jo facer: what we inadequate: who owns the got wrong on no ofsted for lesson plans homework northern Rocks you wrote? page 16 page 10 page 17

SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 | EDITION 108 PA/WIRE

‘ONE COMMITS TO FAIRLY FUNDING SCHOOLS’ But how much will they get?

Page 2

August 2016

“The Building Regulations do not require the installation of fire sprinkler suppression systems in school buildings for life safety and therefore [guidelines] no longer include an expectation that most new school buildings will be fitted with them.”

INVESTIGATION: EXCLUSIVE: School fire safety The mild-mannered head who said ‘no’ to after Grenfell SATs reveals why...

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educationweekjobs.co.uk | @EduWeekJobs 2 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017

EDITION 108 NEWS

SCHOOLS WEEK TEAM Private religious schools flouting equalities law Editor: Laura McInerney JESS STAUFENBERG Secularist campaigners have now claimed Schools Council – have now had their Features editor: Cath Murray @STAUFENBERGJ Exclusive that the Department for Education, which Ofsted reports released since the purdah Head designer: Nicky Phillips is responsible for monitoring independent was lifted after the end of the election. Religious private schools that have schools that do not belong to a formal Of the nine religious schools in that Designer: Matthew Willsone repeatedly failed their legal equality duties association, is not being clear enough that number, six either failed to meet the Sub editor: Tom Mendelsohn have nevertheless been allowed to remain schools will be closed if they do not abide independent school standards or were Chief reporter: John Dickens open – often with leaders still in key by equalities law. given a ‘requires improvement’ or Political reporter: Freddie Whittaker positions, Schools Week can reveal. “If schools are not willing to meet the ‘inadequate’ rating from the inspectorate, The latest batch of inspection reports required standards and are found to Schools Week analysis shows. Reporter: Billy Camden from Ofsted list two such schools ignored be failing time and time again, proper Another religious school, All Saints Reporter: Jess Staufenberg rules set out in the 2010 Equality Act and sanctions must be implemented,” said Jay School in Norfolk, failed because it was Junior reporter: Sam King failed to mention either sexual orientation Harman, an educations campaign manager not fully meeting the needs of special Photographer: Ellis O’Brien or gender reassignment to their pupils. at Humanists UK. educational needs pupils. It had failed One of these, Vishnitz Girls School, an The finding follows investigations by before, in November last year, over health Cartoonist: Stan Dupp Orthodox Jewish school in Hackney, north Schools Week revealing the rising numbers and safety checks. Financials: Helen Neilly London, was warned both in October and of independent schools which have Five religious private schools also had a Victoria Boyle November last year that it had failed to been issued improvement notices by the previous Ofsted rating, after independent Sales executive: Wallace Williams “pay enough regard to developing respect government in the wake of substantial schools regulated by the DfE were included and tolerance” for those protected under regulatory failings. in Ofsted’s common inspection framework Administration: Frances Ogefere Dell the Act, especially LGBT people. A follow- At least 131 notices were issued last year – in 2015. But three of those five have seen up report from Ofsted in May found that up on 120 from 2015 – and the government their grade fall. In each case, their rating Contributors: Jo Facer nothing had changed. is now pledging to publish the documents dropped due to a lack of progress for Andrew Copson The inspection in October established online. pupils. Simon Foulkes that school leaders were aware they were According to guidance on regulating The Marathon Science School in London Iesha Small not meeting legal standards. independent schools, “schools that do not and Buckhole Towers School in Dorset fell “The proprietor and leaders agree that meet the standards must improve so they to grade three, while the New Life Christian Hélène Galdin-O’Shea the school’s policy on the protected do meet them, or close”. Academy in Hull dropped to ‘inadequate’. Louis Coiffait characteristics means that the school If a school found to be failing any of the Two non-associated religious schools did cannot meet these standards,” concluded independent school standards does not manage to improve their grade: Al Huda the report. improve, the DfE has the power to take Girls School in Birmingham and Cruckton Another school, Bnos Zion of Bobov, it off the register, making it a criminal Hall School both received a grade two. Managing director: Shane Mann also a Jewish school in Hackney, was offence to remain open. Ofsted currently inspects the And tweet us your thoughts @schoolsweek or similarly failed, for making “no reference Nineteen non-associated private schools performance of 323 non-associated with the hashtag #schoolsweek to protected characteristics for sexual – which means they do not belong to religious private schools, out of a total of orientation and gender reassignment”. an association such as the Independent 1,076 non-associated private schools. subscribe For an annual subscription to Schools Week for just £50 visit www.schoolsweek.co.uk and click on ‘subscribe’ at the top of the page. Short summer holidays WORSEN absences www.schoolsweek.co.uk or call 020 8123 4778 to subscribe BILLY CAMDEN heads revolted against the idea because dates had been set with consideration @BILLYCAMDEN of similar problems and blocked the of dates for schools in the neighbouring ADVERTISE WITH US change. authorities of East and West Sussex. An academy trust has abandoned Geoff Barton, general secretary of Tom Bewick of Brighton and Hove city If you are interested in placing a product or job advert in a future edition please click on the the experimental holiday calendar it the Association of School and College council said: “Modern families come in ‘advertise’ link at the top of the page on school- introduced to alleviate cost pressures Leaders, said that holidays are a “complex all shapes and sizes and the reduction in sweek.co.uk or contact: and reduce term-time absences, after it exercise” which “must be coordinated the discretion available to headteachers E: [email protected] actually caused a rise in pupils taking with other schools to prevent disruption is damaging. The introduction of a new T: 020 81234 778 days off. to parents and teachers who have week’s holiday in term time is a positive Tall Oaks Academy Trust in children at different schools”. step and I hope addresses the behaviour Disclaimer Schools Week is owned and published by Lsect Ltd. The views Gainsborough introduced a pilot plan Other issues that Tall Oaks came across of travel companies who whack up expressed within the publication are those of the authors to cut the traditional six-week summer during the pilot included problems prices.” named, and are not necessarily those of Schools Week, Lsect Ltd or any of its employees. While we try to ensure that the holiday break short by one week, in securing supplies of free milk and fruit This trend of shortening the summer information we provide is correct, mistakes do occur and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of our material. favour of adding an extra week’s holiday when other schools were closed. It also holidays comes as the number of pupils The design of the printed newspaper and of the website elsewhere to the school year. meant new pupils joining from other taking unauthorised family holidays is copyright of Lsect Ltd and material from the newspaper should not be reproduced without prior permission. If you But it found that pupils took more days schools had a much-reduced summer increases. wish to reproduce an article from either the printed paper or the website, both the article’s author and Schools Week must off because many parents had children at holiday. Government figures published last be referenced (to not do so, would be an infringement on different schools, and the trust has been Barnsley was set to become the first month show pupil absences rose from copyright). Lsect Ltd is not responsible for the content of any external forced to bin its idea. local authority to introduce the new 270,220 in autumn 2015, to 328,555 in internet sites linked to. Please address any complaints to the editor. Email Sue Wilson, the executive head of policy after it approved plans for the autumn last year – a rise of 22 per cent. [email protected] with Error/Concern in the chain, which runs three schools, changes last year. Tim Cheetham, a The rise followed a court case with the subject line. Please include the page number and story headline, and explain what the problem is. said she had hoped families would be spokesperson for the council, told parent Jon Platt, from the Isle of Wight, able book cheaper holidays outside the Schools Week: “The consultation showed who challenged the government’s rules Schools week is proud peak summer period, but the lack of that while a narrow majority of parents barring term-time absences in state to be a member of coordination with other local schools were in favour of change, there was less schools. caused problems. support within schools.” He won a High Court case over his “Parents found it really difficult if they One council ploughing ahead with the right to take his daughter to Disney had children in other schools to get the idea, however, is Brighton and Hove. World during term without having to Learning & Skills Events, family together all at the same time,” From this academic year onwards, the pay a fine of £120, but the decision was Consultancy and Training Ltd Wilson told the BBC. “Parents still took summer break will be shortened to five overturned by Supreme Court judges 161-165 Greenwich High Road their children out of school when their weeks while the traditional one-week after a government appeal. London SE10 8JA other children were on holiday.” break in October will be extended to a At present schools can permit a T: 020 8123 4778 Barnsley council also contemplated the fortnight. term-time absence in “exceptional E: [email protected] idea of reducing the six-week break, but The council claimed the new term circumstances”. SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 3 NEWS Key Tory education plans vanish from Queen’s Speech

JOHN DICKENS The Queen’s Speech also committed the @JOHNDICKENSSW government to “increasing the school budget further”, beyond protecting it in real terms – PA/WIRE The government has pledged to deliver “fairer raises which it said had happened since 2010. funding” for schools, but dropped many The Conservative manifesto promised that of its key election promises on education, an additional £1 billion per year would be including plans for new grammar schools pumped into the overall school funding pot. and scrapping free school lunches. The majority of the extra cash (£650 The Queen’s Speech, which is written by million) was to be recouped from scrapping the government and delivered by the Queen universal infant free school meals. But with on Wednesday, contained pledges to “ensure the prime minister ditching her party’s that every child has the opportunity to attend controversial lunch proposals in the speech, a good school and that all schools are fairly it’s not clear how this level of funding can funded”. now be delivered. Despite a promise to invest £500 million The government also hinted at further for a “major reform” of technical education, signs of austerity for schools. The Queen’s many key schools-related pledges were Speech document stressed that the way notably absent from the speech (see article schools “use their money” is important “in below left). delivering the best outcomes for pupils”, and While the fairer funding commitment has that the government would be providing been welcomed, union leaders have called “tools, information and guidance” to support for further clarity as no firm financial figures improved financial health and efficiency in were supplied. schools. In further details sent separately to the Another key omission in the speech was speech, the government stated current the proposed end to the ban on grammar funding arrangements are unfair, and schools (more article below right). promised to “deliver on our manifesto But the government did pledge to continue commitment to make funding fairer”. converting failing maintained schools to The Conservative party’s manifesto academies “so that they can benefit from the committed to introducing the new national support of a strong sponsor”. funding formula, but with a funding floor that “We are focused on building capacity across would mean “no school has its budget cut as regional funding inequalities and is expected to know the details of the formula – to plan the system to enable this, including through a result”. to be introduced from September next year. their budgets for next September – by the end growing new multi academy trusts,” it said. The government has yet to publish its Schools will receive their first payments of this academic year. The Department for The document also pointed to an already- response to a consultation on the new under the new regime from April 2018. Education would only say the consultation announced £140 million strategic school formula, which aims to smooth historic Union officials said schools would need results will be released “in due course”. improvement fund.

… BUT COULD GOVERNMENT STILL INTRODUCE School leaders welcome breathing space GRAMMARS BY THE BACK DOOR?

School leaders have welcomed the total to be seen. Loic Menzies, director at the need to be primary legislation, so many of A vague pledge that the government would “look at all options” to ensure every child absence of any major new education think-tank LKMco, said: “All the evidence the great educational issues of the day can attends a school rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by policies in the Queen’s Speech – and shows that opening new grammar schools move forward regardless.” Ofsted has raised fears that grammar schools now believe that schools will likely face a would be a step in the wrong direction. The curriculum proposals he may yet be introduced by the back door. much-needed two-year respite from any “The education and research highlighted include every 11-year-old In a document sent to press alongside the major new reforms. communities have come together to know their times-tables off by heart, Queen’s Speech, the government said it wanted to make sure all children got a “world-class As expected, Theresa May dropped most and made the case for comprehensive improving schools’ accountability at key education” and to make Britain the “world’s of the Tories’ key education policies from education loudly and clearly.” stage 3, and expecting 75 per cent of pupils great meritocracy” – a term previously attached the speech on Wednesday, following her It’s unclear how many of the to have entered the EBacc by the end of to the introduction of grammars. failure to secure a majority at this month’s Conservative party’s other manifesto the next parliament. The document pledged that the government general election, and without a deal agreed proposals will now progress. Most do But others have bemoaned the lack would look at “all options” and “work with parliament to bring forward proposals that can with the DUP to form a government. not require legislation, and could still be of new policies. Louis Coiffait, head of command a majority”. Geoff Barton, the general secretary of pursued. education at the Reform think-tank, said Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the the Association of School and College Pledges include scrapping the 50 per that while schools may think politicians Association of School and College Leaders, said Leaders, told Schools Week the omission of cent cap on faith-based admissions for “finally leaving them alone to do what he was concerned that this is “an attempt to new policies was “good news”, and “signals oversubscribed free schools, as well they do best” is a good thing, many school revive plans” to expand selective schools. It could mean the government will look to a breathing space for a sector which has as encouraging private schools and leaders aren’t happy with the current introduce a watered-down policy, perhaps the gone through far too many reforms in universities to sponsor state schools. system. He pointed out, for instance, “modest pilot” of grammar schools previously recent years”. These ideas were outlined in the that standalone academies are currently suggested by the influential Conservative MP Russell Hobby, the general secretary ‘Schools that Work for Everyone’ “particularly vulnerable” to funding Graham Brady. The pilot, Brady said, could be of school leaders’ union NAHT, said the consultation document released in pressures. run in urban areas that aren’t “offering great opportunities to people from lower-income general election result showed how the September last year – for which the “If a school-led system is going to backgrounds”. public failed to endorse the Conservatives’ government has yet to release the actually take the lead, then it needs to start However a Department for Education source more controversial ideas. response. working together much more,” he said. has emphatically denied the concerns, insisting “There is now an opportunity to focus Mark Lehain, director of the education However one policy that did still feature that grammar schools would not go ahead in on getting the basics right: enough highly reform group Parents and Teachers for heavily in the Queen’s Speech was the any form. Ending the ban on opening new selective qualified teachers, sufficient funding and Excellence, insisted that the government “major reform” of technical education. schools was a key policy in the prime minister’s an accountability system that is fair to still had “plenty to be getting on with”. The government has pledged £500 election campaign, with her former chief-of- schools and pupils alike,” he said. “Some of the most important things million to fund the changes announced staff Nick Timothy said to be the driving force There was particular relief among the for the education sector, such as the in the post-16 skills plan, including behind the plans. education community that plans to end a curriculum ideas that were discussed in establishing 15 new technical education Timothy resigned earlier this month after the Conservative party failed to win a majority in the ban on grammar schools were nowhere the Conservative manifesto, don’t actually routes, known as “T-levels”. general election. 4 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 NEWS HUGE DROP IN SCHOOL SPRINKLER INSTALLATIONS SINCE 2010

