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Can schools make Training to be a An inspector staff vaccination teacher during a (video) calls mandatory? pandemic
P26 P25 P24 SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK | @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, FEB 12 2021 | EDITION 240
CAN EXTENDING THE SCHOOL DAY SOLVE COVID CATCH-UP CONUNDRUM?
pages 8-9 Vulnerable pupils at ‘serious risk’ after ‘ethically indefensible’ cuts Safeguarding failures exposed at one of country’s largest free schools Stretched staff had ‘too many responsibilities’, said damning Ofsted Revealed: Head resigned over trust’s ‘harmful’ GAG pooling cuts JAMES CARR | @JAMESCARR_93 Exclusive Page 9
E D U C A T I R O N F O D E N V O E 1st-4th March / 2021 I L T O A P D M N E Looking at Education U N
O T
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Contents EDITION 240 iQTS: a money-spinner for school training providers?
No go to the polls for schools
Page 17 Page 4
Why bigger is better for MATs in a pandemic Page 27
Lockdown diary: leading from my
Covid sick bed Page 28
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£31m in extra funds to keep schools open on polling day
However, in an email sent to school leaders JAMES CARR and seen by Schools Week, the Department @JAMESCARR_93 for Education clarifies that “on-site provision should still be available to vulnerable children The government has pledged an extra £31 and the children of critical workers on election million in funding so that councils can day”. avoid using schools as polling stations in the The letter also contains guidance from Public upcoming May elections. Health England (PHE) which advises schools to Council, mayoral and police and crime ventilate any rooms used “via full window and commissioner elections, alongside a number door opening to fresh outside air for at least one of local by-elections and referendums in some hour.” areas, will all be held on May 6. All hand touch points, such as door handles Normally, thousands of schools are used as and desks, should then be sanitised. PHE says polling stations – with some having to close this process will take around an hour “for a fully. But a letter sent from schools minister small team in an average polling station”. Nick Gibb to head teachers confirmed that the An estimated 3,728 schools – 18.5 per cent – government wants to avoid the use of schools were due to be used as polling stations in the as polling sites “where it is practically possible 2019 general election. This was a 10 per cent to do so”. drop on previous years, Schools Week analysis The letter adds: “This year all children have found. missed vital time at school and the government It is up to the headteacher and chair of is committed to minimising any further governors to decide if the school closes. disruption to pupils’ education ... we are clear is releasing around £31 million for local Geoff Barton, general secretary of the that, where schools would be required to close, authorities. Places of worship, gyms and Association of School and College Leaders returning officers should look to other available commercial venues are all alternatives. (ASCL), said this year’s solution “should become venues first.” If it is impossible to avoid using a school, then a permanent state of affairs with schools only Where there are no alternative premises, the extra cash “should be used to meet the costs ever used for polls as a last resort when there is schools and returning officers should “work of additional measures to minimise disruption absolutely no other alternative. together to minimise any disruption and keep in schools and costs of cleaning”. “It is important at all times that education the school open where that is possible”. This includes cleaning which needs to take is not disrupted, and the use of schools as To support efforts to find alternative venues place when polls close so that schools can polling stations does feel like something of an and “find creative solutions”, the government “immediately reopen” the following day. anachronism.”
JAMES CARR | @JAMESCARR_93 Online tutoring hampered by access to the internet
Delivering online tuition to disadvantaged However, 48 per cent of schools reported to 29. pupils during partial school closures was that the lack of appropriate equipment The report states that in general, providers feasible, but access to equipment presented – such as laptops and reliable internet and school leads felt it was easier to a key barrier, the Education Endowment connections – posed a challenge for facilitate delivery of the tutoring at school. Foundation has found. learning. Teachers had control of the technology and A new report from the EEF evaluating the EEF also found that some disadvantaged learners faced fewer distractions. effectiveness of last year’s National Online learners “who would have benefitted” were Yet home-based delivery was said to Tutoring Pilot was released today. not able to take part due to difficulties be more flexible and unaffected by Covid It found that delivering online tuition was contacting parents and carers. restriction on movement. feasible and the pilot’s reach, between July Despite the apparent feasibility of the Professor Becky Francis, EEF chief and October, was “high, considering the offering, the National Tutoring Programme executive, said it was encouraging to see circumstances”. (NTP) admitted to Schools Week in January it was possible to “reach high numbers of In total 1,425 pupils across 65 schools that just 14 of its 33 tuition partners were students from disadvantaged backgrounds”, took part – the majority of whom were approved to deliver remote tutoring from but that bridging the digital divide “must eligible for pupil premium funding. pupils’ homes - this has now increased remain a national priority”.
4 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
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Transparency calls as £1bn rebuild schools had recent major works funded
multiple issues deemed “priority 1”. These needed FREDDIE WHITTAKER “immediate remedial action or replacement”. @FCDWHITTAKER EXCLUSIVE But apart from a new sports hall, the school Leaders want transparency from ministers has only seen minor recent repair work, which over how they select rebuilding projects after it it had to bid for via the government’s Condition emerged two schools getting a share of £1 billion Improvement Fund (CIF). in capital funding had major building works Byers also warned there was “no join-up” recently. between the CIF process for minor repairs and The 50 schools being rebuilt in the first phase large-scale rebuilding schemes. “It’s impossible to of a ten-year, 500-school rebuilding programme, plan because we just don’t know what’s coming were announced last week. up,” he said. Unsuccessful schools must now wait for details Framwellgate School in Durham Huntington School, in York, also has problems of future rounds. projects based on its condition data collection with damp and leaks. The local council has helped Schools Week can reveal that two of the schools (CDC). Inspectors visited every maintained school with some issues and will fund a refurbishment to – Wilsthorpe in Derbyshire and Ash Hill in in England between 2017 and 2019 and wrote the school’s kitchen and dining room. Doncaster – had recent major partial rebuilds. reports on the state of each. But head John Tomsett said clarity was needed They won funding under the latest round of the But government has not published national on whether a rebuild was planned, even if it was Priority School Building Programme (PSBP). data or ranking of schools. A second CDC survey years away. “If we were due a rebuild, then we Wilsthorpe’s £15 million “new main building” started in December and will run until 2026. could save the taxpayer money,” he added. was completed in 2018. It was opened by former Framwellgate School in Durham was due to be Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL education secretary Damian Hinds and local rebuilt under Labour’s Building Schools for the school leaders’ union, added it was “pretty Conservative MP Maggie Throup. Work on Ash Future programme. But the project was cancelled poor that school leaders are left with so much Hill’s £15 million project started in 2019. when Michael Gove scrapped the scheme in 2010. vagueness over an initiative which is very The Department for Education said the PSBP Many of the school’s buildings date back to the important and which involves very large sums of was “block-based” and prioritised the worst mid-1960s. The site is prone to flooding, and there public money”. individual buildings. The two schools will now see are problems with leaking roofs and the heating The DfE has said it plans to “additional buildings” refurbished or replaced. system. consult this year on how schools Delta Academies Trust, which runs Ash Hill, Headteacher Andy Byers demanded clarity. are prioritised for future rounds. said parts of its site had “long been in need of “What we don’t know and what we’ve never seen Schools Week analysis of the a re-build”. Its current projects will see an old is any ranking against other schools.” He added, schools chosen for a rebuild 1970s classroom block and sports hall replaced. “We don’t know where we stand in the queue ̶ found that one-third of projects Wilsthorpe declined to comment. that’s been the biggest frustration.” were in marginal The government said it chose the first 50 The school’s 2018 CDC report highlighted Andy Byers parliamentary seats.
EXCLUSIVE SAMANTHA BOOTH | @SAMANTHAJBOOTH Sprinklers still not mandatory for school rebuilding projects
Sprinklers are unlikely to be made mandatory Schools Week reported in 2017 that the this year. in the 50 school rebuilding projects announced proportion of new schools being built with That leaves six months for the DfE to update last week because the government’s sprinklers has halved to just 35 per cent its guidance, depending on the outcome of consultation into fire safety has been delayed. since 2010. A full consultation on the fire the consultation. The DfE said this would be The Department for Education has safety guidance, expected to be published published “shortly”. committed to revising its guidance on fire last autumn, has been delayed because of the Tilden Watson, head of education at safety design for new schools. The current pandemic. insurance agency Zurich Municipal, said that guidance says that all new schools should It is nearly two years since the DfE opened currently “much of the £1 billion investment have fire sprinklers installed, “except a few” its original call for evidence. The government’s will be wasted on repairing the fire damage that are “low risk”. response is almost 18 months overdue. that sprinklers could have easily prevented”. But fire safety campaigners – who have been The 50 schools, part of the first phase of The DfE says that all schools are required calling for sprinklers to be mandatory in new a 10-year rebuilding programme promised to have an up-to-date fire risk assessment. and refurbished schools for several years – by ministers, will share £1 billion in funding. Where sprinklers are considered necessary, say there are a number of “loopholes”. Building work is due to start from autumn they must be installed.
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@TeachingAwards @the-teaching-awards @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021 Long read Covid catch-up challenge: will extending the school day work?
FREDDIE WHITTAKER @FCDWHITTAKER INVESTIGATES
Headteachers have rejected suggestions that volunteers could supervise extra lessons and summer schools, warning that more cash and opportunities for teachers to take the time back are needed to make the approaches work. Longer school days and an extension of the summer term are among suggestions put forward to help pupils catch up. Some have suggested that this could happen with the help of volunteers. But leaders who already operate extended days said their own staff were essential, while schools experienced in running summer schools said they relied on funding to pay support staff extra to work over the break.
‘Using volunteers would be risk assessment chaos’ volunteer from the teaching staff, a ratio of one holidays, favouring sports and creative activities. Camelot Primary School in south London took staff member to 11 pupils. He also warned that funding was needed, with part in the government’s holiday activities and “We don’t want these volunteers coming in,” arrangements in place soon. food programme last year. But it used its own said head James Robinson. “It would be risk- “I think, if there was complete clarity before teaching assistants, paid £75 a day to staff the assessment chaos.” Easter, more schools might do it. But you need activities for 75 pupils. He said it was “nonsense” to suggest that Six TAs were on site at all times, along with a pupils should receive academic tuition in the Continued on next page
DfE offers £4m to attract provider of catch-up resources
The Department for Education is looking to It adds that the contract start date could Diagnostic tests would help teachers to spend nearly £4 million “free in-class and be June 14 this year, making a September identify gaps in learning so they can “assign catch-up curriculum” resources to support launch plausible. a package of resources to help pupils teachers. The DfE anticipates that the range resolve gaps in knowledge and address According to a document published on of services would include the creation misconceptions”. Monday, “diagnostic tests” to support and maintenance of in-class and catch- “We envisage that the diagnostic tests will teachers in identifying gaps in learning may up resources “in various formats”. The be downloadable by teachers and completed also be provided. department said the range of subjects between teacher and student,” the notice The DfE has issued a prior information covered was “being determined”. added. notice (PIN) “seeking a service provider to The PIN adds that resources could be These ideas are neither an “exhaustive or create and host a range of free in-class and hosted for a “specific time period” on a final requirement”, the PIN reads, and are catch-up curriculum resources to support publicly available platform, and the provider subject to development before the potential teachers with their in-class lesson delivery could support teachers to use the service. contract notice is published. and catch-up activity”. The services could also include “core The DfE is inviting interested providers to It says the estimated £3.9 million contract concepts for teachers to understand the key an engagement meeting during half-term. value would be based on a potential term of knowledge and skills needed by pupils to The PIN says the contract notice will be 15 months – three months’ implementation, build understanding, make connections and published in March. followed by a one-year delivery period. progress within a subject area”.
7 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021 Long read
to know exactly how much money you’re going The schools use the extra time for academic to get.” catch-up and extra-curricular activities. Chief Geoff Barton, general secretary of ASCL, said executive Jo Coton said the approach “allows us it made no sense to have volunteers delivering to give adequate time to the core subjects while support, as they “won’t know the learning also continuing to enrich children’s experiences needs of children”. There would also be “issues in sports, science and the arts”. around appropriate supervision and background She added: “We just weren’t able to fit it all into checks”. the normal day before this.” Henry Fawcett Primary School, also in south London, catered for 30 pupils on a rota system Virtual lessons eyed by catch-up tsar over four weeks last summer. It had two paid A longer school day has been mooted before. teaching assistants on site at all times. In 2016, the government announced that some Assistant head Rachel Harrison says money secondary schools would get funding to run for was key. “Without the funding, we couldn’t have an extra hour. But the scheme was scrapped just done it,” she said. She also expressed doubts over Firth Park Academy in Sheffield extended its a year later. whether summer schools could incorporate school day last September. Year 11s do an extra Nick Gibb, the schools minister, told MPs that “many” academies had already used their teaching. lesson at the end of every day. There are maths freedoms to extend the school day. This had “Teachers are dead on their feet. Even if you and English catch-up sessions on Saturdays “driven up standards in those schools, and indeed were paying them, I’m not sure how much brain and younger children do a mix of academic and they’ve helped to close the attainment gap”. capacity they’d actually have to do it.” enrichment activities several times a week. But the jury is still out on the effectiveness But the school achieves the longer day within of such schemes. Education Endowment 20k more staff could be needed teachers’ existing directed time, with flexible Foundation research found that extending school The idea of a longer school day also presents working to allow some to start and finish later. time and summer schools achieved “low impact challenges and schools face hurdles in using Head Dean Jones says the school is already for moderate cost”. seeing improvements in reading. But he stressed their own staff too. But Collins, a former head of the EEF, told Teacher contracts include a certain number the importance of running both academic and Schools Week the research also showed that of hours of directed time, typically 1,265 hours a extra-curricular activities. The school’s goal is to “quality always trumps quantity”. year. Any school looking to exceed those hours improve both attainment and happiness, which He also said that, when it comes to summer would face having to negotiate contract changes go “hand in hand”, he said. schools, learning can be organised in “different with unions. The NET Academies Trust extended the day ways”. He pointed to innovations in virtual Based on nationally-published pupil-teacher at all six of its Essex schools by 40 minutes four teaching and warned against taking an “old- ratios, if every secondary school in England ran years ago. But again, the school’s own staff, not fashioned view”. an extra class for just 100 pupils without using volunteers, were key to delivering the approach. “The very best intervention for catch-up is existing staff, they would potentially need over To compensate, summer and October half-term to provide children with the highest quality 21,000 additional teachers. breaks are now two weeks long. teaching that you can offer,” he added.
