Ministers quizzed on continued coronavirus disruption for schools

Education ministers including the Secretary of State took departmental questions from MPs on Monday. Questions were asked on a range of issues, but focussed on the continuing impact and disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Shadow Secretary of State for Education, Kate Green, asked if figures were available on how many pupils have been sent …

Collaboration is key – takeaways from our first ‘virtual’ School Business Management Conference

The annual SBM conference is an important event in the Schools North East calendar, allowing School Business Professionals to step back from the day-to-day, connect with colleagues and collaborate on the most important  issues that affect their roles. This year, more than ever, it was important that SBPs had this opportunity to network with others …

Clock ticking on primary assessment decision

Despite repeated calls for the Government to take decisive action on exams and testing this year, no plans have been announced, causing growing concern for school staff. While significant focus has been on GCSE and A Level exams, there is considerable burden on primary staff, with no changes to the normal cycle of primary assessment. …

Sedgefield Community College, wins The Sunday Times North East State Secondary School of the Decade

Sedgefield Community College, which is part of the Laidlaw Schools Trust, has been named The Sunday Times North East State Secondary School of the Decade by Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide, published in The Sunday Times and online this Sunday, November 29.   The 28th edition of Parent Power identifies the 2,000 highest-achieving schools in the UK, ranked by …

Primary school pupils ‘top the charts’ in national maths competition

Pupils at a Primary School in Ashington have quizzed their way into the Top 100 in a nationwide maths competition to find the country’s ‘Times Tables Rock Stars’. The Year 6 pupils from Bishop’s Primary School’s Thomas Bewick Campus placed 66th overall in the virtual contest, which saw entries from over 30,000 primary and secondary …

Generation on Mute: UTC South Durham writes open letter to Ofqual and DfE

The Principal of a Durham School has collaborated with a Year 11 pupil to write an open letter to Ofqual and the Department for Education to ask if there is a more manageable way for students to complete their assessments.  Tom Dower, Principal of UTC South Durham, received communication from OCR who, following Awarding Body …

Schools North East calls on Education Secretary to ‘protect our schools’

As staff wellbeing becomes an increasing concern for school leaders, with ‘exhausted’ staff at risk of burnout, we have written to Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education, asking for a series of measures that will help to protect the physical and mental health of school staff.  Last week we shared the results of a …

Schools North East Partner Trust CEO gives evidence at Education Select Committee

The House of Commons Education Select Committee took evidence on Tuesday from school leaders for its inquiry into left behind white pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. The witnesses represented schools and trusts from across the country, including Nick Hurn, CEO of the Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust in the North East and a Schools North East …

North East Schools climb the Fairer Schools Index performance table

For the second year in a row the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP) published its Fairer Schools Index on Monday. The Index was created in 2019 to ensure that a broad range of contextual measures were included when evaluating secondary school performance.  The Index draws upon research undertaken at the University of Bristol to create a …

Schools North East partners with Worth Less? to highlight Head Teachers’ concerns

Schools North East has partnered with Worth Less? on a campaign to highlight the key issues that Head Teachers across the country are concerned about to local MPs. The Worth Less? Campaign, is comprised of Head Teachers working in thousands of schools across 79 local authorities and London boroughs. The group primarily campaigns on funding issues but …