BILLY CAMDEN @BILLYCAMDEN Investigates Before

The proportion of new schools being built with fire sprinklers has halved to just 2007 35 per cent since 2010, prompting fresh concerns over pupil safety following the “It is now our expectation that all new schools will have sprinklers fitted. Grenfell Tower blaze. Any exceptions to this will have to be justified by demonstrating that a Matters could be about to get worse, as school is low risk and that the use of sprinklers would not be good value After the government plans to water down the for money.” wording of its school fire-safety guidance August 2016 by suggesting sprinkler systems are no longer expected – a decision lambasted by “The Building Regulations do not require the installation of fire sprinkler fire officers and education unions. suppression systems in school buildings for life safety and therefore The Department for Education denies [guidelines] no longer include an expectation that most new school that this rewording changes the policy, buildings will be fitted with them.” claiming it only clarifies it. Building Bulletin 100: design for fire safety in schools More than 70 people died last week in a vast conflagration at Grenfell Tower, a were from 2007, when Labour’s policy was attempt to make it clearer that schools children’s education.” 24-storey housing block in west London. created. were only expected to fit sprinklers when According to research by the CFOA there After the blaze, Angela Rayner, Labour’s In 2007 the Labour party introduced a risk assessment indicated they were were 4,208 fires in schools between 2003- shadow education secretary, tweeted that ‘Building Bulletin 100: Design for Fire necessary, but the change has been heavily 04 and 2013-14, resulting in 129 casualties. she warned the government last year of the Safety in School’, a policy which favoured criticised by fire officers and education Two major school fires occurred in quick dangers of removing an “expectation” to fit the use of sprinklers. unions. succession in 2016. Up to 100 firefighters sprinklers in all new schools, and that they In the policy’s guidance, the then- Kevin Courtney, the NUT’s general tackled a blaze at Selsey Academy in “should be fitted in housing too”. schools minister Jim Knight said: “It secretary, said the government’s policy on Sussex on August 21, but they could is now our expectation that all new sprinklers in schools is “characterised by not stop part of the school from So what is the DfE schools will have sprinklers fitted. Any chaos and confusion”. being destroyed. proposing on sprinklers? exceptions to this will have to be justified “Whatever claims the government may Karen Roberts, chief executive of TKAT, by demonstrating that a school is low risk make about not changing the policy, it is the trust which runs the school, said that The DfE released a draft of new fire safety and that the use of sprinklers would not be the wording in the building bulletin that as it was “not a requirement” for schools guidance for schools last August. good value for money.” matters and that wording undoubtedly to have sprinklers, they were accordingly In the same month it launched a Between April 2007 and May 2010, constitutes a weakening of the expectation “not installed” at the academy. consultation on the updated policy, the around 70 per cent of new schools had around sprinkler fitting in new schools,” he Just a few days later, on August 24, 12 results of which are still unpublished 10 sprinkler systems fitted. told Schools Week. fire engines attended a fire at Cecil Jones months later. The document has now been But from 2010 to 2015, when the “The NUT and the Fire Brigades Union Academy in Southend-on-Sea, which also removed from all government websites. coalition government was in power, this wrote to Justine Greening outlining our lacked spriklers. In relation to sprinklers, new wording in figure plummeted to 35 per cent, according concerns in August 2016. In light of the The DfE said the need for sprinklers the guidance states: “Building regulations to David Amess, chair of the all-party tragic events at Grenfell Tower, to press is determined on a case-by-case basis do not require the installation of fire parliamentary group for fire safety, ahead with this now would be utterly using a risk assessment, and that all but sprinkler suppression systems in school Based on these figures, at least 268 new unacceptable and reckless.” those in the low-risk category will require buildings for life safety.” free schools, built since 2011, do not have After the wording change, Julian sprinklers. “Therefore,” it adds, “[guidelines] no fire-preventing water systems in place. Parsons of the Chief Fire Officers A spokesperson said: “All schools, like longer include an expectation that most Association, told Brighton newspaper other public buildings, must adhere to new school buildings will be fitted with Sprinkler policy The Argus: “This is a retrograde stringent fire safety legislation. Specific them.” ‘characterised by chaos’ step that doesn’t make any sense. guidance for new school buildings says The government has claimed that Sprinklers don’t just save lives, they where it is concluded that sprinklers despite this new wording, the rules on Schools Week understands that the prevent fires from spreading and causing must be fitted to protect property or keep sprinklers in new schools continue as they government changed the wording in an significant damage and disruption to our children safe, they must be installed.” Teaching and fire unions ask for reassurance

Union leaders have joined fire officers to but also planned changes to fire In the joint letter, the unions wrote: “It is now urgently needed about government demand “urgent reassurances” from Justine compartmentalisation requirements. important to view these moves in the context intentions for school fire safety.” Greening about fire safety in schools after Dividing buildings into smaller sections of the repeated undermining and belittling of Kevin Courtney, the NUT’s general the Grenfell blaze, including on planned is a way of reducing fire risks, and health and safety by government since 2010. secretary, said the government has behaved changes to cladding and fire-resistant floors. compartment walls and floors made from “Indeed you may recall that in 2012 David “shamefully over this issue”, while Matt The Fire brigades Union, National Union flame-resistant materials can help stop fire Cameron’s proud boast was that his New Wrack, the FBU’s general secretary said the of Teachers and the Association of Teachers from spreading. Year’s resolution was to ‘kill off the health debate with government was “staggering”. and Lecturers have all written to the The education department has and safety culture for good’. “It highlights the endless problems we education secretary urging her to ditch the proposed increasing the permitted size of “Can you confirm whether the current have faced when raising fire safety issues proposals watering down fire safety rules. compartmentalised areas in all schools by government shares this view?” over several years,” he added. The unions have also demanded clarity 150 per cent, and removing the requirement The consultation on fire safety has A DfE spokesperson said there will be no over the use of “combustible materials” for for each floor to be compartmentalised in now been closed for 10 months, but the change to “fire-safety laws” for schools. “It cladding on school buildings, after reports schools which don’t have sprinklers. government has failed to release a response. has always been the case, and will remain that schools could be fitted with the same The revised guidance also removed “This issue has been dragging on for the case, that where the risk assessment cladding blamed for the blaze. sections from the original 2007 bulletin nearly a year,” the unions’ letter reads. required for any new building recommends However it is not just changes to discouraging the use of combustible “The government has had plenty of time sprinklers are installed to keep children safe, sprinkler systems that are of concern, materials for building cladding. to consider its position and clarity is they must be fitted.” SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 5 NEWS London schools united by Grenfell trauma

years 7, 8, and 9 classes – using an empty JOHN DICKENS top floor in its recently opened primary for @JOHNDICKENSSW the year 7s. Meanwhile, the year 12s, along with 20 The “guts and bravery” of school leaders KAA staff, will be based at Latymer Upper have been hailed in the aftermath of the School, around a 15 minutes’ drive away, in Grenfell blaze, as neighbouring schools Hammersmith. opened their classrooms up for pupils left Ribton added: “This is a trauma you’re homeless and without a school after the never really prepared for in schools. While fire. you promote a sense of safety, this is More than 70 people are presumed dead promoting beyond that a centre of calming after a huge fire at the a 24-storey housing that is really important for students. We block in west London on Wednesday last want it to be as normal an experience as week. possible.” As firefighters continued to fight the Pupils will be based at the schools until blaze on Thursday morning, the schools the end of term, with KAA unlikely to open community kicked into action for the again until September. hundreds of pupils left without a school, Staff and students at the schools were also Ark Burlington Danes Academy sixth form pupils after the Kensington Aldridge Academy amongst the scores of helpers at the scene helping to sort out clothes donations for the Grenfell Tower victims (KAA) – just yards from the fire – couldn’t coordinating the distribution of clothes and open. food, and have since been fundraising to secretary Justine Greening and national role schools play when their communities That morning, Ark Burlington Danes – help those affected in their community. schools commissioner Sir David Carter, are in crisis.” just a mile away – made a makeshift exam The schools are also offering drop-in who tweeted that the “guts and bravery” he Meanwhile, scores of schools across hall in its atrium for year 12 KAA who had to counselling sessions for both pupils and saw from staff at KAA will “remain with me London were expected to donate money and sit an AS maths exam at 8.30am. parents. for a very long time”. wear ‘green for Grenfell’ today. Funds will Even though so many were left homeless KAA’s principal David Benson told “I saw fantastic courageous leadership in be donated to the Kensington and Chelsea by the blaze, of the 60 students due to sit the parents: “KAA has a strong ethos and action,” Carter subsequently told Schools Foundation’s Grenfell Tower Appeal, which exam, 55 turned up. culture which will carry us through this Week. “From planning assemblies, ensuring has so far raised over £1.6 million. Michael Ribton, the principal at period and out the other side. children could be educated at local schools, Other schools held a one-minute silence Burlington Danes, told Schools Week: “In fact, I can already see how, however and reassuring the children affected who on Monday. “Some of these students don’t have any sad and distressing this tragedy is, our had taken exams the morning after the fire, “It’s about promoting hope and ensuring belongings left. The attendance has been school will emerge stronger than ever I saw leaders responding to a challenge that there is a brighter future for tomorrow, and fantastic – it’s incredible.” before.” very few of us have had to face ever. ensuring that students understand that,” The school is now accommodating KAA’s He has been visited both by education “It was a reminder to me what a crucial said Ribton.

*Data over 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 academic year 6 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 NEWS SIX THINGS WE LEARNED FROM THIS YEAR’S GCSE ENTRIES

OFQUAL PUBLISHED FIGURES LAST WEEK REVEALING THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES INTO GCSE AND A-LEVEL EXAMS THIS YEAR. THE FIGURES SHOW THAT THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES TO GCSES HAS RISEN BY THREE PER CENT OVERALL FROM 2016 – SUGGESTING THAT EITHER MORE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE TAKING EXAMS, OR THEY ARE EACH TAKING MORE EXAMS THIS SUMMER. SCHOOLS WEEK HAS ROUNDED UP THE KEY FINDINGS: 1 TAKE-UP OF CREATIVE SUBJECTS IS BEING SQUEEZED …

The report shows that entries in every Entry to drama dropped by 10 per cent, single non-EBacc subject declined performing arts is down by 21 per cent, in 2017, most notably in humanities, and music by eight per cent. leisure and tourism – which Ofqual Entries to art and design, another says are all being discontinued under subject constantly thought of as reforms – and statistics. squeezed, also dropped by five per cent. There has been lots of concern that And don’t forget these drops come as the EBacc is discouraging pupils from the overall number of entries to GCSEs taking creative subjects, something this year rose by three per cent. that schools minister Nick Gibb has Ofqual claims in its report that the previously vehemently denied. figures show schools are “focusing But the Ofqual release does show a more on the delivery of EBacc subjects”. considerable drop in those subjects.

2 … BUT COULD PROGRESS 8 ACTUALLY BE DRIVING THE CHANGES?

Interestingly, entries for history and Under Progress 8, pupils do not need languages (EBacc subjects) have fallen, to take all the EBacc subjects in order to as has science. fulfil the requirements. It could be that History was only down marginally, languages are therefore being dropped by one per cent. But entries to German again with the EBacc requirements dropped by 12 per cent, while French made up by other subjects. is down by 10 per cent and Spanish by However others have suggested the three per cent. changes could be driven by squeezed This suggests the changes are being budgets – forcing schools to cut down driven by forces other than the EBacc – on their curriculum offer. most probably Progress 8, which is now Science is more complicated so we’ve the main headline measure for schools. explained that in a point below.

3 ENGLISH ENTRIES SOAR AFTER IGCSES ARE 00000 ng literature REMOVED FROM THE LEAGUE TABLES 700000 ng language 00000 Entries into English language rose by and literature, with the highest grade 52 per cent, with entries into English counting. 500000 literature up 48 per cent. The report shows the surge in English Ofqual says the rise in English GCSEs is GCSEs has also driven a nine per cent rise 00000 down to removing iGCSEs from league in the number of EBacc entries this year. tables, a move which “encouraged centres” The government announced in 2014 that 00000 to move back to GCSEs. iGCSEs would be dropped from league 200000 The way in which the new Progress 8 tables, with iGCSEs not counting from this measures are calculated also explains the year. The move was designed to encourage 100000 take-up in English literature, the report more schools to take the reformed and says. English is double-weighted if a “more rigorous” GCSEs. 0 student has taken both English language 01 01 01 01 SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 7 NEWS SIX THINGS WE LEARNED FROM THIS YEAR’S GCSE ENTRIES

I BI 4 BUT ENTRIES TO SCIENCE DROP OFF AS SCHOOLS AWAIT REFORMS

Entries to science GCSEs have dropped Ofqual suggests that this could be by more than a quarter (26 per cent), the because students are waiting until 2018 for Ofqual figures show. the reformed qualifications. Interestingly, year 11 entries into science Additional science also posted better actually increased by 12 per cent. But, the numbers. Entries rose slightly by one per overall entries fell because of a plunge in cent – up from 353,500 in 2016, to 358,750 year 10 students taking the subject (a 99 this year. per cent fall this year compared with 2016).

5 TAKE-UP OF COMPUTING STARTS TO SLOW

While GCSE computing had the third Bill Mitchell, the director of education 01 highest rise in entries, behind English at BCS, said that as computing is still a language and literature, it’s uplift is way new subject – it was introduced only 01 down on previous years. three years ago – numbers should still be Entries went up by nine per cent this “growing rapidly”. year. But computing had the largest The figures, he added, “spell trouble for 01 increase of all GCSEs last year, with one of the most important subjects for numbers rising by 84 per cent. the nation and signals we need to provide BCS, the chartered institute for IT, which extra support for schools”. 01 has been heavily involved in developing BCS research shows as many as 70 the computing GCSE, said it was “deeply per cent of teachers could be lacking a concerned” about the “stagnation of “relevant computer science background” – 0 10000 20000 0000 0000 50000 0000 70000 0000 numbers”. something he said had become critical.