Recovery commissioner wants advice but ‘no expert groups’
The man responsible for “education recovery” Collins, the former chief executive of the will not be setting up groups of experts to Education Endowment Foundation, said: assist him so that he can move quickly to “I’m not planning to get involved in a big formulate catch-up plans. bureaucratic structure because I think we The news comes after Schools Week need to move more quickly than that. But I do revealed that the promise to set up an expert expect to engage quickly with as many of the group to look at solutions for uneven lost networks and structures that exist.” learning across the country has been dropped He said he would be “drawing on advice” by the Department for Education. from the sector, “particularly where the Instead, the task of addressing lost learning evidence sits. So, it is the knowledge I’ll Kevan Collins will fall within the remit of Sir Kevan Collins, draw on, if you like, rather than a particular who was appointed education recovery framework of people.” highest quality teaching that you can offer. commissioner last week. The promised advisory panel was to “monitor “So this is why everything we do must be When asked by Schools Week about whether and advise on lost and differential learning” underpinned by a commitment to support our he would be setting up his own expert group, because of the pandemic. teachers to be the best they can, to continue to he said he would be based at the DfE, with a Collins said the “very best” catch-up invest in them, their professional development, “small secretariat” around him. intervention is to “provide children with the that is undoubtedly the best catch up offer.”
8 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
DO YOU HAVE A STORY? News CONTACT US [email protected] Safeguarding failure exposed at trust that ‘cut cash’
JAMES CARR @JAMESCARR_93 EXCLUSIVE
Vulnerable children were put at serious risk because stretched staff had “too many responsibilities”, Ofsted found, at a school where the head had resigned over “indefensible” funding cuts. Inspectors discovered “serious failings in safeguarding arrangements” at Northampton International Academy (NIA), part of the East Midlands Academy Trust (EMAT). Ofsted visited in December after concerns were raised over pupil safety. Seniors leaders had “too many responsibilities to vulnerable pupils have been put at serious risk.” enable them to carry out their safeguarding duties Many staff have since “lost confidence” in the effectively”, the watchdog said. school leaders’ capacity to safeguard pupils and But an investigation by Schools Week found that were concerned that pupils “may slip through the the trust had been warned about the school’s net”. staffing resources in February last year. A spokesperson for NIA said that “safeguarding In an explosive resignation letter sent to EMAT remains at the heart of everything” it does and it staff, former head Tim Marston said the budget was “fully committed to ensuring the safety and cuts introduced after a switch to general annual wellbeing of every pupil”. Credit: @NIA_Northampton grant (GAG) pooling – where the central trust An independent review is set to be carried out, takes control of school funding – had “harmed the the trust said, and the safeguarding team has been In January, a report of 300 trusts from school unnecessarily”. restructured to “enhance capacity to monitor, accountancy firm Kreston found the number The school, one of the biggest free schools in the track and action all safeguarding concerns”. of chains using GAG pooling had doubled to 20 country, was short of up to five teaching assistants, In his resignation letter, Marston claimed that between 2019 and 2020. who were important in making sure “our most the trust’s move to GAG pooling resulted in a But it warned that “the feared loss of autonomy vulnerable pupils are well-supported”, he warned staffing budget that was 63 per cent of income. in individual schools” within a trust was a barrier the trust. According to the government’s financial to its wider use. The case highlights potential pitfalls in the benchmarking service, staffing typically Leora Cruddas, chief executive of the controversial GAG pooling method, where an represents between 75 and 80 per cent of a Confederation of Schools Trusts, said the method academy trust centrally collects funding for all school’s expenditure. can allow leaders to take a more strategic its schools before allocating according to need. approach to funding allocations – particularly Usually, funding goes directly to a school, and an ‘Ethically indefensible cuts’ while the move towards a fully-implemented academy trust would take only a small top slice to His letter went on to claim that such funding national funding formula is ongoing. fund its central operations. “weakened the staff team” and “harmed the school But she warned it can be a “sensitive activity” unnecessarily”. Marston said the cuts were “poorly and must be approached in the “spirit of co- ‘Staff struggling with caseload’ judged” and “ethically indefensible”. construction”. Ofsted found that safeguarding was “not effective” EMAT said it could not respond to the claims as Meanwhile, Ofsted stated that under normal at NIA, which has capacity for 2,200 pupils, in they were from a confidential internal document. circumstances it would have treated the visit as a monitoring report published last Friday. The Annual accounts show that the trust moved to a full section 5 inspection because of the “serious school was rated “good” in July 2019. a GAG pooling model in 2019-20. School budgets concerns identified”. However, as inspections Staff told inspectors they were “struggling to get were allocated using the Integrated Curriculum are suspended due to Covid, it will prioritise the on top of the caseload”, but the trust was slow to Financial Planning tool, which aims to help school for a full inspection once they resume. identify the need for extra support. schools find savings by analysing the curriculum, The same caveat was included on five other Ofsted also found “some key staff” were not staffing structure and finances.. monitoring inspections carried out between following the safeguarding policy, with poor EMAT conducted an internal audit on the 2019- November and January where safeguarding was communication from leaders. 20 budget setting process after a whistleblower not found to be effective. Ofsted said individual “Because of this, some issues have escalated,” the complaint. They concluded discrepancies were safeguarding concerns are shared with the report read. “In recent weeks, some of the most down to “teething problems”. relevant local authority if deemed appropriate.
9 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
DO YOU HAVE A STORY? News CONTACT US [email protected]
EXCLUSIVE DfE aligns testing advice with NHS after confusion
JAMES CARR @JAMESCARR_93
The Department for Education is no longer encouraging school staff to undergo further Covid testing within 90 days of a positive result after schools said it could needlessly force more teachers to isolate. Staff are currently able to take up to two rapid lateral flow tests per week as part of the mass testing regime designed to pick up Civil servants who set up school Covid cases among those who do not have symptoms. testing over Xmas owed up to £260k People with symptoms are still advised to get a PCR [polymerase chain reaction] test, which is considered the “gold standard”. month amid fears over higher rates of FREDDIE WHITTAKER Furthermore, primary staff who test positive transmission from the new variant of the @FCDWHITTAKER with a rapid test are advised to get this disease and following widespread concern confirmed by taking a PCR test. The Department for Education faces a bill of over the accuracy of tests. It also came after up to £263,000 after asking staff to work over the Medicines and Healthcare products DfE guidance had previously stated that Christmas to prepare for its ill-fated schools Regulatory Agency said it had not approved it would “encourage staff to take an LFD mass-testing programme. the tests to keep pupils in the classroom. [lateral flow device] test regardless of It was reported in December that the DfE had Routine testing of staff and tests for whether they have tested positive” from a offered staff a “one-off £1,000 bonus” to help returning pupils still went ahead, but on PCR test within the past 90 days. set up the programme over the break. But the a much smaller scale because of partial But this contrasted with advice issued to mass testing scheme was substantially scaled closures. health officials taking part in similar mass back following partial school closures and Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary testing regimes. Health workers were told doubts over the effectiveness of lateral-flow of the National Education Union, said it was that anybody who has tested positive from a tests. “of course right” that DfE staff were paid PCR test should avoid taking a rapid test for Now data obtained under the Freedom of bonuses for working on the implementation, the 90-day period – unless they developed Information act shows that 538 DfE employees but said the rollout “should have been new symptoms. volunteered for the effort over Christmas, of managed better”. which 263 were matched to a role. Payments She added: “Rather a lot of the valuable This was because “fragments of inactive are yet to be made but, if all the staff who took time of school leaders and their staff virus can be persistently detected”. up a role receive the full bonus, the total bill has been wasted during the past year on The issue was raised with the DfE by will be £263,000. whichever wheeze the government wants Robin Hood Multi Academy Trust (RHMAT) The DfE announced details of its testing to rush out, on this occasion throwing the in Birmingham, which said it could create plan in the last week of term, meaning school Christmas break and the start of spring term staffing shortages because of the risk of a leaders had to work over the Christmas break into turmoil.” false positive. The trust had already decided to prepare for the new term. The DfE also had The DfE said there had been “no payments to follow the NHS advice. to mobilise extra staff, and offered the bonus to staff to date”, and that payments would But guidance issued to schools this week payments to encourage volunteers to step only be made “to those employees who were now states that “individuals are exempt forward. It said at the time that delivering matched to a role”. from testing by both PCR and LFD within testing to schools was a “vital task”. Payments will be subject to “confirmation 90 days of a positive PCR test unless they A key tenet of the government’s plan was of satisfactory attendance over the full the daily testing of people who had been in volunteering period, including where personal develop new symptoms”. contact with confirmed Covid cases, which was plans and leave were required to be cancelled The move would “align the education supposed to help prevent schools having to at short notice”. sector guidance with the rest of the lateral send whole bubbles of pupils home every time It would also be dependent on “satisfactory flow device antigen testing guidance issued they faced an outbreak. performance in line with the standard by NHS Test and Trace”. But daily contact testing was paused last approach for non-consolidated awards”.
10 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
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DfE tight-lipped over attendance league table proposal
JAMES CARR @JAMESCARR_93
Ministers have been urged to clarify whether an “absurd” plan to base league tables on school attendance this year is going ahead despite classrooms being Let schools tell pupils their grades before closed again. In December, the Department for submitting them to us, exam board says Education announced that exams results students about the level they are working would not be included in league tables. SAMANTHA BOOTH towards was good practice. Instead, performance tables would include @SAMANTHAJBOOTH Last year, Ofqual decided that “inappropriate information for parents such as subjects disclosure” of centre assessment grades and taken, pupil destinations and attendance Strict rules forbidding schools from telling rank order information should be investigated data. pupils their grades should be dropped this by exam boards as “potential malpractice”. But the government would not confirm year to prevent “sudden surprises” and reduce For this year, Ofqual is proposing that “centre- whether the plan to include attendance will appeals, an exam board has said. assessment grades, rank order information now change with schools partially closed Ofqual proposes that schools should not tell and the judgments on which these are founded since January. students the grade they have submitted to should be confidential until after results have A DfE spokesperson said: “We will be exam boards this summer. Pupils would instead been issued”. have an option to appeal after final grades are OCR’s plea comes amid fears from exam talking to schools and colleges about the awarded on results day. boards that the schedule for issuing grades implications of how schools will be held Last year schools were told they would be this year is too tight. Ofqual wants teachers to account for their performance in the investigated for malpractice if they told a pupil to submit grades to boards by mid-June, with current academic year in the absence of their teacher-assessed grade before results day. quality assurance ongoing that month. Results exams and will set out more information in But exam board OCR wants Ofqual to allow would “most likely” be issued in early July. due course.” schools to have an “ongoing discussion” with Students could then submit appeals straight Paul Whiteman, general secretary pupils about their potential grades. away, which would be considered first by a of schools leaders’ union NAHT, said In its response to the exams replacement school before potentially going to exam boards. attendance data would only indicate plan consultation, OCR said this would allow Instead, OCR proposes a timeline – formed “how hard a school has been hit by the “transparency and prevent any sudden in discussion with the Joint Council for pandemic”, something that has been surprises”. Qualifications – of a results day in late July. It “In our view, this in turn has the potential to says it is “improbable” that exam boards can outside schools’ control. “Clearly it significantly reduce the risk of appeals and gives deliver the quality assurance proposed within would be absurd to use it to judge school the student some agency in the process,” OCR four weeks. performance,” he added. adds. Any delay would affect the appeals process. A The government has already had to scrap It believes teachers should be encouraged to group of education unions suggested last week other proposals announced at the same “immediately” talk to students about evidence that appeals should go straight to exam boards, time – including a plan to reintroduce on- they have currently. It should be an “honest rather than to schools in the first instance. site Ofsted inspections. conversation” about how this might inform Any move to be more open about grades Loic Menzies, chief executive of the grading. could also affect the number of subject access Centre for Education and Youth, said Another idea is to provide clarity for students requests (SARs) received by schools. Pupils it would be “inappropriate” to use about the “other sources” of evidence that will can submit SARs to find out what their centre- attendance as a published headline figure. be reviewed before teachers make their grade assessed grade and ranking place was. decisions. Last year an exam script exemption applied, He added: “The schools facing the biggest But Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the meaning schools only had to respond to challenges are the ones that have got that Association of School and College Leaders, requests after results day. The Information divide most marked, so you are going to feared that sharing grades before boards have Commissioner’s Office said this week that it be punishing schools for having a hard job quality assured them for consistency could was considering how an exemption might apply to do.” “easily lead to a repeat of last summer’s chaotic to this year. However, he acknowledged that the DfE scenes”. Throughout 2020, the ICO had 491 SARs was in a difficult situation as the sector She added: “It would build an expectation complaints relating to the education sector. needed some information about what of a result that may change during the quality At least 43 of them related to state schools, schools have been doing this year. assurance stage.” although it is not clear how many were about But she said that ongoing conversations with exam results.
