Steve Rollett

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We'll continue to discuss this with DfE and Ofqual, and will think hard about what more can be done to identify and respond to this issue and others that require our vigilance. 7/7

We've been raising this particular issue with policymakers, and I'm grateful to Duncan Baldwin for putting it on our agenda and to FFT for providing the analysis that needed to be done. 6/7

So, while it is important to recognise that grading standards have returned to pre-pandemic levels, the reality is that for some (many?) children, families and schools, things are not 'normal'.
5/7

An additional concern is that the system is not particularly well set up to observe this phenomenon. The data we see published on results day in August is blind to this issue: it describes the achievement of pupils entered for qualifications but doesn't say anything about those not entered. 4/7

It shows the number of children not being entered for GCSE maths and English is on the rise. This is, unfortunately, not surprising given the attendance and engagement issue described above, but it is deeply worrying. 3/7

The pupils who leave school without passes in GCSE English and mathematics - FFT Education Datalab Post-COVID there has been a rise in the percentage of pupils leaving school without a pass (9-1) in GCSE English and a similar figure in maths. Most of these pupils were not entered for examinations.

There is a particular worry about the group of children who are disengaged from school and whose attendance is less than 50%.

Meanwhile, in a separate analysis this week, FFT Datalab published an insightful blog: ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2025/09/the-...

2/7

I was pleased to attend the Centre for Social Justice's report launch on Monday, which offered insights and solutions to the attendance challenges many schools face. In his remarks, Sir Kevan Collins was right to describe it as two problems: acute and chronic. 1/7

Congratulations to all young people collecting L2 results today, and to the staff, families and communities who have nurtured them.

Congratulations from all of us at CST to all young people receiving L3 qualifications today, and the staff who helped them get there. For these young people, today marks a chapter closing but also the start of the next part of their stories. Good luck to them all.

Interesting idea this from Sam

Case studies - School Improvement Hub Case Studies CST and ImpactEd Group are working together to collate examples of school improvement practices from across the system. Here we will publish regular trust spotlights, exploring what is…

Our 11th case study has landed today on the School Improvement Hub, courtesy of E-ACT. Thank you to all the trusts that have supported this work in 2024/25, from the case studies to the blogs, conferences and podcasts.

a man in a suit and tie says " by war " in front of an american flag ALT: a man in a suit and tie says " by war " in front of an american flag

Piece from me in @tesmagazine.bsky.social arguing why November Ofsted rollout is a bad idea but suggesting some things they’d need to do to make the best of the bad idea, using this scene from Argo www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

7 ways Ofsted could make transition to its ‘best bad idea’ easier If Ofsted is intent on keeping its November start date for new inspections, it needs to do a lot more to help the sector be ready, argues Steve Rollett

Punchy piece from @steverollett.bsky.social on Ofsted

www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

7 ways Ofsted could make transition to its ‘best bad idea’ easier If Ofsted is intent on keeping its November start date for new inspections, it needs to do a lot more to help the sector be ready, argues Steve Rollett

Ofsted seems to be pressing ahead with its ‘best bad idea’ for inspection, so it needs to do these 7 things to at least transition schools properly to the new ways of working, argues @steverollett.bsky.social

Yes I think they acknowledge that. And not been reviewed yet too?

Haven’t read it all yet but it seems very interesting. It speaks to a concern I have held too.

This one? arxiv.org/pdf/2506.088...

I’m at CST’s Data and Insights conference listening to Michael Bhaskar talking about the future of AI. Fascinating. He argues the value of education and good schools will go up in an era of AI, not down.

Thank you to all the teachers and support staff working in schools: past, present and future. I’m privileged to be a trustee at the Teaching Awards Trust and it’s been wonderful to see all the coverage of Thank a Teacher Day today.

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MORE great content on trust-led school improvement: 1. New blog from Humber Education Trust community.cstuk.org.uk/topics/38104... 2. Our final community meeting of the year tomorrow (Thurs) 3:30-4:30pm, profiling excellent work in 3 trusts. And more coming soon...

Loads more great content on school improvement coming, incl. case studies & blogs showcasing great work. It's all anchored by CST's conceptual model for school improvement. The latest blog is by Matt Middlemore at Kernow Learning and is free to CST members : community.cstuk.org.uk/topics/38104...

It was amazing. Wonderful glimpses of what it is to see the world through children’s eyes. Thank you!

Highlight this week was watching incredible ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ with @realgeoffbarton.bsky.social , @andywolfe.bsky.social, Nigel Genders, @juliemcchulloch.bsky.social, Tiff Harris, @jtoop.bsky.social, @garethconyard.bsky.social, @jasonelsom.bsky.social and others. Funny, mesmerizing and moving ❤️

Love that Ruben Dias & City seem upset with Saints’ style of play. How did these billionaire-driven clubs imagine football would change as they siphoned off all the talent, creating huge inequities, over the years? I don’t love the style either but it’s inevitable. Football karma?

Here we go Saints. Expect the unexpected…

Our conversations about school finance miss the big picture We're missing crucial parts of the story as well as the production credits

Grateful to @johndickenssw.bsky.social for letting me share this perspective on trust finances. It’s an area full of myth and misconception so I hope this piece is helpful in shining a light. schoolsweek.co.uk/narrow-conve...

Our conversations about school finance miss the big picture We're missing crucial parts of the story as well as the production credits

Super piece from @steverollett.bsky.social on calls for a narrative shift on academy funding models

Follows several Schools Week pieces delving into how different trusts operate

schoolsweek.co.uk/narrow-conve...

Multi-academy trusts can get support from the EEF to embed… Opportunity for MATs to take part in bespoke and collaborative projects

“We’re looking for 4 MATs to take part in bespoke, collaborative projects in the 2025 – 26 academic year. These partnerships will centre on supporting trusts to implement practical, scalable changes in primary science and/​or secondary literacy.”

educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/working...

DfE told how it defines ‘stuck schools’ is ‘deeply problematic’ Confederation of School Trusts questions DfE plan for Rise advisers to intervene in stuck schools based on ‘flawed’ definition

The DfE’s definition of 'stuck schools' is ‘flawed’ and risks deterring academy trusts from taking on schools in need of improvement, warns @cstvoice.bsky.social