6 AS-LEVELS ALMOST HALVE AS GOVERNMENT REFORMS KICK IN

The number of entries to AS- As we’ve previously reported, levels dropped by 42 per cent the AS change has caused this year from 2016. This follows huge problems for univeristies. the government’s reforms to The University of Cambridge, A-levels – meaning the new for example, was “forced” to reformed AS subjects no longer reintroduce entry tests because count towards a student’s final it could no longer use AS scores A-level grade. to offer places. This fall is much more drastic Other than further maths, than the 14 per cent drop last which remained stable, and year, which was the first time maths, with a small decrease, reformed AS subjects were entries for all other subjects decoupled (this is probably had “substantial decreases” – because there were still some particularly in engineering, legacy AS-levels around). performing arts, and drama. 8 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 NEWS GOOD GCSES DON’T Low grades limit sixth-form academy trusts POINT POOR PUPILS TO UNIVERSITY JESS STAUFENBERG or four from Ofsted will be @STAUFENBERGJ Investigates prevented from becoming a lead school in a trust, and JOHN DICKENS Sixth-form colleges have received worse will instead have to join @JOHNDICKENSSW Ofsted grades this year, meaning that existing academy trusts, fewer than were first expected will now be said Kewin. Poor teenagers who are not planning to go to permitted to create academy trusts. “Not many will want university but who do well in their GCSEs are The drop was brought up by Amanda to join an academy trust far less likely to change their mind than their Spielman, the chief inspector of Ofsted, who as they will lose the richer peers, a major new study has found. told delegates at the Sixth Form Colleges autonomy we have,” he The research, published in the Oxford Association conference last Wednesday that said. Review of Education today, also found that while sixth-form colleges were the “jewel in The country’s 90 sixth- the crown of the post-16 sector”, standards form colleges are classed as private sector ‘outstanding’, with just 12 per cent receiving the poorest 14- to 17-year-olds were twice must be kept high. organisations, and so have the freedom to ‘requires improvement’ and only one per as likely to give up on their ambitions to Ten sixth-form colleges out of 23 borrow money commercially and set their cent rated ‘inadequate’. attend university compared with the most inspected this year needed a longer two- own admissions policy. In the 10 full inspections carried out this advantaged students – though it did not day inspection, after which seven saw their However, they also pay VAT. Converting year, one ‘outstanding’ college fell two grades control for achievement. Ofsted rating tumble from the upper two to academy status is appealing because to ‘requires improvement’, while five ‘goods’ Schools are now being urged to make grades either to ‘requires improvement’ or the government refunds those costs to dropped to a grade three, and one tumbled earlier interventions with disadvantaged ‘inadequate’. academies. from ‘good’ to ‘inadequate’. This means there pupils to encourage them to attend university. “While for now this is about a small Another “major draw” of conversion was are three fewer colleges rated ‘good’ this year Author Dr Jake Anders told Schools Week: number of inspections, no-one can afford to “positioning sixth-form colleges in the than last, and two more are at grades three “After age 16 exams is a challenging time to be complacent,” she warned. mainstream of education rather than on the and four. reach young people, as many move between Around 20 sixth-form colleges are fringes”, said Kewin. Two colleges – Birkenhead Sixth Form educational institutions or leave full-time currently in the process of converting to Dan Moynihan, chief executive of Harris College near Liverpool, and St John Rigby become academies, with three already Federation, a multi-academy trust, has College to the north-west of Manchester – education altogether. converted. “A third or more” of the sector will previously called for sixth-form colleges to moved up from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’. “However, if schools are able to help pupils eventually academise, according to James join the academies sector, but said it would Spielman offered “warm congratulations” understand the context of their exam results Kewin, deputy chief executive of the SFCA. “not be unreasonable” to suggest those to the pair, adding that the changes from this could help to keep them on track.” Most want to set up their own multi- or with lower Ofsted grades should “pause any modular to linear A-levels meant it had The study, by the UCL Institute of Education, single-academy trust, in which they would plans” to create a MAT. “Education can only been a “stonker of a year” for all sixth-form investigated reasons for why a larger become more influential “system leaders” benefit from good colleges having a greater colleges. proportion of 14-year-olds expected to apply by taking local schools in the area into their influence”, he added. “Of all the forms of post-16 education, your to university then ultimately did so by the age trust. This year, 87 per cent of sixth-form colleges provide a particularly high level of of 21. But colleges which receive a grade three colleges overall were rated ‘good’ or quality.” Researchers analysed a survey of teenagers conducted between 2004 and 2010, recorded ‘Britain’s strictest school’ rated ‘outstanding’ in the Longitudinal Study of Young People in respectful”. England. JOHN DICKENS Ofsted also highlighted how the school They found that the most deprived fifth of @JOHNDICKENSSW is an “extremely calm and safe learning youngsters were more than twice as likely A free school championed by schools environment”, with attendance rates much as the most advantaged fifth to switch from minister Nick Gibb, the founder of which higher than national averages. being ‘likely to apply’ to being ‘unlikely to has previously said she would ban Ofsted, Disadvantaged pupils make “substantial” apply’ for university as they grew older. The has been rated ‘outstanding’ by the progress, with the most able pupils making study also found that the most advantaged education watchdog. “exceedingly strong progress”. youngsters were more likely than their Michaela Community School in Wembley, Schools leaders were found to have disadvantaged peers to change their mind published an Ofsted report on its website established a “consistently ambitious” from being ‘unlikely’ to ‘likely’ to apply. last week showing the school has got culture at the school, with a curriculum that The extent to which the gap is caused by top marks across the board following an ensures pupils develop knowledge across a differences in attainment was also looked at inspection in May. “broad and balanced range of subjects”. Inspectors said the school, which is attention include awarding demerits to Inspectors did find, though, that recent by researchers. frequently referred to as “Britain’s strictest” pupils for sulking or rolling their eyes, reduced access to off-site sporting facilities Pupils in both low-income and high-income over its “no excuses” discipline policy, had group chanting of poems before lunch, had reduced PE provision. families who received low GCSE results were driven rapid progress across all subjects for making pupils walk down the corridors in But even the Ofsted report has proved likely to switch – at about the same rate – all pupils. silent single file, and carefully curating its divisive, particularly on Twitter, after Gibb from being ‘likely’ to ‘unlikely’ to apply for Students were found to “conduct library collection to steer students away tweeted his congratulations, adding “so university. However, the study found that themselves exceptionally well” and had from what the school considers poor fiction. proud of what you have all achieved”. among pupils who had originally thought “high aspirations for their future lives”. Its strict behaviour policy has also caused Educationists asked why the schools themselves ‘unlikely’ to apply for university, Michaela has been praised by politicians, critics to question how it handles pupils minister was singling out Michaela, and had the richest who achieved the best GCSE including in several speeches by Gibb. He with special educational needs. not publicly praised all other outstanding- results were more than two-and-a-half times visited the school in February, stating: “We The reports states, however, that “leaders rated schools. more likely to change their mind and apply to knew it would be good, but Michaela has and teachers ensure that outcomes for But Naureen Khalid, a governance expert, university, compared with high-scoring poor exceeded all of our expectations.” eligible pupils, including disadvantaged said: “After the abuse they’ve had to suffer The school’s founder and headmistress, pupils and those who have special I think congratulating them is justified. pupils. Katharine Birbalsingh (pictured), has also educational needs and/or disabilities, are Many others would’ve packed bags and left “Perhaps, while it’s never too late to decide previously said she wanted to “ban Ofsted”, outstanding”. teaching.” against making an application to university, adding parents should instead hold schools While many celebrate the no-excuses Others also pointed out that every it can get too late for individuals to start to account. policy – including the government’s ‘outstanding’-rated school is sent a letter thinking that they will,” concluded the report. The free school, which opened in behaviour tsar Tom Bennett – others from the Department for Education. “If they have not been planning to apply September 2014, divides opinion on its disagree with the approach. The school said it did not want to to university, young people will not have approach to discipline and teaching But inspectors said pupils’ behaviour at comment on the report, which was taken actions necessary to make a strong methods. the school was ‘outstanding’, adding that published on the watchdog’s website on application.” Those that have attracted particular “pupils are polite, well-mannered and very Thursday morning. SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 9 NEWS REBRANDED FREE COMPUTING STALLS, CLICK ‘SAVE’ FOR ICT SCHOOL CAN’T SHAKE FINANCIAL TROUBLES JESS STAUFENBERG entered across both this year, compared with A Derby free school trust labelled “chaotic @STAUFENBERGJ 131,000 in 2016. This is despite a three-per- and dysfunctional” has now rebranded, but is still dealing with the financial fallout from cent increase overall in exam entries. being forced to close its secondary year An important group behind the The drop is largely due to fewer pupils groups. government’s computing reforms has urged opting for the ICT GCSE, with a fall from The government parachuted new trustees ministers to reinstate a “reformed” IT GCSE 69,780 entries last year to 58,000 this year. into Al-Madinah, an all-through free school, in after new figures revealed that entries to the Computer science has failed to pick up 2014, following a damning Ofsted inspection and an investigation that revealed weak computer science course have “stagnated”. enough pupils to cancel the drop. financial management. Figures published last week by Ofqual been criticised; only 350 have actually been Currently, computer science is a non- It was one of the first free schools to require show that entries into the computer science trained – reaching approximately 18 per cent compulsory fourth “science” in the EBacc, government intervention, and its secondary GCSE, introduced in 2014, rose only slightly of schools. though ICT is not included. was ordered to close. Experienced head this year, from 61,220 in 2016, to 67,800. Mike Cameron, a school governor and Mitchell said pupils should be required to Sir Barry Day was appointed to lead the turnaround effort. The British Computing Society, key former teacher, tweeted that the BCS was take either computer science or an improved But Day has since stepped down from the architects of the new computing curriculum, responsible for “fixing” something it had IT qualification, with a cost of around £80 trust that runs the school, the Al-Madinah described the figures as “deeply worrying”, itself “broken”, and blasted its “gall” in raising million over the next five years to implement Education Trust, and it has now been renamed and said enrolments should still be growing the alarm over computer science now. such a policy, up from the current spend of Zaytouna Education Trust. “very rapidly”. His words were echoed by Bob Harrison, £1 million per year. The trust did not respond to a request for comment. But Jackie Stephenson, the Bill Mitchell, the director of education at chair of the original advisory group to the However Rose Luckin, professor of headteacher of the renamed Zaytouna the BCS, has now called on the government Department for Education on computing in computing education at UCL Institute of Primary, told the Derby Telegraph that the to ditch its plans to scrap the ICT 2013, who added that the money given to the Education, told Schools Week that having school had been “actively campaigning to qualification from the next academic year as BCS had “not done its job”. two qualifications risked one being seen as make sure our reputation improves”, a move planned. Mitchell argued that the BCS was superior. believed to be behind the name change. The school also moved to a new site in Instead ministers should deliver a “confident” that the number of master Instead, she said there should be one November last year, and Stephenson claimed reformed “information technology” GCSE, teachers would hit 450 by next spring. broad, compulsory computing qualification pupil numbers had risen. which will be less intimidating to those He also suggested the group had always which includes artificial intelligence, with But accounts for last year, published pupils who do not wish to focus on coding argued for an “improved” IT qualification, more advanced computing study focused on in March, show the trust is still to get its and programming, he said. having submitted a suggested course to the engineering and coding as additional GCSE finances back on track. In fact, it still owes the government almost But critics have questioned the “gall” DfE in 2015, but that it had been rejected on options. £400,000 in overfunding for pupils that it of the BCS’ plea – as some hold the body the grounds that it “overlapped” with the A DfE spokesperson said it wanted to “raise failed to recruit. It meanwhile posted a budget responsible for leading the government into new computer science GCSE. participation” in STEM subjects to ensure deficit of around £145,000 last year. promoting computing in the first place. Last week’s figures also showed that the a strong future economy, which was why Accounts demonstrate that it had been The £3 million in government funding combined number of year 11 entries into the new computer science GCSE included hoping to strike a deal with the Education Funding Agency for a “longer-term” handed to BCS to train 400 so-called master both computer science and the soon-to- coding, data storage, networking and cyber repayment schedule that will “safeguard its teachers in computing last year has also be scrapped ICT had fallen, with 126,400 security. long-term financial viability”.