11 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
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Almost six in ten students improved £65m teaching hub GCSE grades in autumn exams schools named Seventy-seven schools have been selected Almost 60 per cent of students who took to run 81 new teaching school hubs across autumn exams in GCSE subjects other England, with £65 million in funding made than English and maths improved on their available by the government. grades issued in the summer, new data It takes the total number of hubs to 87. Six shows. initial hubs were announced in January last Twenty-five per cent of pupils achieved year with £1.1 million in funding. Teaching school hubs are the the same grade, and 15 per cent saw their government’s latest school improvement grade fall. initiative. They will provide “high-quality The autumn exam series was established professional development” to teachers and to give pupils who felt their centre- leaders, and play a “key role in helping to assessment grades were unfair the build up trainee teachers as they enter the opportunity to sit an actual test. Those who workforce”, the government said. did not improve their grade were able to Each of the new hubs will have its own keep the ones they received in the summer. defined geographical patch and should The proportion of pupils who improved be “accessible to all schools within that their grades was higher for the remaining area, serving on average around 250 GCSE subjects than it was for English schools each”. They will begin operating in September. and maths (45 per cent) and for A-levels remaining GCSE subjects achieved a grade Four schools have been given funding to (around 50 per cent), with figures for the 7 or above. In comparison, 22 per cent run two patches each, with the remaining latter two published previously. achieved a 7 or above in 2019, and 28 per 73 running one. The £65 million funding will The differences are “likely to reflect the cent scored a top grade in 2020 after the cover three years. nature of students entering in the autumn government switched to issuing centre- The south of England and London have the series, and students’ motivation for assessment grades. most teaching school hubs (44), while there entering different qualifications”, Ofqual The majority of students entering the are 23 in the Midlands and Humber and just said. GCSE subjects last autumn took just one 20 in the north of England. See the full list Overall, more than a third of entrants to subject. here.
More LA schools in deficit Trainees can get QTS (but surpluses up, too) based on progress again
One in eight local authority- Trainee teachers unable to line with those put in place last maintained schools was in deficit complete their courses because year in response to disruption in the last financial year, up of Covid disruption will once caused by the first lockdown. from less than one in 10 the year again be able to achieve qualified ITT providers must still before. teacher status (QTS) based on ensure that courses are as The proportion of local their progress. “comprehensive as possible”, the authority (LA) schools in deficit Updated Department for guidance says, and should only in 2019-20 rose for all types of Education guidance states that recommend trainees for QTS in school except secondary, where maintained secondary school also initial teacher training providers this way “where appropriate and it fell slightly from 28.3 to 26.8 increased by £111,000 to £680,000 can recommend trainees for necessary”. per cent. last year. The average deficit of a QTS if they are “satisfied that Providers should not The proportion of LA primaries primary increased from £56,000 the trainee has demonstrated recommend trainees for QTS if in deficit rose from 7.9 to 10.3 to £65,000. adequate progress towards they feel they have “not yet been per cent, while the proportion of At the same time, schools meeting the teachers’ standards able to demonstrate adequate LA special schools in deficit rose in the black posted bigger during their course”. progress towards meeting the from 12.5 to 13.4 per cent. surpluses. In 2019-20, the This is because the latest teachers’ standards”. There was a much sharper rise average surplus of secondary lockdown has caused a “variance This may include trainees in the number of pupil referral schools increased from £390,000 in the disruption experienced by who have had their time units in deficit – from 15.9 per to £458,000, while the average ITT trainees”. available to undertake practical cent to 20.7 per cent. surplus in primary schools rose The change brings the rules for teaching experience in schools The average deficit for an LA- from £120,000 to £124,000. the 2020-21 academic year into “significantly curtailed”.
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Academics back call for 11-plus data transparency
FREDDIE WHITTAKER @FCDWHITTAKER EXCLUSIVE
Academies have backed calls from campaigners for grammar school entry test data to be shared with government and linked to pupil records so the fairness of the assessments can be evaluated. A letter from Comprehensive Future, backed by 24 well-known academics and educationalists, calls for the 11-plus to be “subjected to the same kind of scrutiny as every public exam”. The anti-selection group wants a statutory requirement that 11-plus results be submitted and linked to the National Pupil Database. This would allow the results to be evaluated and compared to performance in other public exams. the same”. to determine the process for admission. There But grammar heads say the plan idea is Dr Mark Fenton, the GSHA’s chief executive, were “already protections within the system to “meaningless and would lead to misleading said grammar schools admitted “widely ensure admission arrangements are fair without comparisons” between children. variable percentages of children” and pointed seeking further data from schools and local The Comprehensive Future letter, sent to to admission rates of five per cent in some areas authorities”, they added. education secretary Gavin Williamson, warns and 25 per cent in fully selective Kent. there is currently no national data to show He said the NPD was designed to contain data The academics backing how many pupils sit and pass the tests or their that is “consistent and comparable across all 11-plus data call characteristics. pupils in the country, whereas only a fraction of Prof Lindsey Macmillan, UCL Institute of Education “Most importantly of all, we cannot evaluate children across England take tests for selective 11-plus results against children’s SATs and GCSE schools”. Prof Stephen Gorard, Durham University grades and young people’s A-levels without vital “Adding the results of tests that cannot sensibly Prof Danny Dorling, University of Oxford
11-plus data,” the letter continues. be compared with each other to the NPD would Prof Robert Coe, Evidence Based Education The signatories (see full list below) include be meaningless and invite wholly misleading Prof George Leckie, Centre for Multilevel Modelling professors Becky Allen, Simon Burgess, Rob Coe comparisons between groups of children.” School of Education, University of Bristol and Stephen Gorard. He also accused Comprehensive Future of being Currently, more than 100,000 pupils take over “not genuinely interested in reforming selective Prof Alice Sullivan, University College London 70 different 11-plus exams administered every tests… Instead, they want to abolish grammar Prof Steve Strand, University of Oxford
year by the 163 selective schools in England. schools – the clue is in the name.” Prof John Furlong OBE, University of Oxford A 2016 report by the Education Policy Institute But Gorard said a link between the 11-plus and Prof Francis Green, UCL Institute of Education found only 2.5 per cent of grammar school pupils the NPD would allow researchers to “conduct Prof Simon Burgess, University of Bristol. were eligible for free school meals, compared powerful analyses of the fairness of admissions with an average of 13.2 per cent in all state- to, and the relative effectiveness of, grammar Prof Vikki Bolivar, Durham University funded schools. schools”. Prof John Jerrim, UCL Institute of Education
Dr Nuala Burgess, chair of Comprehensive The government abandoned its attempt to Prof Becky Allen, University of Brighton Future, said it was of “particular concern” that lift the ban on new grammar schools in 2017. Prof Sally Tomlinson, University of Oxford there is “no way of knowing how poorer children Instead, ministers have attempted to make them Dr Jake Anders, UCL Institute of Education fared in the tests taken last autumn, in the midst more inclusive. A new expansion fund requires of the Covid pandemic”. grammars to put plans in place to admit more Dr Gill Wyness, UCL Institute of Education She added that schools now planning their disadvantaged pupils. Dr Sam Sims, UCL Institute of Education
tests for this year were under “no obligation to But analysis of admissions data from 14 of the Dr. Matt Dickson, University of Bath check how disadvantaged pupils performed in 16 schools that split the expansion funding shows Dr Nadia Siddiqui, Durham University last year’s test and appear unconcerned by the just 77 additional pupil premium places were Karen Wespieser MBE, Teacher Tapp severe challenges they will have faced”. created in three years, despite the number of But the Grammar School Heads Association overall places in those school increasing by 367. Dave Thomson, FFT Education Datalab warned that tests varied across the country A Department for Education spokesperson said Timo Hannay, School Dash
because the schools they serve are “not all it was for individual school admission authorities Carl Cullinane, the Sutton Trust
14 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
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£500 on orange juice: Supersized trust’s ‘luxury’ venue spend revealed
JOHN DICKENS @JOHNDICKENSSW INVESTIGATES
An academy trust that opened from scratch with 10 schools has been criticised for spending thousands of pounds on adverts in a lifestyle magazine and on staff events, including one at a five-star hotel. Galileo Multi-Academy Trust also spent £1,000 on a “grand marquee” and £476 to provide a “glass of orange juice per guest” for a launch event in 2018. A total of £3,236.44 was spent on adverts in a “high fashion” magazine. A 2019 piece in the magazine interviewing trust chief executive Anna Coulson and trust chair Nik Tunley had a “focus on them personally rather than on their role within the trust”, the report said. They answered questions about their favourite food, clothes and 2018 (see image) where Coulson had interviewed holidays. Neither Coulson nor Tunley is £476 for a “glass or orange British cycling Olympic champion Sir Bradley still in post. juice per guest”. Wiggins. Schools Week revealed last year that The ESFA said there was Investigators found that invoices totalling the trust had been investigated by the “no documented rationale” £20,062.22 were sent to Galileo for payment. Education Skills and Funding Agency just for hiring venues for However, the bill was passed on to the 14 months after opening in 2018 with 10 meetings. Some expenditure did not Landmark Teaching School Alliance for payment, schools, based in the Redcar and Cleveland area. represent value for money as the trust had access where Coulson was previously a director. The to meeting rooms on site. Despite investigators visiting in June 2019, the alliance was made up of the schools that went on report has only been published this week. Thousands paid to ‘high fashion’ magazine to form Galileo. The ESFA found that academy rules were The report also found that £3,236.44 was spent Attendance for the event, titled “Power of breached and concluded that the trust had “weak on adverts in regional lifestyle magazine Luxe, Positive Leadership in Education”, was priced at internal controls [over] procurement, recruitment described as a “combination of high fashion, on- £125 for alliance delegates and £150 for non- and selection processes”. trend interiors and the best in food, travel, beauty, members. Payments to firms linked to trustees and motoring and more”. CEO ‘proud of her work’ irregular spending on gifts were also flagged. The ESFA stated: “There was no obvious link Coulson told Schools Week: “I remain proud of However, names of those cited in the report, and for school advertising. A tweet by the trust about the work that I did at Galileo. There are a lot of mentions of firms they run, have been redacted. an article in the May/June 2019 issue of [Luxe hardworking people in the trust and all of the ‘No rationale’ for spending on ‘luxury’ venues magazine] featured interviews with the CEO and children are truly wonderful. I wish them all the The trust held a meeting in October 2018 at chair. The interviews focus on them personally best.” a “five-star luxury golf and spa hotel” costing rather than on their role within the trust.” Tunley has been approached for comment. £1,575, with £175 for conference tea and coffee. Coulson said they chose this magazine as “they None of the nine Galileo trustees listed in its A list showed the meeting had just 25 attendees, felt it reached a wider audience and was more first accounts for the year ending August 31, 2018 although Coulson claimed that “approximately suited to promoting the trust to local parents, in – including former England rugby league captain Jamie Peacock – are still in position. 75 delegates” were present. It is understood addition to attracting trustees with a business Last year, experienced education practitioner that Sean Harford, Ofsted’s national director of background”. But the ESFA said the trust could not Les Walton was appointed as interim chair. He education, spoke at the event. provide a documented rationale. told Schools Week that all the issues in the report Another £405 was spent on a team-building £20k for Bradley Wiggins speech have now been dealt with. A new board of trustees meeting involving the trust’s central staff in The ESFA was tipped off about concerns over a and chief executive have been appointed to “drive March 2019. Meanwhile £1,476 was spent at a local guest speaker at an event, however this allegation change [and] look positively towards the future, venue for the trust launch event in April 2018 – was not upheld. ensuring that the trust goes from strength to including £1,000 for the “grand marquee” and Galileo trust tweeted about an event on June 7, strength”.
