End of year note from SCHOOLS NorthEast

So, the year ends as it started - with change, upheaval, turbulence, fresh opportunity … call it what you will. Where the 2015/16 academic year began with a new Common Inspection Framework, new curricula and assessment and a hefty education agenda promised in the Conservative manifesto, it draws to a conclusion with a new Education …

New PM must tackle North East poverty as region becomes the free school meals capital of England

Research shows pupils on free school meals are half as likely to achieve 5+ GCSEs at grades A*to C SCHOOLS NorthEast has called on incoming Prime Minister Theresa May to take urgent action on poverty in the North East after new data showed the region is now the free school meals capital of England. The regional …

North East Deputy Head wins prestigious national STEM award

The Deputy Head of a County Durham primary school fought off stiff competition to win of a prestigious national STEM award. Louise Parks, Deputy Head at Bournmoor Primary School, Houghton-le-Spring, won the Primary Science ENTHUSE award at the 2016 celebration in London. The ENTHUSE Awards recognise outstanding teaching professionals and the effect they have on their …

Justine Greening appointed as new Education Secretary

Rt Hon Justine Greening MP was appointed as the new Secretary of State for Education today, following a Cabinet reshuffle. The UK's new Prime Minister Theresa May has replaced Nicky Morgan in the Department for Education with the former International Development Secretary, Justine Greening. The MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields becomes the first Education Secretary to have …

Guest Blog: The problem of policy pass the parcel

And so we enter the baton-passing stage of schools policy. Some of you in schools face the same thing as you edge toward the end of term. You, or someone else you work with, is due to move on. Cue the scrambling to tie up loose ends, the passing on of key information, the hiding …

Evalution report into the effect of Poverty Proofing project launched at Newcastle University event

An independent report providing an evaluation of the Poverty Proofing the School Day project was launched at a Newcastle University event on Tuesday 12 July. It found that the project was highly effective at removing barriers to learning. The event - The impact of poverty on education: new evidence on an old problem - supported by SCHOOLS …

Half of England’s primary schools to receive £41m for Asian maths method

Schools Minister Nick Gibb announced the south Asian method of teaching maths will be rolled out in over 8,000 primary schools in England. Half of the total number of primary schools in England will receive £41m over the course of four years to adopt the approach used by some of the leading performers in maths worldwide, including …

New short inspections “a proven success”, Senior HMI tells SCHOOLS NorthEast delegates

One of the most senior Ofsted figures for the region has said that short inspections are a proven success, as the vast majority of schools remain ‘good’ or achieve ‘outstanding’ – a picture mirrored by the North East as well. Speaking at the termly SCHOOLS NorthEast Ofsted Briefings, Her Majesty’s Inspector Joan Hewitt said the …

Region wide teacher subject specialism training courses

Schools across the north east are offering a variety of teacher subject specialism training courses (TSST), funded by the DfE, to support non-specialist teachers, and former teachers who are returning to the teaching profession. One partnership led by The Academy at Shotton Hall is offering courses to improve the mathematics and physics subject knowledge of non-specialist teachers and the languages knowledge of …

Ofsted should downgrade schools where careers provision is inadequate, new Commons report suggests

A new Commons joint committee report urges the Government to incentivise schools to improve careers education and Ofsted to take a tougher approach in inspections, after finding career guidance in many schools to be inadequate. The first joint report of the Business, Innovation & Skills and Education Committees found that too many young people are leaving …