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Visit: ncfe.org.uk/schools Call: 0191 240 8833 10 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 NORTHERN ROCKS 2017 Northern Rocks: It’s good news and bad

The Northern Rocks conference Sam Twiselton, Schools Week editor ‘small island debate’ examined the kicked off with a minute-long round Laura McInerney, the ATL’s general differences between education in of applause for its co-organiser secretary Dr Mary Bousted and England and the devolved nations, Emma Hardy, who was elected to Driver Youth Trust literacy and in which former headteacher Tom parliament this month. SEND specialist Jules Daulby. Sherrington warned that schools are The new MP for Hull West and Addressing delegates, Peacock “over-burdened with expectations” Hessle, a former primary school warned that teachers were too often as de-facto social care agencies. teacher and an organiser of “self-limiting” in order not to “put “A lot of schools, once you get 50 the event, was hailed by some, our head above the crowd”, adding: per cent-plus pupil premium, you’re including the NUT’s general “the teachers I’m meeting are not just a school educating kids, secretary Kevin Courtney, as “the showing me professional agency is you’re a social care agency and it’s MP for Northern Rocks”. about having a voice”. because of a school’s Delegates clapped for around Bousted warned that the work with families and a minute after Hardy was profession felt “cowed and communities, bound congratulated by fellow organiser constrained”, and lamented the together, and you get almost Debra Kidd on her election, which effect of excessive testing on no credit for it whatsoever,” saw her retain the seat previously pupils. he said. held by former education secretary “What on earth are we doing “And every time a prime Alan Johnson with a majority of to our young people? minister or a minister more than 8,000 votes. Putting them through says ‘mental health’s a The day then opened with a a system where their problem, let’s just train a ‘wonder women’ panel, made up of future will depend on few teachers for a couple College of Teaching chief executive two or three weeks.” of hours and that will sort

Dame Alison Peacock, Professor Later in the day, a Debra Kidd it,’ it’s a joke.” SPIELMAN ABSENCE PROVOKES Children under 7 ‘too young to test in any way’

Children under seven are “too young OFSTED INDEPENDENCE DOUBTS to test in any way”, a leading child psychologist has warned, amid questions FREDDIE WHITTAKER had chosen not to attend the conference about the effectiveness of baseline testing @FCDWHITTAKER because she felt that the format of an and the phonics check. interview “would mean she could be Pam Jarvis, a chartered psychologist Ofsted’s chief inspector has been lured into an indiscretion”. and reader at Leeds Trinity University, criticised over her decision to pull out of He said her absence raised concerns and Terry Wrigley, a visiting professor the Northern Rocks teaching conference that Spielman “felt she could not be in an at Northumbria University, met with over the weekend – leaving a stand- environment where she would be held Northern Rocks delegates to talk about the in act to question the organisation’s “accountable to teachers”. government’s testing agenda. independence. “If you feel you cannot do that without Jarvis warned that the current testing Spielman was due to speak in front of having a policy brief from government, regime “had a go” at children aged delegates at the event on Saturday, but I think that sells short the concept of an under seven with “language that is too cancelled her appearance in late April as independent inspectorate,” he said, to complicated”. Amanda Spielman it was due to take place so soon after the rapturous applause. New, more difficult tests for primary snap general election. conference was “different” because it An Ofsted spokesperson said school pupils started last year and But organisers were dismayed to involved a scripted speech which had Spielman’s decision to pull out was included new requirements for schools discover Spielman delivered a speech been approved by the DfE and not an taken “due to concerns that in any post- to assess younger children’s spelling, to the annual conference of the Sixth interview which might involve her election period of uncertainty she may punctuation and grammar. Form College Association last week – being “caught out saying something have had to pull out at short notice”, “They’re not actually getting it. They are four days before the Northern Rocks new” – leading Kidd to question the and insisted that the DfE “has never not old enough,” Jarvis warned delegates. conference. independence of the inspectorate. cleared” the chief inspector’s speaking “And this to me is the basis of what the Debra Kidd, the co-organiser of Ofsted denies the DfE had any say engagements or the content of her Department for Education doesn’t get. Northern Rocks, said she was informed in Spielman’s SFCA speech and claims speeches. They seem to think that education is by Spielman of the cancellation on April the Chief Inspector cancelled her “As the proposed key speaker, Amanda incremental, that children are just short 25, a week after the election was called. appearance early in order to avoid did not wish to compromise the event adults, but they’re not.” “She felt it would be too soon, that letting organisers down. and wanted to give the organisers plenty Jarvis warned that relying on scores she may not have met a new education But Kidd is suspicious of the timing of of time to make fresh arrangements,” the from one-off tests to measure pupils’ secretary and that it would be difficult. I Spielman’s decision to pull out, which spokesperson said. abilities was a particular problem for completely understood and that would came just two days after Kidd sent “Her full schedule, including a keynote summer-born children with “one fifth have been that. advance questions to the watchdog. address to the Education Festival this less life experience than some of the other “But then I noticed last week that she David Cameron, an education Friday, the SFCA speech and questions children in their class” and so were less had spoken at the Sixth Form Colleges consultant and speaker at Northern and answer session last week, numerous likely to get a good score. conference.” Rocks, was also highly critical of meetings and media interviews also “Children under seven are too young to Kidd claims she was told by Spielman’s decision not to appear. meant choices had to be made about test in any way,” she said. Spielman’s office that the Sixth Form Speaking at the event, he claimed she prioritisation of activity.” “Obviously you will as a teacher assess SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 11 NORTHERN ROCKS 2017

HOW TO MAKE THE TIMES TABLE CHECK WORTHWHILE

Jack Marwood

their times tables. So do we. They don’t CATH MURRAY @CATHMURRAY_NEWS need extra tests to make it happen.” Sally Collier, Ofqual’s chief regulator, he Conservatives’ proposed also urged caution earlier this year times-table test would be useful if when giving evidence to the education Tsimilar to the phonics check but it select committee on the government’s should be applied in year four, not year proposed consultation on further six, according to statistics expert Jack changes to primary assessment. Marwood. “We in Ofqual are extremely alert to Children under 7 ‘too young to test in any way’ In a workshop that promised a “critical the potential burden that we may be look at education data”, Marwood, a putting on schools,” she warned. primary teacher by day, insisted the But Marwood, a pseudonym he uses what they’re doing and you have many still be used. government’s proposal to administer for work outside his school, while ways of doing that, but they’re too young “We’re not allowed to teacher-assess; a times-table check in year six was disagreeing with the proposed age of to test on an iPad, or [sit] a language- we’re not trusted, we’ll get it wrong. “ridiculous”. implementation, expressed support for based test and then that score, just one Teacher assessment should still be “It should be in year four if you’re the principle behind times-table testing. score, goes shooting through to the valid, with moderation in local areas going to do it because you should have “If it’s anything like the phonics ministry.” comparative with other similar areas.” learned them by then,” he said. check, I can see it being a useful check,” Wrigley, a coordinator of the One delegate suggested a more Plans to improve pupils’ mastery of he said, “because it will be quite limited Reclaiming Schools campaign, said the observational, profile approach like that times tables were first introduced in the in its scope and will test whether the new tests were “heavily rule-bound”, and used in the early years, while another said 2015 Conservative manifesto, backed up children have actually learned their this resulted in “bizarre questions for pupils should be assessed on a “portfolio by a promise from Nick Gibb of “a short times tables by a particular point.” children”, like the need for 11-year-olds to of competence” and a broader range of computerised test at the end of primary He proposed that the “list of good know what a fronted adverbial is. skills. school”. data in [primary] education” is currently He also raised concerns about the However, there are some academics This was followed by an official limited to three: alphabetic knowledge, narrowing of the curriculum, specifically who argue that testing of younger announcement of a school-based pilot pupil age (autumn-, winter- or the removal of speaking tests as a scored children is both appropriate and possible. in 2016, which was later delayed. summer-born), and the phonics check. element of English GCSEs. Rob Coe, from Durham University’s Contract notices for suppliers were He considers the latter a “really good “We don’t want children to be articulate Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring, a issued last year with a new date of 2017- assessment” for a number of reasons. anymore,” he said. “We don’t want them baseline test provider, told Schools Week 18 for the check’s introduction. “I don’t think it’s trying to do too to speak, either in primary school or at in 2015 that his organisation’s assessment The check was again mentioned in much. It’s just checking whether GCSE. Except in the private schools, they could make predictions for four-year- the party’s most recent general election children can decode phonemes,” he still do spoken English in the iGCSE. olds “good enough for what we need” and manifesto, which stated “we will build said. They’re allowed to.” could more accurately predict the score on the success of the phonics screening It also allows teachers to “basically Wrigley said his organisation was range in which pupils were likely to be in test. We will expect every 11-year-old to rank the children, which is what a good looking at whether it was appropriate for future. know their times table off by heart.” test does”. Thirdly, the inclusion of all children to take part in the phonics He was responding to criticism The prospect of more standardized “nonsense words gets rid of the cultural screening check, adding: “It doesn’t tell from Reclaiming Schools that the testing was criticised by the general biases which you would have towards you anything if a child’s reading fluently. CEM assessment only made accurate secretary of the National Association children who were strong readers if you “There are a lot of words in English, a predictions of roughly half the of Head Teachers, Russell Hobby, who didn’t have the alien words.” lot of basic words that are not phonically children tested, which he said was wrote in a Schools The phonics regular,” he said. “statistically right”, but did not Week column check, introduced Delegates also discussed alternatives necessarily mean it made an reacting to the in 2012 by the to testing for primary school pupils. incorrect prediction for the manifesto: “School Department for Jules Daulby, a teacher with the other half of pupils. leaders will look Education, is Driver Youth Trust, said teacher on in dread. The administered every assessment “seems to have government wants June to all year 1 become toxic”, but children to learn pupils. insisted it should Pam Jarvis 12 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 NEWS

Education Committee Live EDITOR’S COMMENT @miss_mcinerney | [email protected] Silence (from politicians) is golden

England’s government was unusual time-consuming business and it took done by changing the SATs and making for themselves with whizzy ideas. But for not having really bothered about a huge amount of parliamentary time, them fit for purpose, as Jill Wood, the now that Brexit is going to take up all schools until about a hundred years with domestic matters largely left to headteacher standing up against the the parliamentary time and headlines, after everyone else. While America and inquiries and charities all through the exams has urged (see page 14). A single the best way for Justine Greening (or Germany, and just about everyone else 1800s while everyone else’s schools jobs portal, in order to save money any successor) to make a name will be in the developed western world, created systems lurched forward. for schools, is an IT problem, not a to do actual, genuine good: listen to a network of publicly funded schools in Oh how naïve and backward that all legal one. Likewise, developing more people and implement the things the the 19th century, England dilly-dallied. now seems. Oh how we are about to go curriculum materials. people on the frontline tell you they It wasn’t until 1902 that a state back to being exactly the same. Perhaps the most powerful idea of need. board of education was created, and There were just two lines in the all is the review of admissions policies. Dilly-dallying was a pain in the there were another 42 years before an Queen’s Speech about education The Conservatives put this in when 19th century. It put us behind. But education minister was appointed. and, of those, one was about post-16 they were planning to make it about being patient with education over By that time, 1944, America had just occupation-related qualifications. In grammars and free schools. Maybe the next two years could prove to about half its population graduating essence, all we got was: we’ll carry on now is the time to have a proper, open be the best possible outcome for the high school at 18. In England, staying looking at the fair-funding formula and consultation. One which asks what the bizarre situation in school until that age still isn’t we’ll carry on making sure more good current problems of admissions are, this country has compulsory. places are available. That was it. and how we should solve them. And found itself in. Why were we so behind? In part it Perhaps, however, this silence from then – shock horror – the government was because neither political party government will do us good. While the might actually just base its policies on liked the idea of free mass schooling. bigwigs return to age-old wars over what people actually say, rather than Both Conservatives and Liberals feared “sovereignty” or the cost of sending what it already presupposes the answer landowners and industrialists, who cheese to far-flung places, the rest of us to be. paid the majority of the taxes, and can get on with just, well, doing stuff. I appreciate that this sort of who didn’t see the point. Another, Many of the Conservatives’ manifesto open policy-making is rare in sometimes forgotten, part is that commitments don’t actually need education. That is because Britain was pretty busy with foreign any legislation. They’re just ideas. politicians are usually matters. Owning an empire is a pretty Improving school accountability can be trying to make a name JO FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 EDITION 108 BS

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Unloc Enterprise Academy Facilitator (Part-Time)

Salary: £23,000-25,000 pro rata, term time only (3 days per week, full time considered for right candidate) Line Manager: Managing Director Start Date: August 2017

Are you passionate about working with young people? • Desirable: Level 3 ICT qualification. Do you have an entrepreneurial story to share? Specific Responsibilities • Desirable: A Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant subject (or • To organise and deliver Unloc’s enterprise work •Develop equivalent industry experience). Join an exciting, new, fast-paced and growing social enterprise as the course content of the Unloc Enterprise Academy long an Unloc Enterprise Academy Facilitator. Our agile team, based course and short course along with the Unloc Directors and Experience and Knowledge at our central HQ within Portsmouth College and with satellite Curriculum Development lead offices in Alton and Cambridge, are passionate about young • Directly deliver the Unloc Enterprise Academy short course • Essential: Previous work with young people. people engaging with enterprise and being the innovators of the and long course (made up of weekly taught sessions) at • Essential: Previous experience of enterprise. future. schools and colleges in the region that have signed up to the • Desirable: Previous knowledge of the youth sector across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We pride ourselves on being innovative, embracing new Academy. • Coordinate Unloc’s wider enterprise related activities such as • Desirable: Experience of running (or being involved in running) technology and ensuring that we have young people at the heart during Global Entrepreneurship Week. your own business. of everything we do. The Unloc Enterprise Academy is one of • Deliver any Unloc Enterprise Days according to demand. three core areas of work comprising primarily of our bespoke These are whole days where the Unloc team works with up 150 Abilities and Skills long course, short course and engaging enterprise days. The students to engage them with enterprise and often include Unloc Enterprise Academy Facilitator post will be responsible short masterclasses and an enterprise challenge. • Essential: High level writing skills. for organising and delivering Unloc’s enterprise work including • Promote, alongside the Unloc Directors and other members • Essential: Ability to prioritise and manage own workload. delivering/teaching weekly sessions at a number of schools and of the Enterprise Academy team, the work of the Academy to • Essential: Ability to manage a budget. colleges. The post will also form a crucial part of our Enterprise expand the enterprise work Unloc does. • Essential: Ability to work as part of a team. Days delivery team. • To deliver Unloc’s training and workshop packages if and when • Essential: Ability to work independently. • Desirable: High level of skill when using Google Apps For Work. The ideal candidate should have a passion for working with needed. •Delivering Unloc training and workshop packages to young people across the South East. Training on how to deliver • Desirable: Ability to write press releases. young people, confidence in delivering engaging sessions as part these workshops is provided. • Desirable: Ability to use Twitter and Facebook. of a short course and excellent organisational skills.

Qualifications Other Join an exciting, new, fast-paced and growing social enterprise as an Unloc Enterprise Academy Facilitator. Apply now for this • Essential: GCSE Maths and English at grade A*-C (or • Essential: Willingness to undertake staff training and opportunity via: http://bit.ly/2sonm8c equivalent). development as required. • Essential: A-Levels at grade A*-C (or equivalent). • Desirable: Car driver with clean UK driving licence. FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 @SCHOOLSWEEK JO BS

International School Inspection Opportunities, UAE Competitive Rate Offered

Are you a qualified and experienced inspector who is looking for a new professional challenge and the opportunity to work internationally? International School Inspection Opportunities

Tribal are currently recruiting for current or former inspectors to work for us, based in the UAE with frequent travel within the on a freelance basis, on a new and exciting inspection contract in the United UAE and occasionally the Gulf Arab Emirates. Inspections and Evaluations usually take place within a 6 to 7 week window in each semester.