15 1st-4th March / 2021
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International qualification gives SCITTs chance to expand overseas
The consultation document proposes that JESS STAUFENBERG providers “have flexibility over the structure @STAUFENBERGJ EXCLUSIVE and delivery of courses”, including “for example Government proposals for an international whether they include an academic qualification qualified teacher status qualification represent a such as a PGCE”. “real opportunity” for school-based providers to But Professor Lynne McKenna, academic dean expand overseas, teacher training experts have of Sunderland University’s faculty of education said. and society, said she did not think “a provider A consultation published on Saturday set out would have that reputation and standing overseas proposals for an “iQTS” which could be delivered without the PGCE as well. It’s an important part of by English school-centred initial teacher training the QTS brand.” providers (SCITT) and universities to countries whether a PGCE would also have to be offered. McKenna also warned that the standards which around the world. James Noble-Rogers, executive director of English teachers must meet to gain QTS include a The iQTS would follow the English QTS the Universities Council for the Education of commitment to fundamental British values, which model but be “adaptable” to local contexts, Teachers, said that for the iQTS to “have any might not be welcome in all contexts. “That’s a the consultation adds. It is “a new and distinct credibility overseas, there will probably have to be conundrum for the DfE,” she added. opportunity for providers to sell a government- a university link”. Noble-Rogers said it was “ironic” that the backed qualification in the rapidly expanding But Carter said he thought it would be “perfectly consultation praises the English providers when global teacher training market”. possible for a SCITT with proper resources to the government has pledged an ITT market review Teacher training in the UK is “highly respected deliver this without a university”. to slim down the sector. In November, one source and sought-after around the world” and the He added that any source of revenue from told Schools Week that the government thought qualification could be delivered in “the global offering an iQTS “could only benefit the too much teacher training was of low quality. state and private sectors and British or other SCITT”, while also giving English providers the “If the market review undermines university international schools”. opportunity to learn from international contexts. involvement in teacher education, what Sir Andrew Carter, chief executive at Surrey Some ITT providers already offer international implications would that have for the iQTS?” he South Farnham SCITT, said an overseas operation PGCE courses but cannot award qualified teacher added. was “certainly something a well-established status unless the trainee is a UK resident. Providing a route to the English QTS from the SCITT, such as ourselves, would look at”. He added: Emma Hollis, executive director of the National international qualification “could be integral “There’s a real opportunity here.” Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, said to create a qualification that is exportable”, the The consultation states that ITT providers could the proposals held potential for innovative SCITTs. consultation says. deliver “all training virtually”, offer in-house “If the English system is unique because it’s very The proposals form part of the government’s training, or take a blended approach with regional much a chalkface model, then that’s what makes it “international education strategy 2021” which mentors. of interest to others,” she said. “I think SCITTs can includes other initiatives such as the Turing However, experts seem split on whether SCITTs get in on this. It’s the brand of QTS that matters, scheme, a replacement for the Erasmus+ scheme. would need a higher education partner and not who delivers it.” The consultation closes on May 3.
EXCLUSIVE JESS STAUFENBERG | @STAUFENBERGJ Edenred won third school meals contract without open tender
The Department for Education failed to run an was no open tender when the voucher scheme Crown Commercial Service to launch a cross- open tender for the most recent free school relaunched on January 18. government and public sector tender for retail meals voucher contract, rolling it over to Geoff Barton, general secretary at ASCL, vouchers, including food vouchers. supplier Edenred for the third time. said: “It does beg the question of why the A prior information notice for the £3.3 billion Ministers were criticised for not running an government did not foresee the likelihood of procurement, published on January 29, says open tender for the first two contracts handed another lockdown and run a tender process at the contract notice will go out on March 5. to Edenred last year which rose from £78 an earlier stage.” Meanwhile the Cabinet Office is consulting million to £425 million. The public accounts However, a DfE spokesperson said the on a green paper published in December called committee criticised the DfE for not seeking to government had “improved the terms of the Transforming Public Procurement to “speed negotiate better terms when the first contract contract”, although they would not confirm up and simplify procurement processes”. It was extended. what these were. includes a proposal to allow “limited tendering Now the DfE has told Schools Week that there But the department is now working with the in cases of extreme urgency”.
17 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
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Time to think bigger on Transparency is vital on Covid catch-up school rebuild cash
Extending the school day or the summer term It was good – finally – to see the government are the latest policies being teased by ministers announce the names of 50 schools that will to help children catch up on lost learning. be rebuilt in the coming years with £1bn in Many schools with extended school days have capital cash, in the first part of its new ten-year spoken of the benefits (pages 7 and 8). But programme. there’s a big issue to be solved: staffing. But as many leaders with crumbling classrooms Teachers are contracted to work a specific know all too well, ministers are simply playing number of hours. Extending school days will catch-up. The National Audit Office predicts it likely take them over those hours (or, more accurately, will eat into time they already devote will cost £6.7 billion to bring the current school to other tasks that they can’t fit in). estate up to a satisfactory standard. Schools have made it work by utilising flexible It is therefore vital that the rest of the working or extending holidays. When it comes rebuilding programme is not piecemeal. A to summer schools, leaders often pay support ten-year programme needs a ten-year funding staff to lead the charge. settlement. This can’t be left to be confirmed at If the government is serious about this policy, future spending reviews. then it must either think bold for a solution or Heads also need clarity over where their school go big on funding. sits in the queue, or indeed if they’re in the queue Catch-up commissioner Sir Kevan Collins at all. At the very least, this would put to rest any suggests extra lessons could take the form of questions about how the first 50 schools were more online learning. selected. Get in That may solve the staffing conundrum, but it is not enough to deal with the huge recovery The government could solve this easily by operation now needed. Time for ministers to publishing national data from its condition data touch. think bigger. collection.
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18 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
REPLY OF THE WEEK Andy Byer, @Framheadteacher
Revealed: The 50 school rebuilding s’ projects selected to split £1bn capital cash er ad Very disappointed e to see this and R plY find, once again, Framwellgate School Durham has been overlooked. I know Sir Kevan Collins appoints ‘education recovery’ tsar these schools will
Ann Kennedy be delighted but I Is there any value in the idea of cancelling this (2020-2021) have NO idea on the academic year? And when children return to school (maybe criteria used, or where we sit in the March?) – particularly primary-aged children , let them follow queue. We need transparency. a maths/English/science curriculum for half the day, the rest let them follow other “enjoyable” subjects – sports, arts , music, drama, dance , storytelling, cookery, creative crafts, as well as planned out-of-school visits. Leaders forced to cap places as school There’s also room for those with special skills in mental health attendance rises to help our youngsters. And since finances for some families are tight, we need to teach them how to “balance the books”. Stephen Morgan For seniors, why not defer their decision to follow a certain Do we now see it’s time for the wider community to return to career path? Some do not know what they want to do at 17 or 18. our primary schools? As we are managing so many already, Some won’t thrive at university. Maybe they can be given a “cash and the science is still showing the lower risk to primary, voucher” to be used whenever they need it for training purposes, could it be that it’s time to get children back to the place they when their minds are more mature. need to help them thrive? Or why not accommodate more by asking parents to keep their child on days they don’t work. Andrew Seber CBE That would reduce class sizes. Great to see Kevan at the centre of this. A long time since Do we also really need two weeks to prepare in primary? my chief education officer and National College for School Primary are amazing organisers and it’s just a return to the Leadership days, but my instincts remain. I agree with the voices first day back routine in January. I can’t see it taking two calling for something as fundamental as rethinking year groups weeks. and transition. There will be costs, and the independent sector I speak as a primary teacher, single parent with two of my will worry about fees, but the stakes are high anyway. Be bold. own.
Covid-19 vaccine denied for special school staff – Williamson: we must secure education technology’s then reinstated great leap forward
Gail Stickland Darren Walkerdine, @DWalkerdine It’s great that staff at SEN schools are offered the vaccine. The evidence infers pupils learn more from teachers than However, there are hundreds of learning support assistants in through edtech. There is a place for edtech, but a balanced mainstream senior schools sitting beside vulnerable students, approach is required. whether they be SEN, or safer for them to be present at school. Also, more and more “other” students attending because of not Christine Jenkins, @ctljenk coping at home. But, we have not been offered the vaccine. [Laptops delivered] Next week? Schools had to turn their Teachers are not even in the classroom as they are presenting [remote education] plans around with less than 24 hours’ live online lessons from home. Many of us are even in the over- notice, and here you are boasting about laptops that were 60s age group. Why can’t we have our jabs now? needed 11 months ago.
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ON DEMAND ONLINE PLATFORM TICKETS NETWORKING All of our keynotes We’ll be using a state of AAC is a great learning Easily connect with other and workshops will be the art platform, to esnure event for teams. We’ve attendees with one-on- available to view on an engaging & rewarding a range of ticket one conversations via demand post-event. experience for all. options for groups. live video. @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
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‘It’s still unique for special schools to lead the way. We have to shout a lot.’
Into headship before he was 30, Clive Lawrence has taken his special school to ‘world class’ status and an ‘outstanding’ grade. How did the cheeky boy from the estate get himself - and his school - to where they are?
n his 28th birthday, Clive the 1980s. grinning, and it soon becomes clear that one Lawrence was starting his first Now, aged just 35, Lawrence has a of Lawrence’s qualities is as a top storyteller. I Oever headteacher role. It was just formidable record under his belt. He’s turned can’t stop laughing. five years since he’d qualified as a teacher St Giles special needs primary school, in “Me and my brother were the only mixed- and ten years since he’d volunteered as a Derby, into everything from a teaching race kids in my family. When I think back to teaching assistant, making him one of the school supporting other settings to an the terminology my nan used to use…” he youngest heads in the country. Perhaps internationally recognised “world-class” breaks off, chuckling. “My nan would take even more extraordinarily, he’d come institution. us shopping with my cousins, and she’d say, from circumstances that stacked the chips A special needs school that is leading the ‘These are my white grandchildren, and these heavily against him: he and his younger way on excellence for other schools is not a are my coloured grandchildren.’ She didn’t brother grew up on one of Derby’s most dynamic you often hear about. mean it badly! She loved us.” He continues to impoverished housing estates and were two With such a sombre backstory on the face smile as I ask where he grew up. “If you said of the only children from an ethnic minority of it, Lawrence could relate his personal you were from the Allenton and Osmaston background in the area. Their mum left tale with great seriousness. But he doesn’t. estate like we were, that wouldn’t go down school to have him aged 15 and brought His eyes twinkle constantly. There is barely very well! But I loved it, I absolutely loved it. him up in a white family as a single parent in a moment when he is not chuckling or People said they wouldn’t walk through there
21 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021 Profile: Clive Lawrence
With his other younger brother
x
Lawrence with his mum and brother Lawrence with Derby County mascot Rammie celebrating the school’s 30th birthday in 2019 “The reality is that if there was a BA in headship, I would have done that”
he says, referring to Dahl’s book about a boy what to do’.” He grins broadly. who lives in a caravan. “She was obviously The choice to seek inspiration – “I’m always
Lawrence with his mum and brother trying to teach us about acceptance. That’s quoting quotes, me” – and see the positive where I developed a love of reading, and of in situations is clearly core to Lawrence’s at night but that would never have fazed me. becoming a primary school teacher one day.” character, and also quite evident from the Everyone knew everyone, everyone looked Primary school headship was in Lawrence’s walls of his office. He shows me a framed out for each other.” He also recalls “some sights from that moment, leading him on to picture of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory cultural friction” in his early years between a three-year BA Hons in primary education in Quentin Blake’s brilliant drawings, with his mum’s family and his dad’s, who were at Northampton University. When someone the quote “Nothing is impossible”. “I work in from a Jamaican background. But both later asked him what else he would have a special school, so I use that one quite a lot.” families loved the boys, he says, and the done other than teaching, he didn’t have Another one from Dahl reads: “Those who friction eased off. an answer. Leadership in particular drew don’t believe in magic will never find it.” But, Lawrence shares an ability to see the magic him. “The reality is that if there was a BA perhaps most unusually for a headteacher, in situations with another storyteller of great Hons in headship, I would have done that Lawrence has his inspiration inked on to his importance to him: Roald Dahl. It was his degree,” he hoots. “I’ve always wanted to very skin. Matilda, Charlie, James and the primary school teacher, Mrs Farthing, who be a leader.” He leans in conspiratorially to Giant Peach and the BFG are all intertwined introduced him. “Bless Mrs Farthing, I loved the screen. “My mum came across a report in a huge tattoo on his right arm. I imagine it her. She used to read us Roald Dahl stories all from my PE teacher in year 2. It said, ‘Clive is is a total trump card with shy children. “I had the time. I remember there were a lot of Irish really enthusiastic. However, I have to keep this dodgy tattoo there before, from when I traveller children in our school, so she read reminding him he’s the pupil and not the was 15,” explains Lawrence. “So I thought I’d us Danny, The Champion Of The World,” teacher, as he keeps trying to tell everyone get something more…um…professional.” Like
22 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021 Profile: Clive Lawrence
Lawrence with former Derby County midfielder Bradley Johnson at a fundraising event Lawrence’s tattoo of Roald Dahl characters his stories, Lawrence has taken something ‘good’ grade. They said it did. “But we that could appear rough and made it “I legged down the wanted absolute clarity on why it wasn’t endlessly charming. outstanding. It was bouncing to and fro all Yet Lawrence acknowledges that one of corridor into the staff day,” laughs Lawrence. Inspectors looked his other motivations for his work comes at more evidence and agreed to convert from seeing his brother struggle at school room and shouted, the inspection into a two-day visit. That and in life. His younger sibling got in with afternoon, they told Lawrence the news – the wrong crowd on the estate and was ‘WE’VE DONE IT!’” the school was ‘outstanding’. eventually permanently excluded from “I said, ‘Can I just nip to the loo?’ And I secondary school. “Teachers would also legged down the corridor into the staff room say things to him like, ‘you’re not like your quite unstoppable. He credits Melsa Buxton, and shouted, ‘WE’VE DONE IT!’ and we were big brother Clive’, which compounded the his first headteacher as an NQT, with all going mad,” cackles Lawrence. “Then I issue,” he says. Lawrence has been the special emphasising the importance of being said, the inspector thinks I’m in the toilet, so guardian of his younger brother’s three- “highly ambitious, driven and aspirational” I ran back and composed myself.” year-old daughter since birth, with legal for pupils with special educational needs. Since then, the school has won SEN parental responsibility - a decision taken to When he took his second headship, at St School of the Year at Pearson’s Shine a Light help his brother out who was experiencing Giles in 2015, he was determined the school Awards in 2019 and achieved “world-class difficulties in life at the time, and to ensure should reach the top and introduced three school” status, a quality mark that looks his niece remained within the family. He new curriculum drivers: communication, at the development of pupils’ qualities holds a picture of a smiling little girl up to the independence and community. When a and characteristics, instead of national camera, beaming himself. pupil’s EHCP arrives, staff approach it with assessment frameworks. Meanwhile, the So although Lawrence may have only those three goals in mind, he explains: vastly school delivers inclusion and SEND training been a teacher for five years before being increasing a pupil’s communication abilities, to about 40 schools, sharing best practice in made head at a primary special school in their capacity to work independently mainstream settings. Staffordshire, one suspects he has been towards an adult life, and building a sense “It’s still quite unique for special schools watching and learning closely for many of community in which pupils are engaged to be seen to be leading the way,” says years. Circle of life stuff was close to home. and happy. A big outdoor education Lawrence. “We have to shout a lot.” From age 15 he’d volunteered with a holiday programme was launched to help meet all But it’s working. As we speak, Lawrence’s camp for disadvantaged kids in Derby, and three goals, so that now every classroom phone rings. He puts it down after a in the archive of black-and-white pictures has its own outdoor area. Pupils learn to use moment. “That was the DfE.” He’s going to be of the camp he found a picture of his mum, saws and hammers, make fires and build part of an ‘inspirational headteachers’ series. who’d gone there herself as a child. dens. Perhaps finally special needs schools like Such experiences and inspiration make It was in 2016 that inspectors came his, and special needs heads like him, will Lawrence’s drive for excellence seemingly to check if the school still deserved its get the full recognition they deserve.
