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Page 6 £260k to run one school Fourth pay hike in a row makes academy boss one of sector’s best paid School, once dubbed ‘socialist Eton’, also has another three staff on £100k+
Ministers urged to consider forcing trusts to get sign-off for hefty salaries
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DO YOU HAVE A STORY? News CONTACT US [email protected] Steiner school squares up to Ofsted
option than to pursue a legal challenge,” said FREDDIE WHITTAKER governor Ray Douglas. @FCDWHITTAKER However, an Ofsted spokesperson insisted that it “inspects without fear or favour” Ofsted is facing another legal showdown and said the inspectorate stood by the after a Steiner school pledged to challenge judgment. “We considered and responded an “inadequate” grade in the High Court. to all the points made by the governors of Steiner Academy Bristol (pictured), one Bristol Steiner Academy while the report of two Steiner schools placed in special and evidence went through our rigorous measures following unannounced quality-assurance procedures.” inspections in November, was warned by It comes after Amanda Spielman, the inspectors about ineffective safeguarding chief inspector of schools, revealed that the policies, weak teaching and low number of challenges has been “going up expectations. quite substantially”. Now its governors are raising money Inspectors noted “frequent” bullying In a recent high-profile case, Durand to launch a judicial review against the incidents, insufficient progress among Academy Trust succeeded in challenging its judgment, claiming it is unfair. SEND pupils and a failure by leaders and “inadequate” Ofsted rating, only to have it It follows an admission from Ofsted governance to ensure an “acceptable reinstated after the watchdog won an appeal boss Amanda Spielman this week that the standard of education” for pupils. in the High Court. watchdog has seen an increase in legal But now governors, who had their request Steiner Academy Bristol is one of three challenges against its judgments. for a re-inspection of the school refused “inadequate”-rated Steiner free schools. The school, one of four set up across by Ofsted, have launched a crowdfunding Steiner Academy Frome was also rated England under the free schools programme campaign to raise £15,000 to take the “inadequate” this week, and Steiner to follow the teachings of the philosopher watchdog to court. Nearly £7,500 had been Academy Exeter was issued with a “minded Rudolf Steiner, was rated “inadequate” raised as Schools Week went to press. to terminate” warning last October after across the board in a report published “Unfortunately, we feel that the position receiving the lowest possible Ofsted grade. this week and has been placed in special Ofsted has adopted throughout this process The fourth Steiner free school, Steiner measures. has left the board of governors with no other Academy Hereford, is rated “good”.
FREDDIE WHITTAKER | @FCDWHITTAKER Unconditional offers could be illegal, warns regulator
Universities that use controversial is “akin to pressure selling and could put initially requires pupils to meet certain entry unconditional offers to “put pressure” on them in breach of consumer law”. criteria to gain a place, but then drops those school pupils could be breaking the law, the “We are concerned about the rapid rise in conditions once a pupil names the university higher education regulator has warned. unconditional offers, particularly those with as their first choice. The intervention from the Office for Students strings attached, which are akin to pressure More than 66,000 such offers were made comes after the body revealed that a massive selling,” said Nicola Dandridge, the OfS’s chief to 18-year-olds in 2018, whereas there were 117,000 offers with an unconditional element executive. none in 2013. were made to almost 90,000 pupils in the UK “It is plainly not in students’ interests to Angela Rayner, shadow education last year, up from 3,000 in 2013. push them to accept an offer that may not be secretary, warned that the current system It follows a pledge last April by the regulator their best option.” “gives universities a perverse incentive to to investigate the sharp rise in the use of Dandridge said universities should “clearly make more unconditional offers, and it is unconditional offers, which promise university be encouraging students to make the decision disadvantaged students, who are most likely places to pupils regardless of their A-level that is right for them, and not the decision that to have lower predicted grades, that are losing results. best suits the university”, and pledged to take out”. The increase has been attributed to action if the practice is found to have a serious Damian Hinds, education secretary, has also increased competition between universities impact on pupils. urged universities not to use such offers “just and has prompted concerns among “If we identify cases where unconditional to get people through the door”. headteachers that the offers encourage pupils offers are having an obvious negative impact Sir Peter Lampl, from social mobility charity to make less effort in their final year of sixth on students’ choices or outcomes, we are of The Sutton Trust, has now called for a “move form. course prepared to intervene.” to a post-qualification applications system Now the OfS has warned universities that The OfS also warns of a rise in “conditional where students apply only after they have the indiscriminate use of unconditional offers unconditional” offers, whereby a university received their A-level results”.
