Schools to remain open during Easter break

The Government has asked schools across the United Kingdom to remain open for the children of key workers over the Easter holiday period. A fortnight ago, schools were closed to millions of pupils as part of Downing Street’s response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, yet the children of key workers have been able to attend as normal so their parents can continue to work. Key workers include those working in health and social care, such as doctors and nurses, and…

Schools donate protective equipment to NHS workers

Schools throughout the UK have been donating science googles and other apparatus to NHS workers battling on the frontline against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Since measures to tackle the spread of the virus were accelerated last week, NHS England and the Government have made a major effort to address concerns about protective gear. As well as gathering millions of pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) from the British army, schools have been doing their bit by donating goggles, glasses and…

Funding cuts forcing schools to narrow curriculum, Ofsted

Schools are “responding to funding pressure by reducing curriculum breadth”, the chief inspector of Ofsted has warned. In a blog post published last week, Amanda Spielman said it was “particularly concerning” to see schools reducing access to subjects such as languages, computing, design and technology and music. However, she did acknowledge that financial pressures, resulting from a mixture of cuts, rising costs and “instability and uncertainty” around both expenditure and income, mean schools are having “to make tough decisions and…

Teachers set for biggest pay rise since 2005 – DfE

The government has pledged to give teachers the largest sustained pay rise since 2005, with starting salaries increasing to at least £26,000. Under the government’s proposals, wages for new teachers in England, working outside London will rise by 6.7% this September, to £26,000 from the current minimum of £24,373. Salaries for those in outer London would rise to £30,000, and £32,000 for those in inner London. Experienced teachers, heads and school leaders would see an above inflation pay increase of…

Government announces £14 billion school funding boost

The new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has pledged to invest £14.4 billion into primary and secondary education between now and 2022-23. The huge three-year funding increase will guarantee that schools teaching pupils between the ages of five and 16 in England will receive an above-inflation pay rise for every teacher. The money covers real-terms rises in school budgets due to factors such as inflation, increases in the pupil population as well as additional extra funding. In addition to the funding…

Mental health training for new teachers

Every new teacher will be trained in how to spot the signs of mental health problems, Prime Minister Theresa May has announced. The new strategy will see every new teacher in the country receive training in how to spot the signs that a young person is struggling with their mental health. Today’s announcement means schools will receive extra support to make sure people know how to promote good mental health in the same way that they look after physical wellbeing.…

Education committee chair calls for GCSEs to be scrapped

Chairman of the Education Select Committee has labelled GCSEs “pointless” and called for them to be scrapped in a radical overhaul of the English education system. Robert Halfon, Conservative MP for Harlow, believes education would benefit from replacing traditional Key Stage Four exams with a qualification that recognises academic and technical skills, alongside personal development. On Monday, Mr Halfon will address an audience of people from the education sector at the Cabinet War Rooms. He will tell them an emphasis…

We have launched our brand new website

After months of work, we are excited to announce the launch of our brand new website. The site has been designed to provide a user-friendly browsing experience for our valued customers, trusted business partners and anyone interested in working with us. The new website boasts intuitive and consistent site navigation to help you find your way around with ease. It is also fully responsive and mobile/tablet optimised, making it easy to use on a wide range of web browsers and…

Pupil attendance and absence rates, latest figures

Latest figures from the Department for Education (DfE) show that the overall pupil absence rate sits at 4.5%. One in 10 of those school children are classed as “persistently absent”. A persistently absent child is one who misses school for at least 10% of the time. The figures show that secondary schools had a higher rate of persistent absence than in primary schools. Moreover, unauthorised absence, whether persistent or not, also increased. To assess why pupils skipped classes, the BBC…

Tories axe plan to scrap free school meals

The government has dropped the controversial Conservative manifesto commitment to scrap free school meals for infants. Schools minister Nick Gibb said the government would “retain the existing provision”, having listened “very carefully” to the views of parents. “We have listened carefully to the sector’s views on the proposal to remove infant free school meals, and we have decided that it is right to retain the existing provision. “Universal infant free school meals ensure that children receive a nutritious meal during…