23 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
Opinion DO YOU HAVE A STORY? CONTACT US [email protected]
CARLY WATERMAN Headteacher, Lodge Park Academy, David Ross Education Trust
An inspector (video) calls. Our experience of Ofsted remote visits
The regulator has a difficult balance last month, shows the inspectorate to strike between accountability has adapted its practice. But rather and distraction but our inspection than hastily devise some onerous input into the scheduling itself. We been no separate meeting focused team got the tone just right, writes pandemic-specific framework, started from their suggested outline solely on welfare. And yet, that is Carly Waterman Ofsted has opted to stay entirely but emails back and forth saw it what fills our days and disturbs our sleep! t’s only 18 months ago that – With regards to the approach to general acclaim – Ofsted There were times you could almost itself, it’s fair to say there were Ilaunched its new inspection times you could almost forget an framework. Since then, the forget an inspection was happening inspection was happening. No regulator has been relegated to the frantic pacing outside doors to educational sidelines. Their absence focused on curriculum. evolve through a few versions. find out what had been asked; no has created issues for schools like Of course, there are quirks to the The final one was approved on a arm-raising in despair following a mine, stuck with the wrong score on process. For starters, the entire video-conferencing call with both meeting with an unexpected line the door and desperate to show our inspection took place over Microsoft inspectors. of questioning; no text message improvement. Teams. Strange, but not unpleasant. Everything was done in reminders to mention X or Y; and So it was with some caution We’re all used to such platforms collaboration, including the choice definitely no tears. that I welcomed their return this by now and other than a fair few of subject leaders (four of them) to Instead, we were able to express term for ‘remote visits’. How could instances of “You’re on mute!”, the meet. We were also able to choose the unique personality of our school. inspectors get a true picture of technology held up. which members of staff and which We invited inspectors to attend a our performance through video But even with technology that students were spoken to and which live CPD session, and they happily conferencing? And without a grade works, it isn’t at all obvious how you additional meetings we might like. obliged. They even stopped by for at the end of it, how could they inspect a school you can’t set foot in Determined not to disrupt live our ‘pets assembly’. ensure the process was productive and where, even if you could, most lessons, the inspectors watched Some old habits die hard, it seems, for the school and its community students and teachers are working recorded lesson segments during as we noted with secret pleasure and not a distraction from the remotely. Thankfully, the inspection the meetings. Now skilled at screen- that the inspectors were very day-to-day pressures of teaching team approached the challenge with sharing, my team showed snippets familiar with all the content of our through Covid? flexibility and good humour. to demonstrate how they had website, including letters home The short answer is that I needn’t The inspectors couldn’t have been adapted the curriculum in current to parents. Overall though, it felt have worried. When the call came, clearer: They had no intention of circumstances. like a conversation rather than an it was the start of a supportive disrupting our provision, expected How the curriculum is being inspection – candid, validating and process from start to finish. What us to do nothing special or extra for adapted currently for SEND very human. we experienced was a clear them, did not want to drop in on students was a running theme. At any time, that’s something to continuation from the term-and- live lessons, and understood that How we’re supporting early be grateful for. In these times, never a-half the new framework was in whatever schedule we came up with readers during lockdown, another. more so. We still have the wrong place before disaster struck. would be ‘a work in progress’. Safeguarding was a thread, but if we score on the door, but we await the Their operational note, published Tellingly, we had considerable hadn’t requested it there would have post-inspection letter with relish.
24 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
Opinion DO YOU HAVE A STORY? CONTACT US [email protected]
AMBER SMITH SCITT trainee, Leicestershire
Pandemic teacher training is a privilege, not a hardship
The most valuable lesson has been time, of course, but local infection the importance of practising what rates meant blended learning was you teach, writes Amber Smith already the norm rather than the exception. Given the pressures erm 2 of teacher training and schools were under, how the course my placement is completely leaders even managed to get us all Tonline at this point. I am on to school placements with only a only able to observe classes, and week lost to Covid alterations seems progress towards teaching is made a miracle to me. infinitely harder by the fact that Organisation is rapidly becoming a for, learning, you have to practise succession. I am a visualiser wizard my future students are not happy, vital part of my skillset, but it’ll take what you teach. The school and the and my IT skills are growing smiling faces behind desks but daily. I’ve learned the importance names on black squares in a video of community and parental conferencing app. They’re mostly In spite of everything, my experience has engagement in a way I could never silent, except of course when you been an ideal introduction to the career forget. I’ve observed excellent really need them to be (“Can you teaching in the classroom and mute your mic, please?”). That said, online. I’ve had a chance to practise their teacher is doing a fantastic job some doing to match that. Still, it’s SCITT are both glowing examples both and watched experienced and keeping learning happening. evident I’m learning from the best of what it means to be in education: highly effective teachers continue to Then there’s the difficulty of – not just the course leaders, but helping people, changing lives and learn and grow themselves. setting exercises when you don’t our trainers too. The first of our two providing a safe space for all. Training to teach during Covid know who has access to what placements was relatively normal; So as I sit remotely observing is not a hardship; it’s a privilege. materials. Sure, anyone who has we had to deal with the same remote learning, I’m not focused on And it’s not just teachers’ care completed a SCITT programme adjustments as all other teachers. what I’ve lost. To be sure, this year and commitment that’s been so knows it’s a challenge. When I But since everything was new to has been hard and the path ahead enthusing. Teenagers’ ability to keep signed up for mine as a career us at that point, things were much remains uncertain. We missed out laughing given everything that’s changer last year I knew that would harder for our mentors than for on opportunities to see special been thrown at them is too. be the case. Naively perhaps, what anyone else. schools and on primary placements. The future is even more uncertain I didn’t account for was the added And yet, in spite of everything, Some of the safety protocols have for them. The impacts of the test of completing my training my experience has been an ideal made teaching difficult and some pandemic on this generation of during a pandemic. introduction into the career. My of our PGCE assignments have had young people will not be fully I began my art and design teacher teacher educator didn’t miss a to change last minute. Moving on understood for a very long time. For training with Leicestershire step, quickly pushing me into to our second placements in full now though, and while they remain Secondary SCITT in September. It leading lessons with an admirable lockdown was a whole new level of at school, they will have at their side wasn’t long before I became aware level of support and patience. A challenge. perhaps the most determined and of the implications of the timing. key lesson for me is that, when it But I have added so many new most resilient generation of NQTs Schools were fully reopened at the comes to habits of, and behaviours skills to my repertoire in quick there has ever been.
25 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
Opinion DO YOU HAVE A STORY? CONTACT US [email protected]
PAMAN SINGH Associate Principal Litigation Solicitor, Law at Work
Can schools make staff vaccination mandatory? education sector employers would particularly as they have a duty to be on firm ground requiring staff make reasonable adjustments for There are good arguments for and complex issue. vaccinations against this deadly disabled employees. expecting school staff to get Government has made clear virus, much of the legal argument One thing is for sure, the situation vaccinated against Covid but vaccination will not be mandatory, will depend on the particular is not as straightforward for any policy must consider those and an employer can’t force circumstances, including the employers as it may appear. It is who can’t or won’t, writes an employee to take it up. employee’s reasons for refusal. For going to be vital to initiate open and Paman Singh However, employers may have a refusal to be deemed reasonable sensitive conversations with staff responsibility to furnish employees there would need to be significant to avoid situations where genuine ews of a vaccine is the light with guidance and advice on justification. For example, a fear reasons for not taking the vaccine at the end of a very long the vaccine’s benefits. Active of needles wouldn’t cut it, but are overlooked or dismissed. Ntunnel for many teachers engagement in this process may be trypanophobia – a fear of needles The additional work around these and school staff. Discussions conversations will be crucial too. around where in the pecking order Organisations should consider teachers will fall in its rollout Much of the legal argument will depend engagement with trade unions are ongoing, and with so much on the employee’s reasons for refusal and employee representatives still unknown, there is already now if mandatory vaccination is a speculation that restrictions will be consideration. Likewise, having a placed on those who don’t receive necessary for employers to provide to such an extent that the sufferer robust vaccination policy in place it. While the government maintains evidence of compliance with their could be defined as a disabled that clearly establishes what is it will not impose such restrictions, duty under the Health & Safety at person under the Equality Act – required, by whom, and the process it’s hard to see how it could stop Work Act. could. in the event of non-compliance other organisations from doing so. In addition to this duty to inform, Similarly, certain religions may will be crucial. That is something all Like all other employers, schools employers will likely have some take exception to the use of animal organisations should be considering are required by law to ensure all manoeuvrability. If an organisation products in the vaccine. However, and seeking advice on now. “reasonably practicable” steps are can show that the requirement attempts by vegetarians, vegans Like so much of the past year, taken to reduce workplace risks. for an employee to be vaccinated or even anti-vaxxers to justify this area of employment law is They will almost certainly have is a reasonable management their stance on similar grounds is unprecedented. As this high-profile a positive obligation to strongly instruction, then any refusal unlikely to be successful. and extremely complex area will recommend all staff get vaccinated, could justify disciplinary action, Further, an employee might refuse almost certainly throw up difficult especially given the obvious and perhaps even dismissal, if deemed on the basis that the contents of the decisions, schools should take demonstrated risk of virus spread unreasonable. This would likely vaccine are incompatible with their appropriate pre-emptive steps to in the classroom. apply in circumstances where the medication, or that their health put themselves in the strongest However, there remain those who, employee’s role puts them in a condition otherwise renders them possible position. for reasons varying from religious position where some element of unable to have the vaccine. Where By seeking advice early, beliefs to health concerns, can’t or close contact is unavoidable, such their health condition amounts to a school leaders can enter into won’t take the vaccine. They could as schools. disability, this introduces additional conversations with staff before the present schools with a challenging But although it may feel like considerations for the employer, issue goes from urgent to critical.