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Doomed academies handed £4m in bailouts
INVESTIGATES PIPPA ALLEN-KINROSS @PIPPA_AK
Academies handed “exceptional” bailouts totalling £4 million over the last two years have still closed soon after, with the government’s funding chief now warning that she doesn’t want to create a “culture of dependency”. A total of ten payments worth £3.5 million were made in the 2017-18 financial year, half of which went to academies that have since closed, are due to close or were rebrokered. The new figures, obtained by the Local Schools Network, also show university technical colleges each in grants. Kingsway Academy in the Wirral, But Antony Power, partner at Michelmores claimed six of the payments, amounting to just run by the Northern Schools Trust, received law firm, said: “Local authorities do the same. under £1 million. £746,000 before it closed in August 2018. It has happened for years but the difference is The funding is given to trusts in “exceptional Plumberow Primary Academy in Essex, run by that at least the DfE and the ESFA expect you cases … where additional funding is absolutely the Academies Enterprise Trust, got £773,000 and to do something for the money, whereas local necessary to stabilise the school’s finances and remains open. authorities have been bailing out schools for years ensure minimal disruption to pupils’ education”. A spokesperson for AET said the funding was and letting kids be failed.” It means that 14 such payments were made to part of a “wider agreement” to support the trust Schools Week understands academies that doomed academies, including the high-profile “during its turnaround and to cover the costs remain open may be expected to pay back some Lilac Sky and Schools Company Trust, between of the substantial restructure needed at the of the money. September 2016 and August 2018. organisation”. The Isle of Portland Aldridge Community However, Eileen Milner, chief executive of the She said the DfE chooses to make the funding Academy in Dorset was given £218,000 in Education and Skills Funding Agency, told the payments to just one academy, rather than the 2016/17. In September 2017 it was rebrokered to Education Show conference on Thursday she did trust’s central account, hence why Plumberow the Aspirations Academies Trust and became not have “a book of blank cheques to hand out” received such a large sum. Atlantic Academy Portland, and received a further to struggling schools. Phil Reynolds, senior manager at accountants £518,000 under that name in 2017/18. When questioned by Schools Week over the Kreston Reeves, said: “It’s a shame so much money Julia Harnden, funding specialist at the grant figures, Milner conceded it was “inevitable is having to be used to make sure children still Association of School and College Leaders, said it that we have a recourse to this”. receive an education where there have been issues was important to “be sure public money is being But she added: “We wouldn’t want a with schools.” used well and if schools are later closing down dependency culture, where people feel able The figures come after warnings from auditors that is clearly a concern”. to get this cheque, because the bar for getting that academy trusts with better powers of The DfE said grants are provided to trusts access to this money is high.” persuasion are accessing funding pots not offered “in exceptional circumstances to protect the Last year, two schools received over £700,000 to others. education of children”.
EXCLUSIVE FREDDIE WHITTAKER | @FCDWHITTAKER £111m refit for ‘shelved’ new DfE offices
The Department for Education has spent £111 undertake a £50 million renovation, including and the building will then house “other million to refurbish new offices it has no plans a new gym for staff and an art gallery, but government bodies”, the DfE said. to move into. the work had not started when Schools Week However, although the £111 million came Schools Week revealed in 2017 that the inquired almost two years ago. from DfE budgets, it is understood the money department’s planned move to the Old Now it has emerged that “ongoing” work to was sent by the Treasury. The cash was for the Admiralty Buildings in Whitehall, from its refurbish the offices, which was previously the specific purpose of readying the new premises current base in Sanctuary Buildings, had been home of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and therefore does not leave the department shelved indefinitely. has cost more than double BAM’s original short. The move, first proposed in 2014, was to save contract and far more than the £63 million The total refurbishment cost was revealed the DfE £19 million a year. spent ahead of the FCO’s arrival in 2001. after a freedom of information request from BAM Construct UK was initially appointed to Work is due to be completed this summer, Schools Week.