We are looking for people who are available from October 2017 onwards and How to apply: who have experience of leading inspections. In addition, we are particularly looking for current or former inspectors who have subject specialisms in If you feel that you fit this set of criteria and are interested in English, Maths or Science. working in the UAE for short blocks of time, please submit a We offer a generous daily rate as well as flights, international transport and current CV and brief covering email to: hotel accommodation with breakfast and laundry. Typically, we look for [email protected] people to be deployed for periods of 3 weeks or more at a time. Contract specific training will be given prior to deployment.

PROGRAMME LEAD

Church of England Professional Qualification for Headship Salary: £350 (+VAT) per day - Up to 104 days across a year

This is a rare opportunity to join a highly motivated and innovative team with the potential to transform the lives of children and young people. Part of a unique charity with long standing relationships with schools, universities and parishes, you will build and strengthen partnerships with colleagues across disciplines, both nationally and internationally, and shape and deliver the Foundation’s strategy for Leadership Development Programmes.

You will play a pivotal role within the Foundation Team, with responsibility for ensuring How to Apply the successful delivery of our flagship programme for senior leaders in schools. Closing Date: 29th June 2017 Your remit will include programme delivery, programme content, quality assurance, Interviews: 4th July 2017 stakeholder and financial management. For more information and to apply: https://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/vacancies/nci-vacancies You will bring a strong track record in adult learning, experience of quality assurance structures and processes, assessing learning outcomes and an underlying As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled understanding of the current and future challenges facing school leaders. To thrive in applicants who meet the essential criteria for our vacancies. this role, you be a critical thinker with highly developed communication skills and a A disability is defined as a ‘physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and strong understanding of Christian approaches to education, coupled with the ability to long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities motivate a diverse range of stakeholders. and must be expected to last for 12 months or more JO FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 EDITION 108 BS

CALL 02081234778 OR EMAIL [email protected] TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP YOU ADVERTISE YOUR VACANCIES

Executive Director of School Improvement

Salary range: £70,000 - £80,000 pa – Dependent on experience (part-time will be considered, at a pro-rata basis)

Rivermead Inclusive Trust is offering a unique opportunity for an ambitious Key Responsibilities: applicant to join our fast growing Academy. As Executive Director of School Improvement you will secure progress, develop, share and • To monitor the performance, standards achieved and quality of education in each of the Academies within the Rivermead Inclusive Trust. embed systems leadership across a group of Academies. You will focus • To support the promotion of the Trust. on improvement in a dynamic, fast paced and successful organisation, • To analyse a range of Academy level data and to support Trust committed to an ethos of: Life opportunities, Inclusion, Equality, celebrating Headteacher/Head of School in the interpretation and use of data to raise every success, community at our heart through collaboration with standards. commitment and innovation to ensure it is about the ‘person’, the complete • To ensure that the necessary actions needed to bring about improvement ‘person’. Our ideal candidate will hold similar values, and be willing to are implemented quickly and effectively and to ensure that such actions have the required impact. champion our ethos daily. This is an outward facing, high-profile role within • To support the CEO in overseeing the deployment of Academy-to- our Trust and the Academy communities that they serve, therefore we are Academy support and intervention strategies across the MAT. looking for an effective and relatable figurehead to help drive change and • To work with the CEO to develop and disseminate highly effective impassion others. practice across all the Academies within the Rivermead Inclusive Trust. • To contribute to pre-Ofsted and other Learning Reviews. We are seeking an ambitious, energetic and determined individual to • To hold Senior Leaders to account to secure School Improvement across a wide range of schools within the Trust. support in the leadership, strategic development and school improvement • To be the point of contact for dealing with any critical incidents in the policy of our academies. Trust. • To liaise with the local authorities and develop strategic partnerships Strong leadership is vital to the success of the Trust. The Rivermead (including business links) that will further support the work and Inclusive Trust would like to appoint an ambitious and energetic Executive effectiveness of each of the Academies. Director of School Improvement who will work alongside the CEO to • To be proactive in understanding current local, national and international policy, practice and research in relation to schools working in challenging establish and maintain the ethos in line with the vision of the Trust Board. contexts and advise accordingly. • To be the key strategic professional for 16-19 (16-25 programmes) programmes within the Trust and be the strategic point of contact for the We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children College which the Rivermead Inclusive Trust partner with. and expect all staff to share this commitment. • Where no Headteacher is present to act as Headteacher where appropriate to ensure School Improvement.

If this position interests you and you want to know more you are very What we can offer: welcome to visit. • A varied and rewarding role where you will be accountable, to the CEO, for ensuring the educational success of the academies within the overall For further details including the job description for an informal discussion framework of the Rivermead Inclusive Trust plan. with the CEO please make an appointment please contact • The benefits of being part of the forward thinking Rivermead Inclusive Mrs Karen Watkin: Trust – and shaping the future for a relatively new MAT PA/Human Resources Manager Rivermead School, • A wide range of professional development opportunities and the Forge Lane, opportunity to work with some of the best educational professionals in Gillingham, the country. • The Executive Director of School Improvement will be accountable to the Kent CEO to raise standards across each of the schools within the Trust ME7 1UG. • A leadership team that nurtures and encourage potential in all • To become part of a dynamic team Tel: 01634 338348 • Have a fantastic continued development programme Email: [email protected] • Learners who will be engagingly enthusiastic, exceptionally talented young people to work with Closing Date: 29th June 2017 • Staff well-being packages • Child care vouchers FRIDAY, JUNE 23 2017 @SCHOOLSWEEK JO BS

PRINCIPAL Location: Chelmsford, Essex Salary: Competitive salary dependant on experience

Come and see for yourself! This is undoubtedly a challenging role, but a hugely rewarding one. You will start with considerable advantages – Columbus is an all-age special school for children and young people aged 3-19 with severe and profound a highly motivated and committed team, terrific pupils and an experienced network around you to support you in learning difficulties. We pride ourselves on providing our children and young people with a sense of success and driving the improvements needed in the academy. positive achievement in their personal and academic skills. This is approached by treating every student with unconditional support and nurture. This genuinely is a fantastic opportunity which could lead to fast progression within the Group and we would invite you to grasp with great enthusiasm. There may be the opportunity of an Executive Principal post for the Our new Principal will build on the foundations already in place, harness the schools significant potential and right candidate. provide the strategic vision and dynamic leadership that will lead it to a confident and successful future.

We are a proud member of Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) network of 66 primary, secondary and You will: special academies.

• Be creative and innovative, with the vision and drive to lead the next stage of Columbus School and College development How to Apply • Have the passion, enthusiasm and energy to inspire the children and young people and community at The position is due to commence January 2018 or earlier if possible. Columbus School and College to reach their full potential Interviews will be held on Tuesday 4 July 2017. • Rise to the challenge of maintaining and enhancing educational standards for the complex educational Closing date: Friday 30 June 2017 needs of our diverse range of children and young people • Have an in-depth knowledge of SEN and knowledge of national education strategy and the wider context Visits to the academy prior to application are warmly welcomed so you can see for yourself what for Special Schools makes Columbus School and College so special. To arrange a visit, organise an informal discussion or • Be a System Leader, with the ability to contribute to the growth, development and reputation of Academies for an application pack please contact Tanya Bentham on 0203 874 3095 or email Enterprise Trust [email protected].

We are committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. A Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate will be required for all posts. This post will be subject to enhance checks as part of our Prevent Duty.

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educationweekjobs.co.uk | [email protected] SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 13

READERS’ REPLY email tweet facebook WEBSITE More than half of MPs comp-educated Secondary schools feel the pinch as for the first time ‘baby bulge’ comes of age Government urged to ‘bare its teeth’ on serious Cathy Pearson // @pearson_cathy Stephen Hickman, Facebook But still not anywhere near national What a perfect storm, funding crises, mismanagement average! recruitment crises and population bulge. More for less? Paul Shanks // @paulshanks1974 reply of the week Interesting to see the proportions in top Is the grammar nightmare finally over? jobs too. Wonder if the split will be the Mark Watson, Gloucestershire same. John Rees // @PSHEsolutions Grammar schools is a real concern but I completely agree that anyone Staff win £8.6m in injury ‘selective schools’ based on parental faith, compensation could be even more damaging and socially guilty of financial impropriety ought decisive. to be (a) punished appropriately (which Lorena Arikamedoshika Woodfine would mean at the very least being I’ve never received compensation and I’ve Colouring in the curriculum required to repay all relevant monies) had numerous injuries! I feel positively hard done by now! @thefish64 and (b) prohibited from being involved Each country will have its own core in running schools in the future. MK // @kyz_mk knowledge based on its history. So of course This definitely should apply to Some of these are horrible. Gouged a western European students will know more academies, but (and I can anticipate teacher’s eye out. Awful about Europe the eye-rolling here) we shouldn’t Pupil hate crimes surge in wake Should we base education policy on lose sight of the fact that financial of Brexit evidence or values? impropriety happens in local authority schools as well – indeed it happens Chris Lincoln // @chrisbourne2win Rudi Kershaw // @RudiKershaw everywhere where people have the It’s been a long time since our children Never met a politician that didn’t care about required as much support as they do now. evidence? Clearly you haven’t looked very chance. Yes, let’s make sure that Too many evils but we can help hard. Evidence first, interpreted with good academies are being policed properly, values. especially because the sums involved Catholic State Org // can be so much bigger, but let’s not @LaCatholicState Pearson Teaching Awards announce So what age is the youngest child to be the 56 educators set to receive silver turn a blind eye to what happens in charged with these ‘crimes’?! We need to awards local authority schools and pretend keep an eye on this! that the past was a golden idyll of Shane Guildford // @shanelegend23 trustworthiness… Run tenders to take over failed Very proud to have received one, on to schools, says report Canary Wharf in October now to try for gold Ian Taylor, Bristol reply of the week The privatisation of the state school system DO you have has gone so far that we are not surprised that receives a schools (including their communities) could a story? be auctioned to the highest bidder. We are just However big or small, if you have information or a arguing over whether it has been a good idea for story you think our readers would be interested in, schools week an unelected jobsworth to give a school and its then please get in touch. For press releases make sure assets to one of their mates, in secret. Whichever you email our news email account, and don’t be afraid way the carve-up is done, have we neglected to to give us a call. mug! involve the main stakeholders? I cannot imagine [email protected] Eton being transferred or auctioned to new owners without asking the parents for input. 020 3051 4287

Janet Downs, Bourne

Here’s a radical thought – why not transfer WE WANT TO HEAR dumped academies to the stewardship of local authorities? FROM YOU @SCHOOLSWEEK [email protected] WWW.SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK 14 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 PROFILE Exclusive

JILL WOOD

LAURA MCINERNEY explains how she is refusing to be cowed. outcomes dropped by 30 per cent because of this ‘new @MISS_MCINERNEY She has just spoken on the panel at the Northern Rocks way’. That’s impossible. Most schools have got the same conference, the first time she has ever spoken at such an teachers, roughly the same sorts of children – how can it event. She almost didn’t come. drop by 30 per cent unless the tests and curriculum are Headteacher, Little London Primary School “When it was all in the newspapers last month,” she says, wrong? “I was asked to go and join Holly Willoughby on the This “What they should have done was either give us a new ast month, when the Standards and Testing Morning sofa, but I said no, I don’t do things like that.” curriculum and leave us on the old assessment until we Agency sent its exam papers for 11-year-olds to As a headteacher for 13 years, Wood took a Little got to grips with the new curriculum; or give us the new LLittle London primary school in Leeds, they went London that was so unpopular it only had eight children assessment but leave the curriculum alone. But what we into a cupboard and stayed there. The pupils did not sit in reception, to one that takes 90 children per year. She had to do, in one year, was a new curriculum and a new them. Instead they went on learning trips to Whitby and eschews social media (“I am glad I don’t have Facebook”) way of assessing and the outcome was ridiculous. Ingleton Waterfalls. and she’s not interested in “executive headships, or “Outcomes for the most vulnerable groups were Now, their headteacher Jill Wood is facing running 53 schools or something like that”. dropping by 50 per cent. That was appalling. Children investigation for maladministration and a possible But last year, something in the calm 56-year-old who under the old system would have been successful referral to a disciplinary hearing in which her 26 years snapped. Surrounded by distraught children, told they actually failed. How do you explain that to a 10-year-old? in teaching will hang in the balance. But quietly, in the would “fail” the new “rigorous” primary tests, she couldn’t “Then, with the wonderful diversity of parents that sort of hushed tones of a woman who has clearly spent see the sense anymore. we have – we have a lot of refugee children, parents many years reading stories to tiny children, she politely “Last year, in the key stage 2 SATs, the whole country’s who have come through terrible hardship to get to this SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 15