26 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
Opinion DO YOU HAVE A STORY? CONTACT US [email protected]
Despite a slow-down in academy sector growth overall, some have clearly out-performed others. Who? PAM TUCKETT How? And what can we learn from this? Pam Tuckett finds out Head of education, Bishop Fleming
ecision-making during the pandemic has been Dchallenging. However, trust boards appear to have adapted What academy finances can tell challenge both the management quickly to the demands of pandemic accounts and budgets to ensure leadership, and MATs have shown us about the future of the sector delivery of educational objectives remarkable strength and flexibility in in the most cost-effective way. conditions applied by headteacher maintenance. While this year’s dealing with continual change. Our advice to clients when boards. operating environment has been At a general level, Covid has created preparing budgets is to In the past year, it is non- incredibly tough, the first lockdown an increased pressure to focus on avoid falling into the trap of educational issues that have actually resulted in many schools operational matters rather than automatically placing incremental highlighted some of the benefits of saving money, improving the financial strategic decisions across the sector. increases on actual costs incurred being in a MAT, particularly a larger position of the academy sector. This change in leadership emphasis has in the previous year. It is by one. The academy sector has many However, while lockdowns have meant that the skills and knowledge remaining focused on the financial stakeholders to consider, which can reduced demand for supply cover, required of MAT trustees have challenges that fresh thinking and continued to increase, with boards considered alternatives emerge. required to be far more effective in the This has been a year of difficult choices, And in the end, budgets should be way governance is undertaken. Their and we’re not out of the woods yet based on trust improvement plans legal and moral responsibilities, both to ensure resources are deployed as employers and chief supporters or effectively and sustainably. organisation leaders, have really come hinder the necessary changes to for example, these costs are likely to There are positive take-aways to the fore. the delivery of education. Having a increase again in the future. from the past year. The move to It has also contributed to the annual central leadership team with the time That’s why trusts have found it virtual governance, for example, rate of sector growth slowing from and expertise to respond quickly to difficult to approve budgets that has brought benefits such as 10.8 per cent in 2019 to 7.8 per cent external events improves the impact enable them to be agile in the face time saving and increased in 2020. However, this whole-sector a trust can make. of constantly changing demands. inclusion and accessibility. trend disguises an unequal growth This has been a year of difficult This is especially necessary amid the Most importantly, MATs have that has seen the strongest and more choices, and we’re not out of pandemic, so while additional income demonstrated the robustness, centralised trusts continue to lead. the woods yet. With more tough from government has been welcome, effectiveness and agility of Looking closer at the detail, we can decisions ahead, the crucial matters the manner in which it has been made centralised governance. see that while MATs overall are still are how trusts go about making available has not. In fact, it has made As we emerge from these growing, it is the fully centralised these decisions, how their resources it near-impossible for trusts to budget troubled times, the centralised MATs that are growing most. In fact, are spent and how effective their accurately. As a result, it is difficult to MAT model is increasingly decentralised trusts have decreased decisions are. predict the outturn for this financial demonstrating its potential to in size, indicating that some have Even before Covid, trusts were year. deliver schools that are free from rebrokered schools while others have ensuring they spent their budgets In these increasingly challenging financial and logistical distractions themselves been rebrokered. This is as efficiently as possible, reviewing times, it is crucial that reliable and able to focus on education and also consistent with feedback from staffing levels and identifying management accounts are produced community. our clients that moving to a more cutbacks in non-essential to aid decision-making. Trustees And that is surely what we need centralised model is often part of the expenditure, such as building should be prepared to robustly as we look to the recovery.
27 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
Opinion DO YOU HAVE A STORY? CONTACT US [email protected]
Lockdown Diary - A test of character
SOPHIE MURFIN Executive principal, Wise Owl Trust
Monday, February 1 Empathy, Self-Respect, Positivity, Jenga. That’s what it’s like running a Excellence, Communication and multi-academy trust in a pandemic. Teamwork. But today my resilience One wrong move and the whole has gone out of the window. Eleven lot could tumble down. This week months into Covid and I’ve finally out for our children, staff and lessons we teach – self-confidence. that piece might just be me. Covid hit a wall. families. We are not just a place of From that stems confidence in has finally come calling. A positive It can’t last long. At 3.30pm, I’m education – we are a place of safety, others, so today I’m strict with test last night and here I am, trying hosting a Zoom meeting, work shirt emotional, medical and financial myself about not taking part in the to keep the show rolling from my over my pyjamas. Practise what you support, nutrition… Everything the email chaos. Our three principals sick bed. preach. community needs. are highly competent and will do To be honest I was feeling almost People think staying open is a just the right thing for our schools. invincible. When symptoms started Tuesday, February 2 case of covering teacher absences – pounding headache, dizziness, The first time in my career I haven’t but we’ve got 1,700 pupils and Friday, February 5 exhaustion – I put it down to stress. been on site. I even had my tonsils 235 staff over three schools. It’s a Feeling a little better, and very Alongside everything else, we out over a half-term so I wouldn’t massive cog turning that’s invisible aware I’m one of the lucky ones. are having a new heating system miss a day. to most people. And everyone’s My main worry now is how do we installed throughout school, Meeting at 11am. Turns out you looking to me for answers. all survive this pandemic, mentally replacing every pipe and radiator. can even log in to Zoom from your This time, the sweats are Covid- and physically? So, when drilling started outside sick bed. I look horrendous and related. I feel like hell but my bed It’s been a tough week but, my office on Friday, I put my head my woolly Covid brain struggles to – with two mobiles and laptop – is logging in from my bed once on my desk with sheer exhaustion string a sentence together. now the trust’s nerve centre. The more, I’m taken by how much the and thought maybe this is what I go back to bed before, ping! A cogs must keep spinning. kids can teach us about strength burnout feels like. notification reminds me of another of character. I’m unceasingly We’ve had lateral flow tests in Zoom people are trying to join. Thursday, February 4 surprised with just how well they school for a week now. A routine Shirt back on to let everybody in to News on the debate over schools are coping. test on Sunday confirmed my our local governing board meeting. reopening filters through my viral Of course, they have us to support worst fears. I’ve got Covid. I don’t For the first time ever I have to fog. Not that we have been closed. them, and my main lesson from this know what’s worse, the headache apologise and log out. In the first lockdown we had 30 week is that I’m not alone either. or the guilt of ‘putting upon’ my pupils in, this time it’s 300. From resilience to teamwork, the colleagues. I frantically cancel my Wednesday, February 3 Back then I monitored trust’s character and mine have diary. Night sweats are now an developments constantly. Now, been tested this week. I think we’ve At Wise Owl we specialise in occupational hazard, irrespective after so many massive government passed. character education. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. of Covid symptoms. There’s U-turns I’ve learned the true I might even ignore emails for the is the motto we live by – Resilience, such a massive pressure to look value of one of the main character rest of the day. Then again…
28 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
Reviews
BOOK REVIEW
Lessons from Lockdown: The Educational Legacy of Covid-19 Author: Tony Breslin Publisher: Routledge Reviewer: Steve Turnbull, former lecturer in media and education
As the nation endures its third lockdown access to computer technology, and – and the instant backfire from Gavin within the space of ten months, it is the seemingly deep disparities between Williamson’s appeal to complain to beyond debate that the Covid pandemic assessment outcomes highlighted by Ofsted indicates it might be – many has caused massive and unprecedented Ofqual’s attempt to fix the problem parents seem to have gained valuable disruption to schools. Staff, children and of cancelled examinations with insight into the complexities and parents alike are under considerable algorithmically balanced grades. demands of teaching. strain. There is also no doubt that the Drawing on the findings of its research This chimes with another resonant government’s response, principally with 100 participants made up of theme in the book: the importance of through the DfE and Ofsted, has drawn ‘pupils, parents and professionals’, the having realistic expectations. ‘Super wide and frequently fierce criticism. book makes a raft (50 in total) of policy heads’ in danger of burnout, take note. But many have gone further, claiming recommendations. Some of these seem Sensibly, Breslin advocates a shift that not only has the crisis revealed more hopeful than realistic, given the towards a more blended approach to longstanding issues, it has created government’s largely unresponsive teaching and learning in order to make a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to record (Marcus Rashford’s campaigning schools more ‘resilient’ post-Covid. reset the school system, or (to use the aside). But the breadth of thinking is Unfortunately, he then neglects to vernacular) to ‘build back better’ and impressive, demonstrating both the firm mention the health risks, for teachers create a ‘new normal’. That is the core handle Breslin has on the current policy and pupils, of excessive ‘screen use’. argument of Lessons from Lockdown, framework and his extensive background My main criticism of the book, authored by ‘policy influencer and knowledge. however, is that its ‘reset’ argument educational commentator’ Tony Breslin. The latter is illustrated by his actually doesn’t go far enough. There The book focuses on the impact the convincing attempt to put the issues is plenty of talk about resilience within initial lockdown of spring/summer raised by Covid into a broader industrial/ its pages, but not a single mention of 2020 had on primary and secondary post-industrial context. Arguing that environmental sustainability. Yet, to my schools. Describing its approach as”‘part the popularity of former Labour leader mind, the most important lockdown ethnography… part quasi-journalistic Jeremy Corbyn was attributable to a rise lesson of all is that we simply have to join account... and part research stud”’, it of ‘anti-politics’ stands out as one of the the dots between zoonotic pandemics, chronicles the main events, analyses book’s more dubious claims. But they the catastrophic loss of biodiversity reaction to these in the school system are few and far between caused by rampant industrialism, and mainstream media and draws out and never undermine the and climate change. a range of lessons that stakeholders whole. And we must allow across the spectrum can learn from. But the book seldom fails children to see the big The book’s (‘social/holistic’) to engage by sustaining a picture that emerges progressive perspective will likely strong sense of narrative about the ‘normal’ that meet with some scepticism from and capturing more created Covid. more ‘traditionalist’ quarters. But it is important ‘lessons’. These Nonetheless, fundamentally right to argue (backed include the remarkable while it may make up by a telling quote from PM Boris agility shown by the uncomfortable reading Johnson) that the pandemic has cast a school system (especially for Gavin Williamson, sharp light on the structural inequities given the record of policy it’s a highly thought- that undermine inclusion/well-being U-turns), and a new provoking and and prevent disadvantaged children understanding emerging significant contribution from achieving their full potential. between parents and to the emerging Notable among these are the ‘digital teachers. Assuming the educational literature divide’ caused by socially varied research is representative on lockdown.
29 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021 Reviews
As historical artefacts, these are fascinating in themselves. The episode I have selected is part of the series that sees presenters Tash and Adam read log book entries and hear stories about growing up, looking for help and even a teenager who took the government to court. They TOP BLOGS also catch up with the changes happening around relationships and sex education in of the week schools right now, via Kaley Foran from The Key.
Outcasting Youth podcast @OutCastingMedia
This American public radio LGBTQ youth Penny Rabiger takes over our ‘blogs of the week’ slot once every half-term programme is run by young people to point to the best of the education and is heard on over 50 public radio podcasts stations in the United States. The show covers a range of issues around LGBTQ+ @Penny_Ten education. Education on Fire podcast The episode I have chosen features @taylormapps Lucas, who talks about why it’s important for everyone to be able to express This podcast series shares creative themselves, and why this can be extra The episode I think is well worth and inspiring learning in schools. The hard for LGBTQ+ young people at school. starting with is the first of a three- episode I have chosen features Shaun He looks at a positive experience that part series on Section 28. This was the Dellenty, who has been an educator for came out of Covid quarantine and home policy of banning “the promotion of 20 years and is probably best known for schooling. It’s lovely to hear from a young homosexuality in schools” which was his ‘Inclusion for All’ programme. This person who could indeed be in any enacted in 1988. Echoes of it remain. is something he devised in response to teacher’s classroom - or at home, trying See, for example, last week’s book review the homophobic bullying he witnessed out new outfits instead... in these pages. The push-back against in the school where he was deputy anti-racism is also very redolent of the headteacher. To be exact, 75 per cent of Equality Education podcast language and attitudes that led to it. pupils they surveyed in key stages 1 and @PopnOlly This year is the 21st anniversary of 2 said that they had directly experienced the repeal of this act in Scotland (three homophobic bullying and language on a This is a podcast that explores the best full years before England) and so it is daily basis. practices for an LGBT+ and equality fascinating and horrifying in equal The episode, A Whole School Approach inclusive education. With guest speakers, measure to hear from educators who to LGBT+ Inclusion, is exactly what tips and advice, Equality Education were impacted by it and fought against the title says, and focuses on ensuring describes itself as a show for teachers, this act. Lest we forget... everyone can show up and be themselves parents or anyone who believes in a in school - as children, families, teachers kinder, more accepting society for future and a part of the school community. generations. It’s been particularly tough The Log Books on young people recently, so I think we @switchboardLGBT TIE Talks podcast can all get with that agenda. @tiecampaign The episode I have selected is an This podcast series covers stories from enlightening discussion with Lui Asquith, Britain’s LGBTQIA+ history and features This is a podcast series compiled by the who is legal and policy and operations conversations about being queer today. charity Time for Inclusive Education manager at Mermaids, the charity that Sprinkled throughout are readings from (TIE), which works for LGBT-inclusive supports transgender and gender-variant the actual log books kept by the people education in Scottish schools. The children, young people and their families. taking calls on Switchboard, the national podcast covers LGBT history, current Simply put, it is a really important one LGBTQIA+ helpline that has been going affairs, education, interviews and topical for schools trying to ensure that they are for more than 40 years. issues. friendly to all humans.
