Education news
6 June
Teacher retention and recruitment
Striking teachers tell trust to extend lunch break instead of lessons
Teachers across 14 Outwood Grange trust schools to strike this week over plans to extend day past 2.30pm. An interesting first collaboration between NASUWT and NEU under the former’s new acting General Secretary
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/striking-teachers-tell-trust-to-extend-lunch-break-instead-of-lessons/
Nearly half of heads expect to cut teachers next year, union finds
There are ‘no palatable moves left to make’ for schools to find the money they need next year, the NAHT has warned ahead of the Spending Review.
National Institute of Teaching gains degree-awarding powers
Move means government’s flagship teacher training provider will award its own PGCE to trainees.
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/national-institute-of-teaching-gains-degree-awarding-powers/
Mums who return to teaching part-time more likely to stay
New study reveals how the first 12 months back are crucial for retaining new mums.
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/mums-who-return-to-teaching-part-time-more-likely-to-stay/
Teacher supply: why 5 subjects face gloomier forecasts
Why are drama, history, RE, PE and Classics having trainee recruitment targets hiked up when overall teacher supply is improving? Tes speaks to experts to find out.
https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/teacher-supply-subjects-face-gloomier-forecasts
Teacher workload ‘unfair and unhealthy’, union says
Will EIS, Scotland’s largest teachers’ union ballot for strike action over teacher workload?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd90g3dwvgvo
The subjects being squeezed out by teacher shortages in Scotland
More than a third of surveyed secondaries have had to amend their curriculum because of staff shortages, finds School Leaders Scotland.
https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/school-subjects-squeezed-out-teacher-shortages-scotland
Should teachers and students work from home once a week?
One day a week of working and studying from home for secondary teachers and senior students could save thousands and be good for wellbeing, it will be argued at the EIS AGM this week. But could it work?
https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/should-secondary-teachers-and-students-work-from-home
Inclusion
Pay special school staff as ‘consultants’ for mainstream, MPs told
Catholic Education Service tells SEND inquiry that special schools should be recognised as centres of excellence, with ‘consultant’ staff given extra pay, like in medicine.
https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/specialist-sector/pay-special-school-staff-consultants-mainstream
Pupil attendance
Phillipson: Leaders have ‘responsibility’ to boost attendance
Education secretary tells school leaders in Birmingham she wants more progress on pupil absence.
https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/phillipson-leaders-have-responsibility-boost-attendance
Equalities
White working-class pupils behind in all but 21 of UK’s 3,400 secondary schools, shocking figures reveal
Tory education spokesperson says the Schools Bill is smashing up 30 years of reforms that have raised standards in England. And yet, ‘shocking figures’ seem to suggest they haven’t worked for all…
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14768293/White-working-class-pupils-secondary-schools.html
Co-chairs revealed for white working-class kids inquiry
Ex-education secretary Estelle Morris joins academy boss Sir Hamid Patel in heading inquiry run by Public First (but government didn’t commission it).
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/co-chairs-revealed-for-white-working-class-kids-inquiry/
The Gen Z gender pay gap has reversed with young women earning more than young men – so what’s up with boys?
For the first time in history, many young women are out-earning their male peers. Actually, this article says pay isn’t the issue, though I wonder if this also signals women having babies later or not at all. Is there a crisis in masculinity?
Parents fury as school bans skirts in move to be ‘more inclusive’ as it pushes for ‘gender neutral options for all students’
A school is set to ban pupils from wearing skirts in its drive to be ‘more inclusive’ and offer ‘gender neutral options’.
Disadvantage
Free school meals extended to all from universal credit households
But schools won’t get more pupil premiumAdditional funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils of all abilities funding, and some children to lose eligibility as transitional protections end.
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/free-school-meals-extended-to-all-on-universal-credit/
DfEDepartment for Education - a ministerial department responsible for children’s services and education in England reviews pupil premium amid free meals extension concerns
But the education secretary rejects ‘barefaced lie’ as Tories claim schools could lose £1.5bn.
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-reviews-pupil-premium-amid-free-meals-extension-concerns/
Starmer doesn’t rule out scrapping two-child benefit cap after free school meals expansion
Free school meal expansion in England will benefit fewer than claimed, IFS says
With data showing one in four pupils already get free lunches, institute says short-term benefits overestimated.
Popular schools should prioritise places for poorer pupils, says charity
Teach First calls for pilot that boosts pupil premium funding to motivate schools to be more inclusive.
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/popular-schools-should-prioritise-places-for-poorer-pupils-says-charity/
Curriculum & qualifications
Maths standards in Wales too low, watchdog says
Maths standards in Wales are too low with wide variations in the quality of teaching, according to the schools watchdog.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0lne3318jpo
Call for transparency over AI role in curriculum review
The DfE won’t confirm whether AI is being used to analyse 7,000 submissions to the curriculum and assessment review. Would AI miss the nuances?
https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/call-transparency-over-ai-role-curriculum-review
Tech
Ban smartphones in schools, Starmer told – by the country that’s done it
Keir Starmer has resisted a national ban on mobile phones in schools, but the education minister in New Zealand who introduced the measure in her country has told The Independent that it is already proving successful.
School places
Ministers mull putting health services in spare primary classrooms
Education secretary says government is exploring how to use the school estate for ‘wider family services’.
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/minisers-mull-putting-health-services-in-spare-primary-classrooms/
Policy-making
Headteacher appointed as new DfE ‘school leader adviser’
Maintained school headteacher Andrew O’Neill to deliver ‘frontline expertise directly into the heart of policy-making’, government says.
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/headteacher-appointed-as-new-dfe-school-leader-adviser/
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