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Trusts told to tweet as DfE celebrates academies landmark
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Policy experts have claimed that the academisation process is now practically “irreversible” as new figures show more than half of pupils are studying in academies. Their belief is that the sector is now approaching a “tipping point” where the ratio of academies to non-academy schools means that the latter will have little choice but to academise. The finding was celebrated as a landmark by academy supporters and some politicians, with education secretary Damian Hinds urging schools to make the “positive choice” to become academies. However, there are concerns that headteachers may find themselves being forced into academisation as cash-strapped Damian Hinds councils find it increasingly hard to provide services for their dwindling number of Freedman added: “It would be much per cent of trusts are below the national schools. better to see a clear plan from the centre, average for progress 8 scores. The academisation push also came rather than schools being left on their own Anntoinette Bramble, chair of the Local on the day that a new study by the to make short-term decisions. Early on, Government Association’s children government found that conversion does there was a clear vision for the system, and and young people board, added that not consistently cause pupil performance that isn’t there at the moment.” “converting to an academy is not always to improve – with improvement actually However, Mark Lehain, former head the best solution for a struggling school”. being “arrested or reversed” in some cases. and founder of Bedford Free School, While Hinds has also reiterated that Schools Week can also reveal that the DfE highlighted that around 1,000 schools a academies hand more autonomy to emailed selected academy trusts, on the day year are becoming academies, with the headteachers, there are concerns that of its announcement, encouraging them Catholic church instructing large numbers autonomy will actually be reduced under to “showcase” the difference that trusts are of its schools to make the change en masse. the current direction of academies joining “making on the ground every day, serving Lehain added: “In a democracy nothing or forming multi-academy trusts as a your local communities”, using the Twitter is irreversible, but this is as close to it as result of concerns about sustainability. But tagline “#academies our schools are great you can be, as there’s such a momentum Lehain said this joining a Mat can free up because…”. behind academisation now, and the things heads to “get on more with stuff”, adding, This focus on structures is something driving schools to academise are not going ‘they can think of it as giving up some of an about-turn by Hinds, who at the away any time soon.” autonomy but for a greater good – and is it Conservative Party conference last year Many councils are struggling. Bath and worth doing that”. focused instead on school standards. North East Somerset Council proposed last Jonathan Simons, director at policy and Sam Freedman, a former senior policy year to change its policy to “encourage” PR consultancy Public First, stated that he advisor to Michael Gove while he was all schools to become academies, adding believed the academisation programme education secretary, said it would be “better it was “no longer financially viable” to was now an “irreversible programme”, with if schools converted less because of panic continue providing high-quality services. the acceleration of conversions “beneficial and more because there is a clear strategy But the proposals were overruled by from a system point of view”. and vision for the system”. He said there’s councillors, who said they should still “The current split system is overly “no chance” of the government reverting support schools that do not want to complex, expensive and burdensome for to its former policy to force all schools to convert. DfE to manage. One overall system of academise. Most research on the impact on pupil school governance and structures would The Labour Party, meanwhile, has pledged performance by academy trusts suggests allow heads, CEOs and the DfE to focus on that it will not allow new academies to open that the picture is mixed. This week’s multi- how to improve schools and narrow gaps if the party comes to power. academy-trust league tables show that 40 and build capacity in a consistent way.”