“I’M NOT GOING TO PLAY THE GAME, BECAUSE IT’S NOT MORALLY RIGHT”

country – they don’t really understand the change. “And, what’s more, our secondary colleagues don’t even look at the scores! Why do they want to know how a kid was doing in May? They want to know what the kid was doing at the end of July. So they retest all the children anyway. “I’ve been pilloried by Daily Mail readers, mainly. They tell me ‘poor diddums, were your children upset because they had to do a test?’ Well, actually, yes they were. And so were thousands of children across the country. We “OUTCOMES FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE

or because she wants anyone else to follow in her wake. “My as “we can’t be putting a woman in regional management”. WERE DROPPING BY decision is my decision. This isn’t Jill of Arc. I’m not trying to She later became a teacher, age 30, after starting a honeybee sweep into power and get rid of the SATs. What I am saying is museum – but that’s another story. 50 PER CENT” let’s make these tests fit for purpose.” Each injustice burns; her dad once told her: “if you see “So when they said ‘you’ve just got to play the game’, I said, something wrong, don’t walk past it, because then you’re ‘I’m not going to play the game because it’s morally not right. part of it.” shouldn’t be proud as a country that we have the number You know it’s not right. We all know it’s not right. So why are During her own schooling, at Soubry Grammar School in of children we have with mental health issues. That’s why we doing it?’” Halifax, this culminated in her intervening to stop another we don’t put children up chimneys anymore!” Threatened with external monitors to enforce the test, girl being bullied, only to find the bullies turn on her. After She falters from her tirade, and leans in. During the Wood arranged for the pupils to be off-site. Pupils still sat months of intimidation, including being pushed into a road Northern Rocks event, panellists were asked for the the teacher-assessed, externally-moderated tests, which she and almost knocked down, she finally confided in her father naughtiest thing they ever did. She blushes. favours. who told her what to say – and gave her permission to swear. “What I should have said, but was too ashamed, was On SATs day, the school was inspected by local officials The next day, after her satchel was emptied and she was that the worst thing I ever did was that I went and fetched who were shown the locked cupboards in which the papers slammed against a wall, she shouted, with all her might, that in a child who was ill to do a maths paper because I knew lay. Soon after the Standards and Teaching Agency called to if she or anyone else was ever bullied by them again her dad he was a level five. I went and physically brought him into remind Wood she could be removed for her actions. Now, would report the traffic incident to the police. Heeding her school in my car. I felt dreadful after, I felt dreadful at the a letter has been sent to her chair of governors ordering father’s words, she dug deep and finally erupted: “So why time. an investigation of maladministration and a decision on don’t you just.... BOG OFF”. “He had a sick bucket next to him in the hall,” she referring her for disciplinary action. “They left me alone after that,” she says, looking puzzled. mutters, sorrowfully. Her governors – first informed of the decision last “Isn’t that funny?” So why do it? “Fear,” she says. “I had made predictions September – remain behind her. As a headteacher in She sighs. “And that’s the thing. We don’t know what our that he was going to get that level five.” a foundation school – an unusual status, meaning the pupils have seen that morning before breakfast. We have And that’s when she started asking herself if it was school is neither maintained by the council nor under a had 98 children join us during this year. They speak over 77 really worthwhile, and what the consequences would be if funding contract with central government – the next move languages. her staff made like Ghandi and politely disobeyed. is anyone’s guess. Neither the council, nor the education “Being a headteacher is all I ever wanted to do. I’m not So, in September, when the local authority asked her department, are in an easy position to remove her. interested in being an executive head over 53 schools. I’m for her predictions for this year’s SATs, she refused to take For Wood, however, it would not be the first time she just supposed to do something that improves outcomes for part on the grounds she wasn’t doing them. Over the year faced barriers to employment. As a trainee bank manager, children. And I can’t imagine retiring.” she was told by various parties she would be failed by she was told she could not continue when, at 19, she was But, Wood is clear - she will not have pupils do the SAT Ofsted, the school would be turned into an academy, that married, because they thought she would get pregnant. In exams until they are fit for purpose. And if the government she’d lose her job. Still she said no. her mid-20s, after rising to become a branch manager for the fight her on it they must expect to be told, as politely as Not, she is keep to point out, because she’s an anarchist Yorkshire Post, she was again told she could rise no further possible, to “bog off” too. 16 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 OPINION JO FACER ANDREW Head of English, Michaela Community School COPSON Chief executive, Humanists UK Homework habits: what we Are the Tories’ faith have learned at Michaela Setting the right balance on homework page, split into sections, distilling the core school plans dead? is a tight-rope walk for teachers, but knowledge for a given unit for pupils. Britain’s so-called ‘strictest school’ has a The difficulty of self-quizzing is knowing Nick Timothy’s demise could spell the end in England don’t discriminate in this way. plan, explains Jo Facer whether the pupils have genuinely focused for the government’s disastrous ‘faith’ And the Catholic International Education and learned content, or whether they school admissions proposals, argues Office has issued a statement emphasising very school faces the challenge have just copied it out. To check what was Andrew Copson that a Catholic school should be a “non- of getting kids to practise what happening, we began setting a quiz the discriminatory school, open to all”. Ethey need to, but without gaming following day on the same material. The n September last year, Theresa May And to his other assertions: no evidence it. Teachers have all encountered pupils results were revealing: when we first started announced plans to remove the limits on has ever been presented for growing who will do the bare minimum to avoid a it, around a third of pupils were failing the Ireligious selection at new and existing demand for Catholic schools. They are only sanction. quiz. Today, almost no pupils fail: they are free schools, effectively ushering in a brand ethnically diverse to the extent that there is While it is the weakest pupils who benefit now held to account by their teachers. The new era of religiously segregated schooling. some level of diversity within Catholicism. most from homework, it is also the weakest pupils complete a short quiz which their Behind her was Nick Timothy, the chief However, school census data shows they are pupils who are least likely to complete it. teachers sort, using comparative judgement, architect of the proposal and her now-ex just about the least inclusive type of school At Michaela, we have tried and rejected a into two piles: ‘got it’ and ‘not got it.’ Pupils chief-of-staff. in terms of pupils from Asian backgrounds, number of approaches to homework. who fail are targeted by their teachers in later The so-called ’50 per cent cap’, which and are by their own admission appalling To begin with, we tried reading logs, lessons to ensure they catch up with their for the last 10 years has required all new when it comes to religious diversity, which is but rejected these when we realised pupils peers. religious schools to keep at least half their arguably more important. were simply making up plausible-sounding places open to any local child, irrespective Catholic schools are indeed more likely sentences about the books they were of religion, has been hugely successful on to be in poor areas, but are not more likely pretending to read. Each day we have its own terms. It has massively boosted the to admit poor pupils. In fact, they take We then set pages of a common book to access of local parents to local schools, and proportionately fewer pupils from poorer read at home, but found great difficulty in a homework religious schools that have opened since the backgrounds given the areas they are testing completion. One single multiple- cap was introduced are significantly more situated in than more or less any other kind choice question threw up false positives completion rate of diverse than schools that select all of their of school in the country. And when a school – kids just guessing the right answer and places on the basis of religion. is shunning poorer children in favour of avoiding a detention – as well as false 97-100 per cent But despite this, Timothy has long been a those from more affluent, high-attaining negatives – kids who had done the required vocal and dogmatic critic of the cap, arguing families, as Sutton Trust data shows, it’s reading but somehow managed to answer After visiting a number of the country’s government should abolish the rule. His no wonder that they’re more likely to get a the question incorrectly. leading state and private schools, we argument: We also rejected vocabulary books, where introduced a further strand to homework “It is effectively discriminatory for Roman pupils wrote out five new words they had that we called ‘extended prep’, as we did not Catholics: it prevents them from opening learned from their reading, as these were want our own pupils to fall behind. We set new free schools because it is almost The cap has been burdensome to check, and pupils were found a one-page essay or one-page written test certainly against canon law for a Catholic incredibly successful to be reusing the same words! in each subject in addition to their self- bishop to set up a school that turned We have come to recognise that we can quizzing, and their writing transformed. away Catholic pupils on the basis of their in achieving its aims never actually know if a pupil has read With all this additional practice, pupils were Catholicism. anything without reading it with them. All suddenly far more capable of writing at Given that there is growing demand for form tutors read the same book with their length under timed conditions. Roman Catholic schools, which are more decent Ofsted grade. classes for 20 minutes in afternoon form- Unfortunately, a group of pupils opted likely to be ethnically diverse than other Is there hope that with Timothy gone, time every day, and our weakest readers out entirely, preferring to sit a 30-minute schools, more likely to be in poor areas, the move to scrap the cap might itself be attend a 30-minute reading club with a detention than to complete a 30-minute more likely to be rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ scrapped? Well, while government U-turns specialist teacher who can hold them to prep. This had such a hit to buy-in that we by Ofsted, and more likely to provide what are a good deal less rare than they used account. have now dramatically reduced the amount parents want, the rule should be replaced by to be, we shouldn’t be too hopeful. But we Now, the only homework set by subject of extended prep we set – just one essay a a legal duty on faith schools to ensure that shouldn’t feel hopeless either: the cap has teachers at Michaela is self-quizzing. We week in year 9 – and from next year we will their pupils mix – perhaps through sport, been incredibly successful in achieving all set the same homework to encourage phase it in gradually, with our headmistress performing arts, or school visits – with its aims. To throw away the progress it high completion rates: each day we have leading assemblies to parents to explain its children of other backgrounds.” has made would be a great shame. Justine a homework completion rate of 97-100 per importance. Virtually none of this is true. The cap is Greening has kept her role as education cent. Having a centralised detention system not ‘against canon law’, and though it was secretary, and there are indications that Centralising homework in this way is ensures that all teachers set prep and follow it the Catholic Education Service, not Timothy, she is more committed to evidence over essential: in our previous schools, teachers up. Setting the same prep each night – in our that first started peddling this untruth, the dogma than were her predecessors, and if would set a variety of homework tasks case, self-quizzing along with maths practice claim is so transparently false that he must at that continues one can imagine her being and children would often be lost as to how questions marked online – ensures very least be blamed for swallowing it so willingly. uncomfortable with the consequences. to complete them. To self-quiz, pupils high completion rates. We’re not there yet, There are already Catholic state schools The question she must ask herself is simply need to learn key terms from their but we hope one day to find that sweet spot in England, for instance, that don’t select all this: does she want to be remembered as an knowledge organiser and write them from – where the kids are learning loads, but also of their places on the basis of religion. The education secretary or as the segregation memory. Knowledge organisers are one loving school – including homework. vast majority of Catholic private schools secretary? SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 17

Who owns your lesson plans, and who can belongs to that county probably won’t wash. make money off them? Simon Foulkes has Whether some part of the material you create the answers SIMON belongs to you will depend on the nature of the material and what your contract says. You ou wrote a great lesson plan, but then may need legal advice. you find out, by whatever means, that another member of staff has not only FOULKES Y Education consultant, Lee Bolton used the plan but has actually sold it on to Monier-Williams other teachers across the land. Should you Your employer owns have been paid? Or you wrote a great plan in your PPA time, the copyright in the and the local authority adviser has seen it, Is it legal for teachers to and included it in a county resource of model material subject to plans, without even asking your permission. You didn’t get credited; it just said “from sell teaching resources? any agreement to another school”. Can that be right? Annoyed, you work in your own time all weekend to produced in the course of your employment, weekend is not included in the directed the contrary complete the term’s plans, believing that by your employer owns the copyright in the hours under your contract, you might have writing them outside directed hours in your material subject to any agreement to the an argument for claiming the copyright. contract, they are securely your property. contrary. However, not all contracts of Why not mark the plan as such to make your If your employer is a multi-academy trust, But then a colleague claims the employer employment make this clear – and if this is position clear? Many online lesson plans the LA can’t use your material outside the is entitled to copyright on anything you not explicitly stated in the contract you might are clearly marked with a copyright notice school without its consent. And note that produce in connection with your job. Who have some wriggle-room. In the end it might in the simple formula “© 2017 *** Learning. VA and some foundation schools are in the is right? have to go to court for a decision. The sixth- All rights reserved”. You can just insert your position where the governing body are the Meanwhile the local authority adviser form colleges NJC model contract for full- name rather than that of the company plus employers. who used your material insists that time teaching staff, for instance, obliges staff the year of publication. If you then find One closing point, about tax: if you do anything produced by a teacher in one of to work additional hours for the preparation another teacher or website using material earn additional money you are legally the authority’s schools is freely available of lessons, teaching material and teaching you could identify as originally yours, you obliged to declare it, and you will need to across all its schools. But you know that their programmes beyond the stipulated 195 days can assert your position and at least make a complete appropriate additional tax returns. circulars are received by academies as well, per annum, but doesn’t expressly refer to demand for some recompense. Whether or If you can’t complete a paper or online tax which are not local authority schools and copyright or intellectual property. Whether not you receive any is another question, but return yourself and need professional help, where the staff are employed by the trust, not it is economical for either party to litigate at least the point would be made. the accountant’s fees will be a significant the LA. Shouldn’t the academies be charged depends on how much use has been made of Unless a local authority explicitly asserts proportion of your net return unless you for the material then? And shouldn’t you the material and by whom – and hence on its copyright over all your output in your become a real market leader – in which case receive a share of the income? commercial worth. contract of employment, the argument that you would presumably give up the day job in The short answer is that, if a lesson plan is But if a lesson plan produced over the absolutely anything produced in the county any case.

