committee Chairman and Conservative MP Neil Carmichael focused on the reform of the funding …

Schools wanted for North East LEP Enterprise Adviser programme

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP) is responsible for delivering the Enterprise Adviser network initiative in our region: a national programme aiming to improve young peoples’ interactions with the world of work. The network of Enterprise Advisers is the cornerstone of The Career and Enterprise Company’s national programme. Advisers are part of …

Government uncompromising on school attendance rules after father’s term-time holiday win

The Government will seek "whatever measures necessary" to maintain strict no term-time holiday rules , after a father who took his daughter on a term-time holiday won a case against the school, and the subsequent appeal made by the local authority. Schools Minister Nick Gibb told the House of Commons that the ruling in favour of the …

North East schools spent £150m on supply staff, raising concerns over recruitment and retention

Schools in the North East shelled out over £150m last year to cover costs for supply teachers, new figures from the BBC show. The news comes amid concerns of the increasingly difficult recruitment and retention of teachers. County Durham is the local authority area with the largest total spend in 2015, amounting to over £9m, followed …

Monday first lesson – Angelina Jolie global BBC speech

Sitting in the radio theatre at BBC Broadcasting House in London watching Angelina Jolie deliver a speech to the world, isn’t my normal start to the working week. In her role as UNHCR Special Envoy, she broadcast live across the BBC network this week highlighting the plight of millions of refugees and global migration. I …

Excelsior pupils get front row seats for Angelina Jolie BBC speech

Budding journalists from Excelsior Academy were VIP guests this week at a BBC keynote speech by Hollywood star and UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie, broadcast live to millions across the globe. The six students were in a specially invited audience at BBC Broadcasting House in London to hear her talk about the global refugee crisis. The …