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Try it – it’s free! LendED.org.uk Supported by @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019 News: CEO pay Single-school trust head earns £260,000
PIPPA ALLEN-KINROSS @PIPPA_AK EXCLUSIVE
single-school academy trust has
upped the pay of its top executive Lucy Elliott Photography Ato £260,000, making him one of the best-paid academy bosses in the country. It means that the pay of Colin Hall, listed as “head” of Holland Park School, west London, has doubled in seven years, despite a letter from the government in 2017 as part of its crackdown on high CEO pay. Ofsted has rated the school, once dubbed the “socialist Eton”, outstanding. The trust has another three employees on more than £100,000, including David Chappell, the academy head and accounting officer, who was paid between £180,000 and £185,000. Holland Park trust, founded in 2013 after the school of about 1,400 pupils became Colin Hall, Head of Holland Park School an academy, is not the only small trust to hike pay. Brampton Manor Trust, which has organisation also floated the idea of very hard to see how huge salaries can two schools in east London, paid its head whether trusts should be required to seek be justified, particularly when considered Dayo Olukoshi at least £220,000 last year, an government approval to award salaries of against headteacher remuneration in similar increase of £20,000 on 2016-17. more than £150,000, as is the case in NHS local authority schools.” Other trusts, however, are beginning to trusts. Hall is now thought to be the third best- reduce leadership pay (see box below) and Accounts for Holland Park show Hall’s pay paid academy head in the country. However the National Governance Association has rose from between £245,000 to £250,000 in his pay works out at around £186 per pupil advised its members not to let recruitment 2017 to between £260,000 to £265,000 last – way above the £13.75 per-pupil received concerns make them feel “pressured” into year – a rise of at least £10,000. by Sir Dan Moynihan, the country’s highest- agreeing to high salaries (see box on page 9). Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary paid academy boss who earned at least In new guidance published today the at the National Education Union, said: “It’s £440,000 for running 44 schools last year Continued on next page Trusts save £££s by slashing salaries
Some smaller trusts are slashing inflated amid the controversy in June. Schools Week its CEO Lynne Heath £115,000 in 2016/17. leadership salaries – with one saving a six- understands she received a £30,000 payout. However, this dropped to just £30,000 last figure sum in the process. James Higham, the former headteacher of year when the role became part-time. Heath Four trusts, each with just two schools the Henry Hinde Infant School, is now serving resigned in August and her role has now been apiece, have reduced pay after facing as interim part-time chief executive and the taken over by executive director Ian Waite, who government scrutiny for the amount pocketed trust’s chair, Stewart Jardine, said he is earning confirmed that his salary falls in the lower band by their chief executives. “significantly less” than Reed. of £80,000-£85,000. The Transforming Lives Educational Trust, A spokesperson said they have separated Meanwhile the Graveney Trust, based in with one secondary and one infant school in the headteacher and CEO posts, a move which south London, cut the pay of its CEO Graham Warwickshire, came under fire last year after they said “not only makes our governance and Stapleton from £165,000 to £90,000 in 2017/18, it emerged its acting chief executive, Lois accountability structures stronger, but also according to the accounts. Reed, was paid £270,000. ensures that we are saving well in excess of And Angela Trigg, head of AIM Academies Reed, who was also headteacher of Ashlawn £100,000 a year”. Trust in north London, had a pay cut of £5,000, secondary school in Rugby, left her post The Greater Manchester Academies Trust paid to bring her salary to £145,000.