CLICK ON REVIEWS TO VIEW BLOGS 30 xx will review a research development each half term. Contact them xx if you have a topic you'd like them to explore
@SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
Research
Ambition Institute’s Harry Fletcher-Wood will review a research development each half term. Contact them @Ambition_Inst or @HFletcherWood if you have a topic you’d like him to explore
How can we help students transfer learning to new contexts?
Harry Fletcher-Wood, associate dean at Ambition Institute
et’s say we’ve successfully taught students something new: they Lunderstand it, can apply it and retain it. We now face a harder challenge: helping students transfer their learning to new contexts. For example, if we’ve taught students to graph data in maths, we want them to do so unprompted in future lessons, and to think to use it in science, history and perhaps in a future career. This turns out to be very tricky. To transfer knowledge to a new situation, a student must: more similar the context – the easier it is. of asking a variety of questions about 1) Recognise that their existing knowledge For example, it’s usually easier to transfer a concept. The researchers termed this is relevant learning from English to history than ‘elaborative encoding’. Sticking with similes, 2) Recall it correctly English to PE; it’s easier to recall an idea in I might ask, “What technique is this? Why 3) Apply it successfully the same classroom than in a different one. isn’t it a metaphor? What else could the Often, students fall at one of these hurdles. Most research examines near transfer: few author have likened this to?” Approaching They treat graphing in science as a novel look at whether a skill taught in science is the same idea from multiple directions and challenge, for example, or recall their used five years later in maths. So the first getting students thinking harder about it original learning imperfectly. But if what we thing to take from the research is to be helps them to access it again in future. (I teach is to make a real difference to students, realistic. We may hope our lessons stick discussed this in a previous research review, they must be able to apply it beyond our with students for life, but if they recall it with here). lessons – whether next week or in five years’ another teacher next week we’re doing well. Finally, the authors found that quizzes time. How can we encourage this? How can we promote transfer? A helpful can be a powerful way to create learning A seminal review begins by emphasising review and meta-analysis looks at how that “generalises to different situations that researchers disagree “about the nature the questions we ask and the quizzes we and different test types”. We can also give of transfer, the extent to which it occurs and give can help. First, researchers found that feedback after quizzes, leading students to the nature of its underlying mechanisms”. asking similar questions helps students revisit, rethink and restudy what they have The authors try to help by categorising to recall what they know. For example, if learned. The researchers have created a transfer. We might ask students to transfer I introduced similes by asking about the helpful practical guide to their findings for learning between places (from the classroom author “likening one thing to another”, the teachers. to the sports field), social situations (from same form of words makes it more likely We can’t guarantee students will recall individual work to group debate) and students will remember and apply this what we teach them in future years, but modalities (talking about something they knowledge. we can make it more likely. First, we need have previously written about, for example). This may seem unsurprising (and limiting) to ensure students’ initial understanding. We may also ask them to transfer learning but it’s useful. We can promote transfer by Then we can help students to transfer their across more abstract boundaries: between sharing the language and question stems understanding by preparing them (using knowledge domains (from maths to we use across contexts. We can agree elaborative encoding to help them access science) and functional contexts how we will talk about graphing across key ideas), prompting them (using similar (applying academic skills in non- departments for example, or share question language when asking them to recall those academic contexts). ideas with parents. ideas) and challenging them (through The ‘nearer’ the transfer – the The review also emphasised the value retrieval practice and feedback).
31 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
WEEK IN WESTMINSTER Your regular guide to what’s going on in central government
an ambitious and detailed commitment THURSDAY TUESDAY to helping kids recover from Covid The Department for Education has We at Week in Westminster started closures. very kindly set up a Get Help Buying to get a bit worried about Nick Gibb Let’s compare that with Gibb’s own service to ensure schools deliver “value after his promises that edtech could department, which is still twiddling its for money”. Oh the irony. revolutionise teaching. thumbs over giving schools an inkling This week we reveal that the DfE faces Thankfully, his dally away from into how grades will be awarded in, paying out over £250k in bonuses to preaching the virtues of traditional erm, just a few months. civil servants who were roped in to teaching was short-lived. When Meanwhile, when asked about free work over Christmas in the last-minute questioned during the education select school meals during the same meeting, rush to set up that ill-fated mass testing committee about why disadvantaged his colleague Vicky Ford requested MPs regime. pupils were failing, Gibb went into his “don’t frighten children”. We assume Last week the DfE was criticised by zen-like trad mode and blamed it all she misquoted the government’s own MPs for not bothering to check they on schools not following his beloved policy of “don’t feed the children” (oh, were getting good value on the *looks EBacc. unless a footballer tells you to). up notes* £450-odd million pound free He then picked a fight with all the Earlier that day, education committee school vouchers scheme. (A contract teachers in Blackpool (and the Schools chair and Tory MP Robert Halfon told which, as we report this week, was just Week editor, who grew up there) by BBC Breakfast viewers the “four horses rolled over again without going out to highlighting the seaside town’s low [sic] of the education apocalypse were an open tender). EBacc entry rate. galloping towards pupils” as they miss
While Gibb is nosing around what’s out on learning. We can only assume *** going on in Blackpool, he might want the men normally riding the horses Exam boards were quick to shout to take note of its recent 10-year plan – were shielding. about how they would return any
WEDNESDAY unused exam fees last year. Turns out that only a quarter of the dosh ended up It’s been another hard slog for teachers making it back into school coffers. Now this term – running classes both in we also know they increased fees for school and online – so the half term that year by another inflation-busting next week will offer a chance to switch 3.3 per cent! off. Or at least, that’s what we thought. Interestingly, the increase in exam fees in 2019-20 was actually lower than Prime minister Boris Johnson told the one the previous year. We wonder us today that he’ll be setting out “as if that’s got anything to do with Ofqual much as we can say on Monday” about now publishing a new price guide that school reopenings. He had previously reveals the rises. promised to reveal the plans in the first Fear not, with no exams this year, week back after half-term. fees surely won’t rise again, right? Er, Whether Bozza will actually say wrong. The major exam boards are all anything helpful, or just another load of upping their prices, as Schools Week waffle, is anyone’s guess. has previously reported.
32 EDITION 240 | FRIDAY, FEB 12, 2021
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LITTLE LONDON COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL
“ Helping children and the community succeed in the heart of the city”
Headteacher Little London Community Primary School, Leeds L20 – L26 (£67,364 - £78,025) Negotiable with candidate on the basis of current earnings and prior experience.
About our School Little London is a thriving community primary school very close to Leeds city centre. We are a three form entry school who serve a culturally rich and diverse area of the city and we are very proud of the strong relationships we have made with our children and their families.
Our aim is to provide the very best start for all our children. We are really proud of our school and the community we serve. Ours is a happy school where pupils are encouraged to become considerate and responsible members of society.
We want our children to have the skills and knowledge needed to achieve their ambitions and to lead happy, successful lives. Above all, we want them to enjoy their days at school and to know the joys of learning, perseverance and challenge.
We are looking for an inspiring headteacher who will lead, motivate and develop our highly dedicated staff whilst maintaining the culture and vision of the school.
A message from the governors Our current headteacher is retiring this year, after many years of dedicated service to the school and its community. She has responded enthusiastically and creatively to many challenges, including a rapid increase of numbers, the increased diversity of our pupils and families, and most recently the Covid pandemic.
The school has been exemplary in caring for pupils during the pandemic, with careful planning to prevent the spread of infection to families. We have recently equipped all pupils with Chromebooks to help their learning in school and at home.
We can offer you: • a committed and enthusiastic team of staff • hardworking and happy pupils • supportive parents who want the best for their children
Our children want a headteacher who: • is kind and sensitive • cares about us as children • inspires us and sets challenging goals
We want a leader who: • is experienced, creative and innovative • puts children and the community at the centre of their vision • is passionate about primary education • has high expectations of children’s achievements and behaviour • creates strong and effective working relationships
Do you have the experience to take our school forward? If so, we would very much like to hear from you.
For an application pack and further details, please contact [email protected]
Closing date: 1 March at noon. www.littlelondonprimaryschool.co.uk
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TRUST EDUCATION DIRECTOR Competitive salary
This is a newly created post to support the Chief Executive in ensuring the children and young people within our schools are given the best start in life, are able to achieve their academic potential, and grow in confidence as they learn about themselves and the world in which they live.
It is an influential, diverse role, and so the ability to think strategically, drive improvement, and have the ability to engage others is essential.
The successful candidate will play a central role in providing strategic leadership for the Trust ensuring its approach to school improvement delivers successful outcomes. Accountable for the quality of education in schools across the Trust and leading the Trust’s school improvement programme, they will support and challenge schools to achieve their aspirational targets for pupils and the communities they serve.
Aquinas is a successful, highly collaborative Trust that offers a variety of career and development opportunities to talented individuals who want to make a difference.
This is a full time role that comes with an attractive salary package which reflects the scale and demands of the role. The Trust offers Teachers’ Pay and Conditions and membership of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
Further information is provided in the application pack. Please visit: https://www.aquinastrust.org/vacancies
The CEO would also be happy to speak with potential candidates. Please contact Janet Vick, HR Director at [email protected] or telephone 020 3949 7016, to request a call back.
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Principal Principal
Barnsley Academy is part of We are looking for a leader The Regis School is a support and which serves its United Learning, a successful with the highest expectations, large 11-18 co-educational local area well. We are looking national group of academies committed to continuous Academy that forms part of for a leader with the highest and independent schools. improvement, who believes United Learning, a successful expectations, committed to Our schools share a mission that extraordinary success is national group of academies continuous improvement, who to bring out ‘the best in possible. and independent schools. believes that extraordinary everyone’ and to improve the Our schools share a mission success is possible. life chances of the children If you are looking for an to bring out ‘the best in and young people in their care. exciting, challenging and highly everyone’ and to improve the If you are looking for an rewarding role to combine life chances of the children exciting, challenging and highly Barnsley Academy is a good the autonomy of running a and young people in their care. rewarding role to combine school (Ofsted 2020) serving secondary school with the the autonomy of running a a proud and vibrant Yorkshire benefit of working within The Regis School is a good large secondary school with community. The school is a a cluster and as part of a school which sits at the heart the benefit of working within place of educational success, national group, and if you have of its community. It is one a successful cluster and as with a strong curriculum, good an unshakeable commitment of the biggest employers in part of a national group, and teaching, and effective pupil to improving the lives of the town of Bognor Regis if you have an unshakeable support and which serves its young people, we encourage and boasts state of the art commitment to improving local area with distinction. The you to visit us. facilities. The school’s leaders the lives of young people, we Academy has the confidence have grown its educational encourage you to visit us. of its community – it is now success, built the support of oversubscribed in Year 7 and Find out more parents, and created a school Find out more full in other year groups, with with a strong curriculum, good around 900 pupils on roll. and apply here teaching and effective pupil and apply here
Teaching Posts, permanent and full time
Livingstone Academy Bournemouth (LAB) is an innovative new looking to recruit professionals who have the mindset to deliver school for children aged 4 to 18 opening in September 2021 and model an education fit for this fast-changing world. We will in the heart of Bournemouth. Our ambition is to ensure that appoint teachers who are prepared and able to teach outside of all young people leave school equipped with the skills and their own subject, plan learning in teams and who are excited knowledge to thrive in their future lives and careers in the about being trained in computational thinking. Essentially LAB digital age. Young people must be creative, critical thinkers who teachers and leaders need to be creative and flexible. If you are can create technology as well as consume it. interested in finding out about the full details of the nature of the teaching role at LAB please request further information. We are now looking to recruit to the following teaching posts required for September 2021: Learn more about Livingstone Academy at www.livingstone-aspirations.org Primary phase: Secondary phase: Reception English If you consider you are the right person for this role and would Maths like to be a part of the team at such an exciting time then it Science would be great to hear from you. Spanish . Art/Design/Technology Application forms and further details about the role can be downloaded from https://www.aspirationsacademies.org/ . Salary: Unless otherwise indicated, Aspirations MPS or .UPS, work-for-us/ subject to relevant previous experience. Closing date for applications: Friday 26 February 2021 at . As LAB grows to full capacity over the next few years, we are 5pm.
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HEADTEACHER Full Time, Permanent, Required for September 2021 Salary L13 - L 19 £56,721 - £65,735
We are looking for an inspirational Headteacher to join our vibrant and bustling school filled with incredible children. We would like a strong leader and team player who will build on the existing strengths of the school and support us on the next steps of our journey. If you think you can be our exceptional candidate, we can’t wait to meet you.
We need from you • A love of teaching and learning • A passion for developing your team • Strong, innovative and strategic leadership and management • A strong commitment to achieving success through partnership and teamwork • A strong commitment to the values of the school and the Trust • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills • Drive, ambition and high expectations • A commitment to ensuring our children achieve their biggest and bravest ambitions.
