Freddie Whittaker

Joe Docherty: Labour peer quit college role over ‘inappropriate conduct’ The former education executive has been suspended by the party weeks after being sent to the House of Lords by Sir Keir Starmer

🚨 Breaking: Former NCG CEO Joe Docherty, now Lord Docherty, has been suspended as a Labour peer after it emerged he resigned from his college role after conducting sexual liaisons during working hours

https://feweek.co.uk/joe-docherty-labour-peer-quit-college-role-over-inappropriate-conduct/

It's been a huge week for schools policy, and it will take weeks, maybe months to properly digest the government's plans for schools and SEND

In the meantime, v proud of edition 421 of @schoolsweek.bsky.social, with everything you need to know so far

Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...

Well it's above 10 degrees, so it's time to stop using the Central Line until November

Schools white paper: The key SEND reform policies DfE documents finally flesh out proposed 'layered' approach

Pupils’ special educational needs will be met through a new layered system of support, with education, health and care plans reserved for only the most complex cases

Here's what you need to know...

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-white-paper-the-key-send-reform-policies/

White paper plan for schools to be part of a ‘group’ DfE officials have drawn up white paper plans to encourage schools to be part of a group, Schools Week understands

In case you missed it: Government officials working on white paper proposals to encourage all schools to join a group

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/white-paper-plan-for-schools-to-be-part-of-a-group/

New heads to get £15k to work where they're 'needed most' Trial of retention payments comes alongside plans to emulate London Challenge in parts of England

Breaking: Newly-appointed headteachers will be offered retention payments of up to £15,000 to work in certain areas under a planned pilot, the government has said

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/new-headteachers-to-get-15k-to-work-where-theyre-needed-most/

Income to replace FSM as trigger for disadvantage funding Government 'will design new model' for allocating the pupil premium and other disadvantage cash

In case you missed it: Family income data will replace free school meals eligibility as the trigger for pupil premium and other deprivation funding for schools

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/pupil-premium-income-data-to-replace-free-school-meals-as-trigger-for-disadvantage-funding/

Fully agree with Jon on this. The ink is more than dry on the white paper. If you’re ready to announce the headlines, be ready to give the details

All the while families are understandably worried about what the white paper will do to their children’s rights to SEND support, after only part of the proposals were briefed to some outlets. Really shoddy stuff

Also - how will tapers to maternity pay apply compared to what’s in place now? The government appears to have told one national outlet some of the detail, with the rest of us spending our free time desperately hoping for a reply to a series of questions

The white paper has been signed off. Days away from release. Why can’t full details be provided if announcements are going to be pushed out beforehand?

The way parts of the white paper are being drip-fed through leaks and limited after-hours PR on individual announcements is deeply frustrating. Tonight we receive word school staff maternity pay will be boosted, with no clarity on whether this will apply to all schools (academies can deviate)

Government to write of 90% of councils' SEND deficits Local authorities will get a grant to cover all but 10% of deficits accrued by the end of 2025-26

Breaking: The government has pledged write off 90 per cent of councils’ historic SEND deficits – estimated to be worth £5 billion

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/government-to-write-off-90-of-councils-send-deficits/

Brilliant find by @samanthajbooth.bsky.social - we’re still waiting for the white paper, but quietly in the background, the government has already asked local areas to begin the reforms…

‘It’s ridiculous’: publicans bemused by rise of single-file queues to get served Bar owners say they struggle to dissuade people from forming a line as behavioural experts point to post-pandemic ‘new norms’

If anyone has ever overheard me yelling ‘please fan out along the bar’ in a pub, this is why

The bar staff don’t want you to line up. Other customers don’t want you to line up. Why would you want to line up?

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Here's edition 418 of Schools Week

🔍 Over 1,000 schools missed from DfE improvement drive

💽 Dodgy DfE data shortens schools' weeks

🧱 The wall between teachers and higher pay

❓ Decision time for councils on free schools' future

Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...

Ofsted to check phone policies and 'tougher' guidance coming Government will also consult on a potential social media ban for children

Breaking: Ofsted will check every school’s policy on mobile phones during inspections and ministers will issue 'tougher guidance for schools' on restricting the devices, the government has announced

schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-to-ch...

Schools ‘at the heart of SEND reforms’, says adviser Dame Christine Lenehen says reforms look at 'changing nature' between schools and local authorities

🗣️ Schools will be 'at the heart' of ministers’ special educational needs reforms, the government’s strategic SEND adviser has said
schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-at-t...

Suspensions fall as trust embraces ‘emotional intelligence’ Influential turnaround MAT criticised for high suspensions bidding to cut exclusions and 'keep kids in school'

Exclusive: A 'turnaround' trust once criticised for controversial behaviour policies has revealed plans to boost its academies’ 'emotional intelligence'

DfE wants to scrape real-time MIS data from schools Department calls for tech companies to take part in trials to feed it data to inform policy

🔢 Exclusive: The government wants school management information systems (MIS) providers to help it 'harness the potential' of the real-time data they collect to inform policy decisions

Extra SEND cash coming says DfE as councils' woes deepen Minister says white paper will bring 'additional’ funding as town halls warn freeze will worsen deficits

Good to have confirmation from the minister that the white paper will bring extra funding for schools and councils

As @ruthlucas.bsky.social has found, a decision to temporarily freeze high needs funding risks worsening council deficits

schoolsweek.co.uk/extra-send-c...

Here's edition 416 of @schoolsweek.bsky.social

We lead on government reassurances the white paper will bring funding for schools and councils, as town halls warn a recent high needs budget freeze will worsen their deficits

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Presenting edition 415 of Schools Week, my first as editor

We lead with impending MAT inspections & greater intervention powers for DfE

Plus a deep-dive into internal exclusion, long-read on falling rolls and a profile of a former academies minister

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Want to join the team here at @schoolsweek.bsky.social?

We're looking for a brilliant reporter. Details below...

My dear friend Aimee’s bookshop Burning House Books is the best in Britain (according to Time Out)! A must-visit if you’re ever in Glasgow!

www.timeout.com/uk/news/this...

Presenting edition 414 of Schools Week

🏫 'Nightmare before Xmas' as free schools axed and put in limbo

🔍 We examine how to measure inclusion

💻 And heads describe the rise of the AI complaint

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I like bsky. I would like it more if it pulled through social card meta like a normal website. But please read our story, even if bsky has made it look terrible

Subscribe to Schools Week | Schools Week By subscribing to Schools Week, you're not just staying informed; you're supporting a mission critical to the future of education. Your subscription helps us dig deeper, question harder, and shine a l...

We'll be saying more about our vision for Schools Week in the final edition of the year this Friday. If you don't already subscribe, please consider doing so. Great journalism is worth paying for

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...helping me guide our fantastic team as we seek to build on our past success and continue to investigate the most critical issues facing schools, expose injustice in the system and hold government's feet to the fire

Honoured to have been appointed as the next editor of Schools Week, starting in January. It's been a privilege to watch our fantastic newspaper grow in reach and influence since its launch in 2014

I'm also delighted our award-winning chief reporter Samantha Booth will be our deputy editor