DfE had no pandemic plan and we are yet to see any form of recovery plan

Following this week's inquest which saw Boris Johnson’s former special advisor Dominic Cummings give evidence, it became clear that the government as a whole did not have a robust plan in place pre the Covid-19 pandemic.  Coupled with this, the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons published a report on the 26th May …

Potential legal battles loom over GCSE and A Level grades

According to TES, solicitors have already had conversations with parents who are in need of legal support as they are worried about the Summer 21 exam grading system being ‘unfair’.   These legal enquiries will look into the approaches that schools have taken to arrive at grades, though solicitors reported to TES that this may need …

Mathematics research review

Ofsted has released a review document looking at how schools can improve the teaching of Mathematics in order to close the attainment gap in this subject, as well as identifying how to tackle the growing shortage of specialist Maths teachers in schools. The review focuses on Ofsted’s education inspection framework (EIF) to identify factors that …

Generous donation supports development catch-up for tiny tots

A generous donation towards books and resources is helping early years’ pupils at a Northumberland primary school to play ‘catch up’ in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.  Young learners aged between two and four years who attend Bishop’s Primary School’s early years’ facilities have received special ‘Story Sacks’ filled with books, educational games and …

‘Recovery’ reports released ahead of government plan

The Sutton Trust, EPI and IFS have released reports this week which have analysed the spending over the past year during the Covid period in order to make recommendations for education recovery in England in anticipation of an imminent announcement from the Department for Education setting out the official ‘recovery’ plan. In their report, The …

Gavin Williamson announces £10m ‘Levelling up’ plans

The government has announced this week plans to invest £10 million into Plymouth, Ashfield & Mansfield, South Sefton & North Liverpool, and North Durham & City, all areas where there is a low proportion of good or outstanding schools. This follows on from statements from Boris Johnson who pledged that he will be “answering at last the plea of …

Educational inequalities not just a school problem, experts tell MPs

Following on from the parliamentary recess, the House of Commons Education Select Committee continued its inquiry into left behind white pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. The committee took evidence from two members of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, Dr Tony Sewell (Chair) and Martyn Oliver, as well Steve Strand, Professor of Education at the …

Budding gardeners at Ashington primary school receive generous donation from local Garden Centre

Spring has sprung at an Ashington primary school following a generous donation from a local garden centre.  Wansbeck Garden Centre has kindly pledged hundreds of bedding plants to Bishop’s Primary School’s Josephine Butler Campus for use in its flower garden.  The flower garden, which is tended by pupils as part of the school’s ‘Gardening Gang’ …

Wellbeing survey shows improvements but still a long way to go

The Department for Education has released 12 commitments which fall under a new education staff wellbeing charter. In addition to these commitments the department has also provided a new definition for wellbeing: “a state of complete physical and mental health that is characterised by high-quality social relationships” which was agreed by the Department for Education’s …

The need for a teacher-led recovery plan reiterated at Healthy MindED ‘21

Schools North East’s Healthy MindED conference took place on Wednesday and Thursday to coincide with national mental health awareness week and saw a myriad of excellent sessions from a range of speakers, specifically examining the impact that covid has had on schools and students.  In her opening remarks Professor Dame Sue Bailey (Academy of Medical …