8 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019 News: CEO pay
at the benefits pupils and is measured against a Harris Federation. clearly defined set of objectives.” It has also emerged that Holland Park In December 2017, Holland Park was one trust is arguing over who pays the bill for of the first 29 trusts to receive a letter from “significant defects” such as “loose” stone the Education and Skills Funding Agency panels and “glass breakages” to its £80 asking for justification of high salaries. million building, which was finished in 2012. A spokesperson for the DfE said trust The stone façade has not been properly salaries should “reflect the individual secured, making the heavy panels “loose responsibility and must be justifiable”. and prone to falling off”. The accounts said He added: “We are aware of the building a panel had once fallen, but did not specify issues at Holland Park and are keeping in what damage or injuries were caused. touch with the local authority and academy There have also been 17 separate as they work to negotiate a solution. We incidents of “glass breakages” requiring a have received assurances that both parties “full upgrade” of the installed glass – the are fulfilling their responsibilities to ensure school has glass classrooms and roof – the health and safety of pupils and staff.” while flooding in the school’s basement has According to its accounts, decisions on The trust did not respond to a request for caused “potential irreparable damage” to the setting pay were considered by the trustees’ comment. swimming pool. performance committee. But they also show However, the trust’s lease of the land that trustees have asked an external auditor and buildings has not yet been finalised, to look at the financial operations and trust COLIN HALL’S SALARY accounts show, with discussions ongoing procedures, including a “detailed review of (BASED ON MINIMUM PAY BRACKETS) “with a view to determining who bears payroll procedures”. responsibility for carrying out this work”. All the trust’s members are also trustees, The Department for Education and which goes against government guidance Education and Skills Funding Agency were that says most members should remain 2010-11: £130,000* in “extended dialogue” between the school independent from the board. and council. The trust also lists Sally Bercow, the wife of 2013-14: £180,000 Holland Park opened in 1958 as one of the Speaker, among its trustees – although 2014-15: £190,000 the first comprehensives in the country the accounts use the term “governor”. and was dubbed “the socialist Eton” when Geoff Barton, general secretary of the 2015-16: £220,000 left-wingers, including the former Labour Association of School and College Leaders, 2016-17: £240,000 cabinet member, Tony Benn, and the declined to comment on Holland Park founder of the SDP and former Labour home specifically, but said: “Trusts must be able 2017-18: £260,000 secretary, Roy Jenkins, sent their children to to show that the salaries of chief executive *as reported by The Evening Standard the school. officers represent good value for money that
EXCLUSIVE Make ministers sign off top pay deals, suggests NGA
The academies sector should consider adopting at the NGA, said it is important for trusts to make salary.” an NHS-style pay system where government sure “executive pay is proportionate and viable in The guidance advises trustee boards to approval is needed to award high salaries to terms of the whole organisation”. benchmark salaries in comparison with MATs bosses, according to the National Governance “We have heard enough people in the sector of similar sizes, and to speak to other boards to Association. say that executive pay is a real issue and it’s find out how their salary level was set, in order to New guidance from the NGA said the sector causing issues for the reputation of the sector as avoid the dangers of a “race to the top”. should “have a debate” about whether it should a whole,” he said. The guidance also recommends trustees to follow the system of NHS trusts, where those The guidance says that “good” educational and consider pay ratios, and warns boards not to wishing to pay more than £150,000 per annum financial performance is not sufficient to justify allow the recruitment issues around senior must have approval agreed by ministers. high pay, as it “ought to be a basic expectation leaders to act as “blanket justification” for higher “This does not mean you can’t pay more than that the schools in the trust provide a good pay. £150,000, but you must be clear about what you standard of education”. The guidance states: “sometimes the answer took into account and how you arrived at the “If performance is good then that is a has to be, no, this is the salary for the role and if figure,” the guidance said. performance award – which may be an increment you want a higher salary you need to seek a role Sam Henson, director of policy and education or a one-off bonus – not an astronomical base in a different setting.”