We can offer you • Engaged, happy, well-behaved and well-motivated children – we guarantee you will fall in love with them. • A dedicated, enthusiastic staff team committed to our school and our children and who will support you every step of the way • High levels of Trust and Governor support – you won’t be in this alone when you join the BDATfamily of schools • A welcoming, friendly and vibrant school • A career in a forward thinking Trust
Visits to the school are welcomed and encouraged but are by appointment only. We are so proud of our school, we want you to have the chance to visit and see it for yourself. It will convince you so much more than any advert can. Please contact Jilly Geering (PA to the Director of Primary Education) to arrange your visit via email: [email protected]
Timeline
Closing date: Monday 22nd February 2021 Tour dates: Thursday 11th February 2021 Shortlisting: Monday 22nd February 2021 Friday 12th February 2021 Interview: Day 1 Monday 1st March 2021 Interview: Day 2 Tuesday 2nd March 2021
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our children and we require all our staff to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced criminal records check via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Please see our Safeguarding and Child Protection policy on the BDAT website www.bdat-academies.org/bdat-business/bdat-policies/
For the Full Job Description and Application Form please visit https://www.bdat-academies.org/employer-of-choice/vacancies/
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“In Christ we flourish” “In ChristSaint we Gregory’s, flourish” Bath “In ChristSaint Combe weGregory’s, flourish” Hay Bath Lane, SaintCombe Gregory’s,Bath, Hay BA2 Lane,Bath 8PA CombeTBath, 01225 Hay BA2 832873 Lane, 8PA T 01225Bath, BA2 832873 8PA T 01225 832873 Deputy Headteacher Deputy Headteacher We require a forward-thinkingDeputy Headteacher and inspirational colleague to PRINCIPAL joinWe our require Senior a forward-thinkingLeadership Team and (SLT) inspirational from September colleague 2021. to joinWe requireour Senior a forward-thinkingLeadership Team and (SLT) inspirational from September colleague 2021. to The Harlow Academy, a member of The Evolve Trust, is an amazing The Deputy Headteacher will be instrumental in the strategic Thejoin ourDeputy Senior Headteacher Leadership will Team be (SLT)instrumental from September in the strategic 2021. management of our school, helping to lead and develop it as one form entry special school of 80 pupils aged 3-18 offering managementThe Deputy Headteacher of our school, will helping be instrumental to lead and in developthe strategic it as a centre for excellence in Catholic secondary education, whilst an innovative 21st century curriculum. The school requires an amanagement centre for excellence of our school, in Catholic helping secondary to lead and education, develop whilst it as ensuringensuringa centre the forthe best excellencebest possiblepossible in Catholic outcomes secondary forfor allall ourour education, young young people. people. whilst outstanding Principal who is committed to every child and young ensuring the best possible outcomes for all our young people. person receiving a first class education, one which inspires our TheThe successful successful candidate candidate willwill bring professionalism and and academic academic credibility,credibility,The successful balanced balanced candidate withwith warmthwarmth will bring and professionalism sensitivity, toto work workand across academicacross the the schools’ communities to achieve more than they thought possible. schoolschoolcredibility, to to create createbalanced aa commoncommon with warmth vision and of sensitivity,excellence,excellence, to helpingworkhelping across to to make make the The school benefits greatly from being part of the Evolve Trust, a SaintSaintschool Gregory’s Gregory’s to create a a truly atruly common exceptionalexceptional vision place of excellence, toto learnlearn and andhelping work work toin. in. make Saint Gregory’s a truly exceptional place to learn and work in. highly regarded, values driven, academy trust who are passionate about improving children’s life chances through quality education. Salary:Salary: LeadershipLeadership Scale L20L20 - - L24L24 The school is at the heart of its community and works alongside TheThe closing closing date dateSalary: isis midnight midnightLeadership on ScaleSunday L20 2828 - L24 FebruaryFebruary 2021 2021 The closing date is midnight on Sunday 28 February 2021 families to ensure that children can be the very best versions of InterviewsInterviews will will bebe heldheld W/CW/C Monday 88 MarchMarch 2021 2021 Interviews will be held W/C Monday 8 March 2021 themselves and develop into responsible citizens of the future.
For more information and how to apply visit VisitVisit www.st-gregorys.org.uk www.st-gregorys.org.uk to to apply apply Visit www.st-gregorys.org.uk to apply https://www.wildsearch.org/opportunities/evolve & email to Saint Gregory’s is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to [email protected] Saintthe safeguardingGregory’s is andan equal welfare opportunities of our students employer. and expect We areall staff committed to share to theSaint safeguarding Gregory’s isand an welfareequal opportunities of our students employer. and expect We are all committed staff to share to thisthe commitment.safeguarding Anand enhanced welfare of disclosure our students from and the expect DBS isall required staff to share for all thisthis commitment. commitment. An An enhanced enhancedsuccessful disclosuredisclosure applicants. fromfrom thethe DBS DBS is is required required for for all all Deadline: midday Monday 1st March successful applicants. successful applicants.
Deputy Headteacher - Schools Week Print 96 x 132 FINAL.indd 1 22/01/2021 11:47 DeputyDeputy Headteacher Headteacher - Schools- Schools Week Week Print Print 96 96 x x 132132 FINAL.indd 1 22/01/202122/01/2021 11:47 11:47 ASSISTANT HEAD TEACHER
SALARY: £59,581 - £64,461 CONTRACT TYPE: FULL TIME ORGANISATION TYPE: SECONDARY SCHOOL/ACADEMY/FREESCHOOL SECTOR: SECONDARY EDUCATION SUBJECT AREA: EDUCATION CONTRACT TERM: PERMANENT JOB ROLES: ASSISTANT HEAD EXPIRY DATE: 15-02-2021 START DATE: APRIL 2021
This is a fabulous opportunity for an Assistant Head Teacher to join For more information and to apply for this position, please visit: Edgar Wood Academy in its pre-opening phase. The school will https://www.peridotpartners.co.uk/jobs/edgar-wood-academy/ open in September 2021, with 120 year seven pupils in temporary accommodation at Hopwood Hall College before moving to a brand If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role you can new building at Bowlee in September 2022. The school is seeking contact our advising consultants: an Assistant Headteacher with drive, empathy and a commitment to Sally Lawson-Ritchie | [email protected] | 07904 158 737 Pastoral care and SEND. We are dedicated to the progression of every Drew Richardson-Walsh | [email protected] | 07739 364 033 child in our school to enable them to achieve their true potential. This is a rare opportunity to support the Headteacher to develop a brand-new Closing date: 12pm, Monday 15th February 2021 school for the families in the Middleton and Heywood communities of Rochdale. Candidates must be able to start in April 2021.
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SENCO Reports to: Executive Director of Learning, Livingstone Academy Bournemouth Hours: Full time role Salary: Aspirations Leadership Spine, dependent on experience and qualifications
Livingstone Academy Bournemouth (LAB) is an innovative new school for children aged 4 to 18 opening in September 2021 in the heart of Bournemouth. Our ambition is to ensure that all young people leave school equipped with the skills and knowledge to thrive in their future lives and careers in the digital age. Young people must be creative, critical thinkers who can create technology as well as consume it.
We are now looking to recruit a SENCO, starting in September 2021 to work across both phases, for children aged 4 to 18.
Learn more about Livingstone Academy at www.livingstone-aspirations.org
If you consider you are the right person for this role and would like to be a part of the team at such an exciting time then it would be great to hear from you.
Application forms and further details about the role can be downloaded from https://www.aspirationsacademies.org/work-for-us/
Email completed application forms to [email protected]
Please note we do not accept CV only applications. .
Closing date for applications: Friday 26 February. 2021 at 5pm.
Academy Principal (Full-time role) Grade: L11 ( £52,643 ) to L15 ( £57,986 )
St Mary’s Primary, Whitstable, a Catholic primary academy and part of Please visit https://www.kcsp.org.uk/academy-principal/ to view the full job the Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership (KCSP) is seeking to appoint an description. inspirational and dedicated Academy Principal from September 2021. Please send your letter of application, application form and all other related Reporting to the Executive Principal, the Academy Principal will be responsible documents to the Executive Principal at: [email protected] for the day-to-day leadership and management of the academy and will lead a team that strive together for children under the academy’s values of “ Joy, Your letter of application should be limited to 1,000 words max. and should Courage, Honesty, Excellence & Community”. The successful applicant will take outline why you feel you are suited to this role, what you believe you can the lead role in providing inspirational Catholic education to our pupils, and we bring to the academy and also detail your experience to date, skill set and are therefore seeking to appoint a practicing Catholic to this role. qualifications.
St Mary’s, Whitstable is an inclusive two-form entry academy. Its dedicated staff, Offers of employment are subject to an enhanced disclosure and barring service helpers and Governors work hard to ensure that every student is supported and check and section 128 check. challenged to be their very best. Serving the Parish of Our Lady Immaculate, Whitstable and the local area, the school’s most recent denominational Closing date for applications: 05 March 2021 @ 5pm inspection in November 2016 judged it as ‘Good’ and its most recent Ofsted Interviews will be held on: 19 March 2021 inspection in April 2018 also judged the academy to be ‘Good’ in all areas. Start date: 01 September 2021
www.st-marys-whitstable.kent.sch.uk
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ONLINE SCIENCE TEACHER – HOME BASED Primary Regional Director – Southern ICS Learn are experts in delivering globally recognised professional qualifications via online learning. More than 18,000 students each year choose us as their trusted training provider in order to progress their career. Online learning gives students the flexibility to fit their learning around other We have an opportunity for programmes, making the most commitments and gives them the chance to complete a qualification whilst an inspirational leader to of leading subject specialists, earning a salary. improve the education of a group-wide curriculum, our We are looking for an innovative individual who is passionate about science, has children across our primary group intranet and extensive experience of online teaching and is driven to help our students achieve their goals. schools. On a day-to-day CPD opportunities. You must be a qualified teacher, with at least two years teaching experience, basis, you will line-manage educated to a minimum of degree level in your subject area, with your several Headteachers and use You will need a strong track specialism incorporating more than one of the following – Biology, Physics, your previous experience as record in school leadership, Chemistry and Human Biology. Experience of Virtual Learning Environments and online classes would be highly advantageous. a Headteacher to support including coaching others these leaders in developing and developing effective You will have excellent communication skills, be adaptable, approachable and able to build positive relationships at all levels. You’ll have management improvement provisions, often improvement strategies. experience and be confident and professional in your interactions with staff. in challenging contexts. With the chance to oversee Having experience of working with qualification frameworks and of the design group-wide strategic projects, and production of course materials and learning programmes, you’ll use this At United Learning, we work you will bring well-developed experience to help progress our science portfolio. as a team, achieving more by relationship-building and Salary: £29,000 p.a. collaborating than any school influencing skills to the role, Full-time and permanent could on their own. Utilising and your innovative mindset collective knowledge and will deliver impactful change. Deadline for applications: 19th February facilities to drive visionary Please email your C.V. and a covering letter to Melanie Graham results, you will therefore Find out more [email protected] to apply. simplify work processes and and apply here Interviews will be held online. implement ambitious support
Executive Head Teacher HeadPermanent Teacher Permanent L18Leadership – L24 (£62,426 27 –to 31,£72,305 £79,957 per annum) to £88,185 per annum StartStart Date: Date: 23rd April August 2021 2021
The Mirfield Free Grammar WeAn are opportunity seeking an excellent has arisen Head for Teacher an experienced for Eastfield Primary and qualified School, someoneprofessional who is ableto join to lead our theTrust school Senior into Leadershipits next stage Teamin development to lead & Mirfield College, and shape the curriculum for the future. The Head Teacher will be someone Deputy/Assistant Head – Teaching & Learning on school improvement and quality assurance strategies who identifies with our mission and values and someone who will be L17 to L26 (depending on across a group of primary schools, notably those schools experience & expertise) dedicatedjoining theto working Trust from in partnership a position with which schools is belowand colleagues good andacross the widerthose Trust. which are already part of the Trust but who require some additional support. This is a truly exciting Leadership opportunity for This is an exciting time to join our Trust as we move into the next stage of an enthusiastic and ambitious Teaching & Learning ourThis development role is perfect where for we someone can offer a whowealth has of experiencesupport with collaborativeof professional based at The MFG & Mirfield College. As opportunities.driving positive change in schools and has a proven track Deputy/Assistant Head for Teaching & Learning you record in school improvement. will be involved in shaping strategic direction for the Academy, Leading and managing staff as well as WeWe would would encourage strongly candidates encourage to arrange candidates an informal to arrangemeeting either an shaping the specific strategic management of socially distanced or MS Teams and/or a telephone conversation with the Teaching & Learning. informal meeting either socially distanced or MS Teams and/ Directoror a telephone of Schools. conversation with the Director of Schools. We are looking to recruit a professional who is passionate about education, someone who wants to play a key part TheseThese can can be arrangedbe arranged by contacting by contacting Dean Pomeroy, [email protected] in helping to shape the future for the Academy and the College; someone who wants to take ownership, drive Dean Pomeroy, [email protected] quality assurance and lead from the front. To apply for this position please visit: https://www.eteach.com/careers/bepschools/To apply for this position please visit our careers website Closing date for applications is Monday 15 February 2021 https://www.eteach.com/careers/bepschools/ and interviews will take place on 24th February.
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