Policy

Unions sign joint letter opposing grammar schools

04/10/2016 - 10:36

Eight unions/education organisations have jointly signed a letter voicing opposition to the government’s grammar school plans.

‘Coercion is unnecessary’ for independent schools to work with the state sector, HMC says

03/10/2016 - 10:55

Addressing the government’s ‘Schools that work for everyone’ green paper for the first time, Mike Buchanan, the chair of the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference (HMC), has stressed that ‘coercion is unnecessary’ to encourage independent schools to work with the state sector.

Faith school plans will lead to ‘increased segregation’, Humanists warn

03/10/2016 - 10:53

Proposed plans to allow faith schools to select all pupils based on religious grounds will lead to ‘increased ethnic and religious segregation across England’, according to the British Humanist Association (BHA).

May defends grammar school plans, says ‘we’re not going back to the 1950s’

03/10/2016 - 10:49

Prime Minister Theresa May has defended her controversial grammar school proposals and insists that it will not be a return to the 1950s education system.

Eight in 10 governors have ’negative’ view of government’s education policies

30/09/2016 - 10:56

School governors have given a damning verdict on the government’s performance, with eight in 10 governors having a ‘negative’ view of government policies, according to a survey conducted by the National Governors’ Association (NGA) and TES.

Former Conservative Education Secretary questions Ebacc target

28/09/2016 - 11:04

Lord Baker, who served as Education Secretary in the Conservative government from 1986-89, has questioned the government’s target for 90 per cent of pupils to study the English Baccalaureate (Ebacc), claiming that it has a ‘narrow academic focus’.

NAHT criticises plans to cap severance payments

28/09/2016 - 10:44

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has criticised government plans to cap public sector severance payments.

Labour launches petition opposing grammar schools

28/09/2016 - 09:56

The Labour Party has launched a petition to oppose the government’s proposals to lift the ban on opening new grammar schools.

Pupil nationality data ‘will not be passed to the Home Office’, DfE assures

27/09/2016 - 11:06

The Department for Education (DfE) has assured that data on pupils’ nationality collected by schools ‘will not be passed on to the Home Office’.

Teacher recruitment crisis is impacting GCSE results, ASCL warns

23/09/2016 - 11:10

The teacher recruitment crisis has become ‘so severe’ that it is impacting pupils’ performance at GCSE, according to the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).

MPs launch inquiry into primary assessment

23/09/2016 - 11:00

The Education Select Committee has launched an inquiry into assessment in primary schools to scrutinise how recent reforms have affected teaching and learning.

Oxford vice-chancellor rejects sponsoring schools

23/09/2016 - 10:56

Oxford University vice-chancellor, Professor Louise Richardson, has rejected government proposals for universities to sponsor schools, according to a report from the BBC.

Grammar schools will ‘turbo-charge social mobility’, says Nick Gibb

23/09/2016 - 10:54

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb has claimed plans to open new grammar schools will ‘turbo-charge social mobility’ in England.

Derbyshire County Council changes rules on term-time holidays

22/09/2016 - 12:03

Derbyshire County Council has introduced new rules which allow parents to take their children on holiday during term-time, so long has the child’s attendance over the previous 12 months is above 94 per cent.

Over-testing ruins the joy of reading, Morpurgo warns

22/09/2016 - 11:42

War Horse author Michael Morpurgo has warned that too much testing in schools risks killing the joy of reading for children.