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also briefly considers wider movements such as BAMEed and WomenEd, which challenge The trials of evidence-based I think…). assumptions about who leaders should be. education After deploring the current state of things It’s a good reality check. and denouncing those who contrive to By Stephen Gorard, Beng Huat See, maintain the status quo – “much policy Hip-hop ed: Insights and lightbulbs Nadia Siddiqui and practice today seems to be … evidence- from the ‘original remix’ seminar resistant” – the book moves onto a much By @unseenflirt Published by Routledge more constructive tone. The authors set Reviewed by Hélène Galdin-O’Shea out on a quest to uncover prior evidence “The curriculum samples from a very narrow for key lines of promising inquiries, then field and suffers from confirmation bias describe in detail the new research projects over time.” Jeffery Boakye writes eloquently they conducted and evaluated (when about some of the topics covered at a recent ’ll come clean; I want to see more robust they say “in-depth”, they’re not kidding). #HipHopEd seminar he attended. The range educational research in the hands of Firstly they focus on catch-up projects and depth of topics described made me wish Ianyone involved in making informed around transition time from primary to I was there: how rapid ITT routes reduce decisions about practice and policy. But secondary intended for pupils struggling trainee teachers’ time to think, the role of there are undeniable difficulties. As this with (mainly) reading, those likely to collective memory and accountability and book makes abundantly clear, there is struggle to access the secondary curriculum the effect of neoliberal forces in education. an awful lot of poorly designed, poorly and to fall further behind their peers. Six #HipHopEd is an educational community evaluated research out there, and, as the interventions are tested. Suspense builds Our blog reviewer of the week that uses the lens of hip-hop and related authors put it, sometimes it can cause more up: you read conscientiously through the is Iesha Small, an educational music to ask challenging questions of harm than good: “ignoring such research is existing evidence findings, continue to researcher, teacher and themselves and education in general. the most rational and safest thing to do”. hold your breath through the description commentator @ieshasmall Jeffrey’s final question is pertinent for all of Anyone who has tried to navigate the of the trials, their evaluations, resisting the us: “How can we have integrity if we don’t waters of edu research – and urge to turn the page interrogate the roots or our ideals, values and that’s if you’ve managed and go straight to the assumptions?” to go beyond the paywalls findings. Finally you are – in order to inform their rewarded… with frankly Look up! The outdoors and mental Education in the age of cyborgs: the decision-making will know disappointing results – health effects of extended intelligence that, with scant research some surprising, some By @anitakntweets By @ghduoblys background, it is hard to underwhelming. I have judge the trustworthiness only myself to blame; “This could easily be a blog about how “Sooner or later we’ll have almost all the of what is published. The part of me wanted a neat embarrassingly underequipped and factual knowledge in the world available to authors endeavour to happy ending. The truth, uninformed [my] sector is about mental us, not just at our fingertips, but at the level present “innovative methods of course, is far more health in its workforce,” writes Anita Kerwin- of neurons inside our brains,” writes George for the design, conduct, complex. Nye, an experienced charity leader. This Duoblys in this simultaneously exciting and analysis and use of evidence The team then repeats could equally be applied to education. I terrifying post. He explores the world of from robust evaluations the process with the regretfully remember the times when I hid extended intelligence, what it could mean like educational trials”. testing of promising my own struggles with mental health as a for education and how it relates to educators The stakes are high: a lot or popular whole- school leader. on various points of the knowledge-skills of money is spent trying school approaches, The blog goes in a beautiful and spectrum. to uncover what works to improve the such as adopting a unexpected direction, outlining the Often as educators we may feel we education system and with it the future of core knowledge curriculum at primary, importance of spending time outdoors for are forced to be reactive. Here, George the students in our trust. The authors argue philosophy for children, and even enhanced children and adults. By now, most major encourages us to consider “what if?” – a that there is a lack of “strategic vision” to formative feedback, and finally, the testing assessments are over and there is scope for useful exercise whatever your current test out the things that are most likely to of approaches that seeks to “educate the the school curriculum to be more flexible. beliefs. We are asked to consider what significantly improve outcomes for our whole person”. The results are once again This blog is a reminder of the power of education is for, not just how it’s transmitted. students, for both academic and what they surprising but ultimately disappointing. nature and being outside in order to promote This is a timeless question for our individual call “non-cognitive” outcomes. You have to admire the drive to conduct learning and positive mental wellbeing. and collective past, present and future. The (bitter) irony of the title becomes these projects in the most uncompromising clear. With what sounds like seething anger way possible, the painstaking transparency, Leadership: the good, the bad and What keeps you up at night? (or is it sheer frustration?), the authors do the advocacy for a trustworthy process. the ugly By @davidmcqueen not mince their words when denouncing Each impact evaluation is complemented by By @penny_ten the money and time wasted on poorly a process evaluation, using the qualitative “Across all sectors [leaders] just cannot get designed research projects, the misled data gathered along the way, which is “If we spend less time pretending we can our minds to be quiet,” says David McQueen “impact” evaluation of RCTs in particular, fascinating in its own right, uncovering cover over our weaknesses and more time in his leadership podcast. and poorly reported results. many of the barriers which often make being at one with them and harnessing Insomnia was a periodic feature of my life I’ll come clean again – I’m no expert in educational trials in school settings so the strengths of others, we all win.” Penny as a school leader. David provides advice for statistics; I struggled through a couple of thorny. What is uncovered along the way Rabiger’s thought-provoking post on good anyone who can’t sleep because of thoughts early chapters explaining at length that are things that definitely don’t work – and and poor leadership practices will resonate looping or giving birth to unruly mini without proper randomisation, using I suppose that’s something. Definite issues with anybody who is, or has been, in any thoughts in their heads. This could be due to significance testing in an impact evaluation are uncovered which should – will? – be managerial position. new initiatives, staff concerns or simply not is simply wrong, but even I could see investigated further. She starts with the type of political enough time in the day to reflect and switch that the method they advocate is more If you are interested in conducting leadership that resulted in the recent off before bed. straightforward and reliable. Just don’t ask research, this is a great book. If you’re unexpected general election result and then me to explain the p-value (though I got the looking for quick answers and starting covers individuals in organizations. Penny hang of NNDT (number needed to disturb), points, wait for the factsheets. SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 19 A week in Westminster Your regular guide to what’s going on in central government

of your sports premium spend? Well you thursday: should!) But the most amusing bit is the wednesday: last line which states: “If a parent requests As if. The Queen’s Speech happened. Or did it? a paper copy of the information on your NAHT general secretary Russell Hobby school’s website, you must provide this free tweeted to say he had sneezed and missed it friday: of charge.” This is a requirement from the – after all, it was only two sentences long. Ofsted put out guidelines today “clarifying” same DfE that won’t even release a copy of Meanwhile the DfE released new guidance when inspections take place for new its register of interests, but which demands for parents and employers on the new schools. In particular, reiterating that people go to a central government office to GCSE gradings. Unbeknownst to schools academies – both convertors and sponsors inspect it. minister Nick Gibb, however, someone – are “new schools” and so are given three the front, but were also amused when editor seems to have slipped in a reference to the years’ grace. But quite a lot of paragraphs Laura McInerney revealed how Gibb has new GCSEs being helpful for “21st century” then overrule this. For example, if a prior tuesday: a desire to “always look super-hard all the needs. Back in the early 2000s, Labour were inspection was ages ago, it might be As ever, the education department time”. The event chair, the newly elected very keen on talking about “21st century decided that a convertor needs a short released its expenditure figures and Week MP Emma Hardy, quickly intervened, learning” – and both Gibb and Michael inspection sooner. Or if there has been in Westminster notes that in early April, pointing out that the audience might not Gove were very big on pooh-poohing it. a change in circumstances (eg at a sixth lawyers were paid over £4,000 to write wish to think too much about Mr Gibb After all, maths has been studied for many form) one might be needed. Or, in fact, if some draft primary legislation. Could this being hard. We are baffled as to what she centuries – why is anything new needed? any information given to inspectors causes have been the planned grammar school could possibly mean. One can only presume an official was trying concern. So there you go. All clear? rules? The department also spent more than to provoke Gibb into his super hardman act. monday: £700 on an “official stamp” to seal legal No, wait! We’re not supposed to talk about documents. Given that it can’t have that… saturday: A spicy new guidance doc from the changed much, what happened to the last At the Northern Rocks conference, Department for Education today on what one? Did Justine Greening nick it before attendees were not only delighted to get schools must publish on their websites. CHECK OUT @SCHOOLSWEEKLIVE FOR the election as leverage? LIVE TWEETS OF WESTMINSTER EVENTS free copies of Schools Week featuring a The list is long. (Do YOU publish details dartboard of schools minister Nick Gibb on FLY ON THE WALL

Where do you read your copy of Schools Week? What would you do if you were editor of Schools Week for In the loo at work or on a Saturday morning at home. a day? Start a fight with TES. Which section of the paper do you enjoy the most? News – it’s always timely and on the money. Favourite memory of your school years? All of them really, it was a golden era. School trips were always Name: Louis Coiffait If you could wave a magic wand and change one education a highlight: Isle of Skye, Robin Hoods Bay or Les Deux Alpes. policy, which would it be? Age: 35 Admissions – so many issues in our system start If you weren’t working in education, what would you be Occupation: Head of here; it’s time to level the playing field, and doing? education, Reform make it fair and open. Something in the hills and woods. Location: London Who is your favourite education Favourite book on education? Subscriber since: January secretary of all time? ‘How not to be a hypocrite’ by Adam Swift, it was 2017 Probably Estelle Morris, she was very core reading for my undergrad. pleasant and impressive when I met her while working for the Teacher What new things would you like to see in Schools Development Agency (shows my age). Week? More daily content. Rather than a tsunami once Fly on the Wall is a chance for What is your favourite story or a week, I’d like to see stories from each edition investigation reported in Schools Week? dripped out at a steady rate over the next week. you, the subscriber, to tell us Anything about the New Schools Network what you love (and hate) about or free schools. If you could be a fly on the wall in anyone’s office, Schools Week, who you’d whose would it be? like to spy on and, of course, What do you do with your copy of Schools Trump or Putin, I mean, wow. what the world of education Week once you’ve read it? would look like if you were in Leave it around for colleagues to pick up, then charge… file it on my desk.

We’d love to hear from you – email [email protected] or submit an entry at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/flyonthewall 20 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS

FREDDIE WHITTAKER JESS STAUFENBERG @SCHOOLSWEEK KNIGHTS The Queen’s birthday honours list for 2017 has been unveiled, and includes dozens of education professionals recognised for their public service. Chris Wormald, the former Department for Of 53 honours for people with links Education boss once criticised for letting his to schools, 18 have been given to those staff play with party hats in a meeting about working in academies and free schools, funding cuts, has been knighted. 22 to those in maintained schools. Wormald, now the permanent secretary at The list includes 20 current and the Department of Health, has been made a former headteachers, three deputy and knight commander of the Order of the Bath, a assistant heads, seven executive heads high honour reserved for civil servants, in the and academy chain chief executives, Queen’s birthday honours. seven chairs of governors, two In 2013, when he was permanent secretary classroom teachers, seven civil servants, at the DfE, Wormald was forced to defend two classroom teachers and several his staff over a game involving party hats to volunteers, teaching assistants and discuss funding cuts, after facing criticism governors. Chris Wormald from the PCS union. Most of the honours were awarded for in leading the DfE, and played a “crucial role” Sir Jeremy Heywood, the head of the He left the DfE last April and was replaced services to education in general, while 10 in major reforms. civil service, echoed Morgan’s praise, and by Jonathan Slater. were granted specifically for services to She said: “Ministers and staff will miss Chris said he would bring a “wealth of leadership, Upon his departure, Wormald was praised special educational needs and abilities. hugely when he moves on, and we wish him implementation and policy experience” to his by the then education secretary Nicky all the best in taking up this new challenge.” new role. Morgan, who said he had done a “superb job” CBEs

Adrian Packer, the academy trust chief “We have all been united by one executive who founded Everton Free common endeavour: to provide the best School and turned around schools possible opportunities and experiences to engulfed by the so-called Trojan Horse children and young people, irrespective of scandal, is one of five schools professionals their backgrounds.” to have been made a Commander of the Helena Mills, chief executive of the Order of the British Empire. Burnt Mill Academy Trust, has also been Packer, who founded and runs the CORE honoured with a CBE. Education Trust, said the honour gave him “It is not something I ever expected the opportunity to “highlight that my whole but I am delighted that the importance of career has been enriched and inspired in education, and those involved in it, has so many ways by so many others”. been recognised in this way,” she said. “I have been incredibly lucky to have Lesley Powell, executive headteacher at Helena Mills Adrian Packer collaborated with a number of amazingly the Academy at Shotton Hall in Peterlee talented, gifted and dedicated people and chief executive of the North East headteacher board for the north of also represents “the work of many other working with me on different projects Learning Trust, has also been made a CBE. England, said the award meant “a huge people, particularly the staff at Shotton across the UK,” he said. Powell, who also sits on the DfE’s amount to me and my family”, but that it Hall”. OBEs

Among those made an Officer of the Most Heathland School, has also been made an Excellent Order of the British Empire OBE. (OBE) in the honours list is Ruth Bovill, He was not aware of the honour when headteacher of Heathermount School contacted by Schools Week, and the news in Ascot, who said she was “thrilled and was greeted with cheers and whoops overwhelmed” with the award. when he passed it on to staff. “I have loved working at Heathermount “It’s delightful to be recognised. And and, more recently, leading the school,” these sorts of awards, they’re not just for she said. “I have learned so much from our me, it’s always a tribute to everyone who’s students over the years. They are our best worked with me as well. teachers. “You cannot achieve well as a leader

“I have a fabulous staff team and strong without terrific support,” he said. Harinder Singh Pattar Ruth Bovil support from our governors, from our Christine Linnitt, another headteacher parent charity the Disabilities Trust and, of board member, has also been made an of Holywell Primary School in Loughborough course, from my family.” OBE. and sits on the influential headteacher board Harinder Singh Pattar, head of London’s Linnitt was previously the headteacher for the east midlands and the Humber. SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 21 QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS MBEs BEMs

Andy Moffat, assistant Janice Main, a volunteer headteacher of and governor at Stag Parkfield Community Lane Junior School in School in Birmingham, Edgware, north London, has been made a was awarded a British Member of the Most Empire Medal for services Excellent Order of the to education after 17 years British Empire (MBE) in the role. for services to equality Her headteacher said and diversity in “there is no job that is too education. big or small for her and she Moffat, the creator works from early morning of the No Outsiders Andy Moffat Mary Clancy to late evenings to support diversity resource for “My proudest achievement is knowing that us”, describing her as “a schools, made headlines in 2014 when he had I have always done my best to ensure that the godsend”. Ruth Truelove Felicity Bailey to resign from his previous job after religious students in my care achieve their personal Ruth Truelove, a reading I’m going to get a medal for something I love parents complained about their children best,” she told Schools Week. assistant and governor at Stepney Primary doing.” learning about gay people. Penny Roberts, founder and chair of School in Hull and a volunteer with the Showell, who also specialises in teaching at He said that being recognised in the governors at St Luke’s Church of England National Literacy Trust, has offered her Friday GCSE level, also taught Olympic sailor Sir Ben honours list was “absolutely wonderful”, and School in Hampstead, north London, was afternoons at the school every week for five Ainslie when he was 17. described it as a “huge endorsement of the handed her MBE for services to education. years, and also received the BEM. Felicity Bailey, a teaching assistant at work we’re doing”. Marion Faust, the chair of governors at “It’s very humbling to get an honour. It’s an Sir Harry Smith Community College in Mary Clancy, special educational needs Brampton Manor Academy in East Ham in absolute joy and pleasure to do the things I Peterborough, was also recognised for her coordinator at St Gregory’s Catholic Science east London, was also given the honour after volunteer in,” she said. work with a BEM. College in Harrow, north-west London, was holding her role for more than 20 years. A third recipient, Sandra Showell, who She said she felt “privileged to accept this also made an MBE for services to special Faust said the “greatest honour of life” had has taught at Peter Symonds College in award on behalf of all the teaching assistants educational needs and disabilities. been to work with talented colleagues. Winchester since 1983, said: “It’s so exciting at our wonderful school”. QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST – 2017

