Schools Week

Free school censured over ‘inaccurate’ budget forecasts Notice to improve issued to one of England's first free schools amid string of rule breaches

🏫 One of the country’s first ever free schools has been censured after handing the government 'inaccurate' budget forecasts while racking up deficits of over £300,000

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Special trust joins 16-school MAT Merger plans revealed for 'truly inclusive' trust as more MATs look to add SEND expertise

🤝 A 16-school trust is set to merge with a group of specialist academies, as it bids to support children with 'a broader range of needs'
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Free school censured over ‘inaccurate’ budget forecasts Notice to improve issued to one of England's first free schools amid string of rule breaches

🏫 One of the country’s first ever free schools has been censured after handing the government 'inaccurate' budget forecasts while racking up deficits of over £300,000
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📰 Schools news: The weekly round-up

Check out this week's news summary. If you still need to register for our newsletter updates, you can sign-up at the below link.

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❌ A trust has said plans for students at one of its schools to be taught by a virtual teacher hundreds of miles away is 'not a blanket solution'
schoolsweek.co.uk/trust-has-no...

Matt Wrack, general secretary, NASUWT 'I don't think speaking out firmly on behalf of the people you represent is overly combative'

'I don't think speaking out firmly on behalf of the people you represent is overly combative'

Matt Wrack, the new general secretary of @nasuwt-official.bsky.social, speaks to Schools Week

schoolsweek.co.uk/matt-wrack-g...

⚠️ 'AI's biases may result in technologies that misunderstand, overlook or pathologise neurodivergent and disabled learners'

@mikejfinlay.bsky.social
schoolsweek.co.uk/ai-bias-pose...

'Little progress' made in closing university progression gap Progress to get more disadvantaged pupils to attend university has stalled, warns think tank

↘️ 'Little progress' has been made in closing the university progression gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils, analysis from EPI shows
schoolsweek.co.uk/little-progr...

Matt Wrack, general secretary, NASUWT 'I don't think speaking out firmly on behalf of the people you represent is overly combative'

The new head of the NASUWT has ruled out merging with another union 'for now', insisted his lack of teaching experience won’t hamper him in his role and said action to better engage members is needed after he was elected on a turnout of just 4.7 per cent

schoolsweek.co.uk/matt-wrack-g...

WJEC exam board fined £350k over wrong food GCSE results Six-figure penalty comes after 1,527 pupils received incorrect results

💸 An exam board will be fined £350,000 after more than 1,500 GCSE students received the wrong exam results last year

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WJEC exam board fined £350k over wrong food GCSE results Six-figure penalty comes after 1,527 pupils received incorrect results

💸 An exam board will be fined £350,000 after more than 1,500 GCSE students received the wrong exam results last year

Inspectors criticise Ofsted's 'ridiculous' training regime 'We are expected to do all this training in our own time, unpaid'

Inspectors have criticised Ofsted’s demand they do more than six days of training before new-style inspections begin in November - with some critics saying the framework is unlikely to differ significantly

schoolsweek.co.uk/inspectors-c...

🗣️ A report into the number of pupils taking modern foreign languages in schools has warned 'expand, don't downgrade' language hubs that are facing cuts from the government
schoolsweek.co.uk/expand-dont-...

Inspectors criticise Ofsted's 'ridiculous' training regime 'We are expected to do all this training in our own time, unpaid'

Inspectors have criticised Ofsted's demand they complete more than six days of training ahead of the launch of new school inspections in November, branding it a 'ridiculous' ask

schoolsweek.co.uk/inspectors-c...

Inspectors criticise Ofsted's 'ridiculous' training regime 'We are expected to do all this training in our own time, unpaid'

Inspectors have criticised Ofsted’s demand they complete more than six days of training before new report card inspections begin in November, warning it is symptomatic of 'rushed' reforms

schoolsweek.co.uk/inspectors-c...

Schools 'over a barrel' as exam fees rise again Cost of exams will again rise at a greater rate than school funding, with some going up by over 8%

'Exam boards really do have schools over a barrel when it comes to these fees, which they have no choice but to pay'

schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-over...

Pupils lose court fight over 'distressing' isolation policy School had not 'crossed the boundaries of what the law or good practice permits', judge says

📝 The academy trust said the verdict sends a 'strong message' across the sector 'about the right of schools to apply appropriate sanctions when behaviour falls short'

🔬 'The current, heavy emphasis on traditional texts and high-stakes exams does little to bridge gaps. In fact, it often amplifies them instead

schoolsweek.co.uk/what-teacher...

Pupils lose court fight over 'distressing' isolation policy School had not 'crossed the boundaries of what the law or good practice permits', judge says

❌ Pupils who spent up to half a year in 'unpleasant and distressing' isolation rooms have lost a High Court battle against their school’s 'rigorous' behaviour policy

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Pupils lose court fight over 'distressing' isolation policy School had not 'crossed the boundaries of what the law or good practice permits', judge says

❌ Pupils who spent up to half a year in 'unpleasant and distressing' isolation rooms have lost a High Court battle against their school’s 'rigorous' behaviour policy
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Schools 'over a barrel' as exam fees rise again Cost of exams will again rise at a greater rate than school funding, with some going up by over 8%

Exclusive: Exam entry fees will rise at a greater rate than school funding again next year, with England’s largest exam board putting up the price of some language GCSEs by over 8 per cent

schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-over...

Ofsted sets inspectors four days of online training Inspectors also expected to spend nine hours reading inspection toolkits

Ofsted inspectors have been told they must take part in at least four days of online training ahead of the rollout of new report card inspections in November

schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-inspe...

📰 Schools news: The weekly round-up

Check out this week's news summary. If you still need to register for our newsletter updates, you can sign-up at the below link.

🔗 mailchi.mp/mkt.educatio...

Ofsted sets inspectors four days of online training Inspectors also expected to spend nine hours reading inspection toolkits

Ofsted inspectors have been told they must take part in at least four days of online training on top of live sessions, before new report card inspections start in November

schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-inspe...

3.2% pay rise for school support staff agreed But unions say workers 'will be disappointed' and 'far more' will be required in the future

UPDATE: Unite has confirmed it did not accept the offer, and said it will support workplaces or groups of members to ballot for action
schoolsweek.co.uk/3-2-pay-rise...

Whether you're looking for re-energising inspiration or a cathartic laugh, there's something for you on this list from our commissioning editor, @dutaut.bsky.social

schoolsweek.co.uk/10-holiday-r...

⚖️ 'Martyn’s Law is about preparedness, not fear. The next two years provide a window to embed these changes gradually, sensibly and sustainably'

schoolsweek.co.uk/unpacking-ma...

📱 Research from OCR and YouGov suggests the public are divided over how AI should be used in schools, but a majority think students should be taught how to use it responsibly
schoolsweek.co.uk/public-divid...

PE premium: Schools locked out can send returns in September Government initially told leaders to try 'before 8am or after 6pm'

The government has said schools locked out of its system for reporting their PE and sports premium spending will be able to submit their return in September

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-urged-to...

Heads locked out of PE and sport premium reporting system Government initially told leaders to try 'before 8am or after 6pm'

A headteachers’ union has called for clarity from the government about the deadline for reporting schools’ PE and sports premium spending, after leaders reported problems accessing the online return facility

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-urged-to...