KNIGHTS COMMANDER OF THE Education Funding Agency MARY TERESA CLANCY SCOTT ORDER OF THE BATH LOUIS ANTHONY DESA KAREN RILEY SEND co-ordinator, St Gregory’s Headteacher, Beavers Community Lately headteacher, Bishop Thomas Lately headteacher, Frank Barnes Catholic Science College, Harrow Primary School, Hounslow Grant Catholic Secondary School School for Deaf Children, Camden CHRISTOPHER WORMALD ETHNA PHILOMENA CUMMINS DENISE SHAW Former permanent secretary, JOAN MINER DESLANDES BERNADETTE ROOBOTTOM Lately headteacher, Whitefield Infant Lately chair of governors, Outwoods Department for Education Headteacher, Kingsford Community Lately headteacher, Shobnall Primary School and Nursery, Lancashire Primary School School, London School, Staffordshire COMMANDERS OF THE ORDER OF JAMES ANDREW DICK AMANDA JANE SOUTHWICK THE BRITISH EMPIRE (CBE) MARK DUCKER MARGARET SUMNER Lately chair of trustees and governors, Principal, Marchbank Free School, Executive principal and chief executive, Headteacher, Brook Special Primary Moor House School and College, Hurst Darlington IAN BAUCKHAM STEP Academy Trust School, Tottenham Green Executive headteacher, Bennett MARGARET CAROL STANNARD Memorial Diocesan School; chief GILLIAN FRANCES HILLIER MEMBERS OF THE ORDER OF DARRILYN DOWNES Volunteer, Oak Field School and executive, The Tenax Schools Trust; and Lately deputy director, free schools THE BRITISH EMPIRE (MBE) Teacher, Forest Oak School, Specialist Sports College, Nottingham past president, ASCL (north), University Technical Colleges Birmingham and studio schools capital, Education PAUL MATTHEW ADA BRIAN WILFRED WALKER ANI MAGILL Funding Agency Lately grade 7, assessment, curriculum MARION JEAN FAUST Headteacher, West Park School, Derby Executive headteacher, St. John the and qualifications group, Department Chair of governors, Brampton Manor Baptist Anne Catholic Comprehensive GILLIAN OLIVE MAY JAMES for Education Academy JANET WATSON School Headteacher, St Mary’s C of E Primary Deputy headteacher, Queen Elizabeth’s School, Staffordshire JULIE ANN ALLEN HARRIET ANNE GRANVILLE School, Wimborne, Dorset HELENA MILLS Headteacher, Birkwood Primary School, Lately history teacher, Tudor Hall Chief executive, Burnt Mill Academy VALERIE THERESA MOORE Barnsley School, Banbury GAIL EILEEN WEBB Trust Chief executive, Rightforsuccess Education consultant and lately head Academy Trust and executive head, FRANCIS GORDON ASKEW CHRISTINE LINNITT of learning improvement, Leeds local ADRIAN PACKER Eaton Hall Specialist Academy Lately literacy and phonics adviser, Lately head, Holywell Primary School, education authority Chief executive, Core Education Trust Department for Education Loughborough, HTB member PATRICIA MORAN MEDALLISTS OF THE ORDER OF LESLEY ANNE POWELL Headteacher, Lionel Road Primary WILLIAM EDWARD HAMPSHIRE ANDREW MOFFAT THE BRITISH EMPIRE (BEM) Chief executive, North East Learning School, Brentford. BAGNALL Assistant headteacher, Parkfield Trust, principal, Shotton Hall Academy, Governor and chair, finance and Community School, Birmingham FELICITY ALICE BAILEY HTB member AMANDA ROSE MORDEY strategy committee, the Sixth Form Teaching assistant, Sir Harry Smith Headteacher, Merstone Special School College Farnborough ELIZABETH ANNE O’REILLY Community College, Peterborough OFFICERS OF THE ORDER OF and Forest Oak Special School Chair of governors, Greenway Primary THE BRITISH EMPIRE (OBE) DR JOHN BAKER and Nursery School, Hertfordshire JANICE MAIN MAUREEN OKOYE Chair of governors, Queen Boudica Volunteer and lately governor, Stag RUTH DOROTHY BOVILL Headteacher, Davies Lane Primary Primary School, Essex STEPHEN PETER OXLADE Lane Junior School, Edgware Headteacher, Heathermount Special School, Leytonstone Executive principal, Needs School JENNIFER BRIDGET BILLINGTON Reigate and Coulsdon SANDRA IRENE SHOWELL ANGELA PAGET Deputy headteacher, Sir Tom Finney College Teacher, Peter Symonds College, SIMON THOMAS BRAMWELL Lately headteacher, St Bedes Catholic Community High School, Preston Winchester Chief executive, SS Simon and Jude CE Junior School PENNY ROBERTS Primary Academy Trust GEORGINA FELICIA TUTUAA BONDZI- Founder and chair of RUTH MARIE TRUELOVE HARINDER SINGH PATTAR SIMPSON governors, St Luke’s CofE Reading assistant and governor, JANE COWELL Headteacher, The Heathland School, Chair of governors, Kingsbury High School, Hampstead Stepney Primary School, Hull Director, young people’s funding London School and volunteer, National Literacy allocations and student support, DORINA ISABELLA Trust 22 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 School Bulletin If you have a story you’d like to see featured in the school bulletin, email [email protected] BAFTA-WINNING PLATFORM German embassy rewards top language teachers FEATURED RELEASES SEX ED FILM A still from ducators from across the UK were the film invited to the German embassy in ELondon this month for an awards ceremony recognising outstanding teachers of the language. The annual German Teacher Awards A BAFTA-winning education resource platform – now in its 14th year – was attended by has released a short comedy film to support over 220 people, including teachers and sex and relationships education in secondary representatives from across business and schools. media, and was hosted by ambassador Screwball! is suitable for years 8 through 11, Peter Ammon. and follows two 17-year-olds who are preparing Also in attendance at the event was to (possibly) have sex for the first time. renowned British novelist John le Carré – This free-to-access film explores the sensitive the celebrated author of many espionage issues that face young people, such as consent, novels – who delivered a keynote speech the influence of pornography, body confidence and the normalisation of sexting. to guests and assisted in presenting the The award winners and nominees TrueTube, the online platform hosting the awards. credit: German Embassy resource, already has a range of films available The awards recognise teachers of that support the teaching of PSHE, religious German across primary and secondary It’s my passion really.” education and citizenship, with accompanying schools, with five teachers receiving top Criteria for the awards include teachers lesson plans and assembly scripts. prizes and a further 11 receiving special running successful link activities with the In 2016, one of the films commissioned by mentions. country, such as projects and exchanges, the site, Refugee, won a BAFTA at the British The lifetime achievement award was using the language in subjects other than Academy Children’s Award, making it the first presented to Janine Alison Turner from German or having a record of innovative and time an online channel had ever won in the Cheshire-based Beech Hall Preparatory successful teaching of the subject. drama category. School. Sharon Barnes from Fairfield High School Bob Ayres, a former teacher who heads up TrueTube, said: “In just 12 minutes, Screwball! Turner has taught German for 37 years, in Bristol received a special mention. raises issues of peer pressure, social media during which time she has authored three “I was very pleased just to be nominated, abuse and the damaging effects of online porn, A-level textbooks (and is currently writing therefore receiving the special mention (L-R) Ambassador Ammon, Janine Turner and John le Carré and it does it in a way that’s funny, sweet and two more), run a German choir at a school award from the German Embassy was a great emotionally engaging. in Durham and delivered talks in schools honour,” she said. “I work hard to promote German is able to thrive. I am also thankful “We want young people to be developing across the country on German film. German and it’s a great feeling to see my to have the support and freedom to offer positive relationships from the start, rather than Of her award, she said: “It has been the students being very enthusiastic about the extracurricular opportunities for students having to learn from painful mistakes.” most wonderful culmination for me of German language and culture. to develop their German skills through Screwball! will be launched on June 27, and what I love to do, which is German things. “I am grateful to work in a school where projects in Germany.” can be accessed at www.truetube.co.uk

Alan Titchmarsh sows seeds of gardening club

Sting like a butterfly: the commemorative display

Personal growth: Titchmarsh and kids resenter and gardener Alan interesting The art of war Titchmarsh has paid a visit to pupils questions group of year 6 students from Pat Brookvale Primary School to launch and were Mayflower Primary School have anniversary of WW1. the school’s new gardening club. inspired Acreated a work of art in memory of The creations will be displayed alongside Titchmarsh, who currently presents the ITV by his the children who died at their school as a other pieces of artwork by 200 students show Love your Garden showed key stage comments. A healthy bunch result of bombing during World War One. from across 14 London schools, which 2 pupils how to tend to the Birmingham As a The pupils each created a paper butterfly explore themes from the war. school’s allotment in order to grow result, more children have now joined our in remembrance of the 18 four- to six-year- Katy Jewell, a teacher at Mayflower vegetables. gardening club.” olds who were killed in an air raid that hit Primary, said: “This was particularly He also took part in an assembly and spoke Titchmarsh added: “It’s wonderful to their east London school – then known as poignant for the children, as they were able to staff, pupils and parents about the benefits grow your own food and dig in to some called Upper North Street Elementary – on to directly explore the artists’ and other of home-grown produce. wholesome meals as nature intended. June 13, 1917. schools’ responses to the bombing, which Teacher Harriet Halsey arranged the visit, “It’s essential that we pass on these life The butterflies were made during took place at our school in 1917. and will lead the new club which aims to skills to future generations so that they can a workshop at the City of London “It was hugely important in putting their encourage pupils to lead a healthier lifestyle develop that love of gardening and nutrition Corporation’s Guildhall art gallery, and will experiences, and the experience of our through growing their own fruit and veg. from an early age and enjoy healthy, active be displayed in the free ‘Echoes across the school, in the context of WW1, and also “‘We were delighted to invite Alan to our lifestyles. Children are eager learners – I am Century’ exhibition at the gallery, for them to try to get a sense of the scale of school, ” she said. The children asked many merely planting the ideas for them to grow.” which commemorates the 100th the war.” SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 108 FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017 23

SIMON KNIGHT MICHAEL DIRECTOR OF WHOLE- Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving SEATON SCHOOL SEND, LONDON HEADTEACHER, LEADERSHIP STRATEGY HUDDERSFIELD GRAMMAR SCHOOL DAN ALIPAZ START DATE: July 2017 START DATE: September 2017 DIRECTOR OF PREVIOUS JOB: Director of education at the OPERATIONS, PREVIOUS JOB: Head of senior school at National Education Trust THE AURORA GROUP Brighton College Al Ain, Abu Dhabi

INTERESTING FACT: Knight was a teaching START DATE: April 2017 INTERESTING FACT: Seaton has worked in a assistant before becoming a teacher and has range of British and international schools been involved in writing both the professional PREVIOUS JOB: Director of operations at the from Suffolk to Jakarta. He will return to the standards for TAs and the standard for teachers’ Ruskin Mill Trust UK with his two Arabian saluki dogs. professional development. INTERESTING FACT: Alipaz was born in the USA but qualified as a teacher in the UK. LYNSEY Throughout his career, he has taught all levels ARNET DONKIN from key stage 3 to university. As a semi- DRACOTT EXECUTIVE PRINCIPAL, professional surfer he has surfed all over HEADTEACHER, BARR EXETER DEAF ACADEMY the world, including the pipeline in Hawaii. BEACON SCHOOL Alipaz had a short spell as an academic, and is published in philosophy and language. START DATE: May 2017 START DATE: September 2017

PREVIOUS JOB: Associate head of Barr Beacon PREVIOUS JOB: Interim principal at Exeter School Deaf Academy

INTERESTING FACT: Dracott used to run her Get in touch! INTERESTING FACT: Donkin has 30 years’ own restaurant in Wales, and was one of the experience in teaching, leadership and first advanced skills teachers in the Midlands. If you want to let us know of any new faces at the top education advisory work, with the majority A keen runner, she has competed in 10k off- of your school, local authority or organisation please spent in special needs. He is a cofounder of road runs and the Tough Mudder challenge. let us know by emailing [email protected] the Mirror Mirror Playback theatre in Devon.

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How to play: Fill in all blank squares Spot the difference SCHOOLS WEEK Sudoku challenge making sure that each row, column and 3 by 3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9 to WIN a Schools Week mug Last Week’s solutions 9 2 Difficulty: 2 6 5 EASY 8 5 6 4 7 1 2 9 3 3 2 1 9 5 8 6 4 7 8 5 7 2 4 9 7 4 3 2 6 5 1 8 6 2 4 5 1 7 2 3 4 9 8 6 8 3 5 4 9 2 6 9 1 8 7 4 3 5 4 3 8 5 6 9 1 7 2 3 6 1 1 8 2 7 9 5 3 6 4 1 9 5 3 8 6 4 3 8 1 2 7 5 9 3 8 5 7 9 5 6 4 3 8 2 1

4 3 Difficulty: EASY

Difficulty: 2 1 4 6 7 9 5 8 3 4 6 5 9 1 MEDIUM 8 3 9 4 5 1 7 2 6 6 9 2 5 6 7 8 2 3 1 9 4 5 9 3 4 7 9 3 1 6 5 8 4 2 4 6 8 5 2 3 4 9 7 1 4 2 1 9 8 7 3 6 5 5 3 1 2 4 3 7 6 5 9 2 4 1 8 8 1 5 2 7 4 8 6 3 9 1 2 7 8 9 4 8 3 1 6 2 5 7 2 4 1

8 1 6 3 9 Solutions: Difficulty: Spot five differences. First correct entry wins a mug. Tweet a picture of your completed spot the Next week MEDIUM difference using @schoolsweek in the tweet.