9 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
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Union ordered to reinstate sacked employee
FREDDIE WHITTAKER @FCDWHITTAKER EXCLUSIVE
England’s second largest teaching union has been ordered to reinstate a sacked employee after an employment tribunal found it was “likely” he was dismissed for whistleblowing. the slightest thought as to whether the The NASUWT fired Richard Harris last claimant might have a point”, and that they October after he accused Chris Keates, the were “unlikely to be disposed to be critical union’s general secretary, of lying, wasting of the general secretary whom they allowed police time and “acting like a despot”, a to be present throughout. tribunal ruling shows. “It seems to me not just likely but Harris sent the accusations, in an email, inevitable that a full tribunal will consider to union executive members after Keates that the principles of natural justice were ordered a colleague to report Harris for not observed.” suspected drink-driving. No police action The union claims it was the manner in was taken. which Harris wrote to Keates that led to his The union suspended him in late 2017 dismissal, rather than his complaints. But amid allegations of gross misconduct. the judge said this “cannot be reasonable” However, he claims Keates wanted to get Chris Keates because the staff review committee “knew rid of him because of his activity within nothing of the back story”. the GMB union, which organised strikes disclosure about the drink-driving report “The reason the staff review committee against the NASUWT last year, and was was in the public interest because “if the objected so strongly was that the claimant using the row as a “pretext”. general secretary of such a union were to said that he would go to the press if his Paul Housego, an employment judge, be wasting police time, that is by its very public interest disclosures were not acted ruled that Keates’s actions in reporting description a matter of public interest”. on. Harris to the police and removing his His disclosure about the removal of his “They had no intention of acting on them. company car “do not seem…likely to be car also qualified because the treatment of That is the principal reason that leaps from justifiable”, even in the context of a “no- employees of a union representing more the pages. Accordingly, it is likely that the holds-barred political struggle”. than 300,000 teachers “has public interest principal reason for the dismissal was the He added that Harris “had a point” when written through it”. public interest disclosures made by the he accused Keates of acting like a despot, Keates wrote to Harris to demand the claimant.” and that there “seems no authority for the return of the car on October 9 last year The union’s appeal means that Harris will general secretary to remove a car”. following accusations from colleagues that not return to work. The NASUWT has been forced to restore he drove drunk from a GMB meeting. She In a statement, it said the claim was being the former regional organiser’s contract, also ordered Pete McCollin, the union’s “strongly defended”. pay and benefits after the tribunal granted head of HR, to report Harris to the police. “Proceedings are ongoing and it would him “interim relief” following his dismissal. In response, Harris accused the general clearly be inappropriate to litigate the The judgment, issued in December and secretary of defamation and demanded matter through the media,” a spokesperson seen by Schools Week, offers a glimpse into an apology, the withdrawal of the police said. ongoing internal disputes at the union, report, to know the names of his accusers “What we can say at this stage is that which just months ago faced a staff walkout and the return of his car. He also forwarded there is a complex factual background to when their pensions were changed. the exchange to NASUWT executive the events that led to the dismissal of Mr The union has appealed against the members. Harris and a full understanding of those judgment and Harris is now pursuing a But the executive ruled that the emails events will be crucial for the employment broader claim for unfair dismissal. were “seriously defamatory and abusive of tribunal.” Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act the general secretary”, that Keates had acted The spokesperson added that Harris had of 1998, employees who “blow the whistle” appropriately and that Harris’s conduct in “neither been reinstated nor re-engaged; on wrongdoing by their employers are sending the letters “should be accepted as the employment tribunal ordered the protected from action if their revelations bringing his employment to an end”. continuation of his contract for pay and are considered to be in the public interest. Judge Housego said there was “no benefits purposes only, pending the Judge Housego ruled that Harris’s evidence that any of the committees gave outcome of the appeal”.
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Bright Tribe emails reveal ‘upsetting’ treatment of campaigner
saw to it that my son wasn’t in the school PIPPA ALLEN-KINROSS any more. But she was wrong about that. I’m @PIPPA_AK EXCLUSIVE still going now.” A public accounts committee report A former Bright Tribe boss told the this week found that parents and local headteacher of Whitehaven Academy people “have to fight to obtain even basic to “think” about the application of a information about their children’s schools” campaigner’s son to continue into its sixth under some academy trusts. Julie Rayson form. Local MP and education committee The comment was made in an email from maintenance grants by the trust. member Trudy Harrison, who was once the trust’s former chief operating officer Angela Rayner, Labour’s shadow education escorted away from Whitehaven Academy Mary McKeeman after inquiries from parent secretary, said the new disclosure “only by trust staff after trying to check on flood Julie Rayson regarding to whom Rayson adds to the case for a proper inquiry and damage, said: “It’s incredible to think should report concerns at Bright Tribe. complete transparency to get to the bottom these actions would belong in the British Rayson was a vocal campaigner during of what happened at Bright Tribe”. education system. It’s awful. the trust’s controversial tenure at the Bright Tribe replaced local governance “If the parents and campaigners at Whitehaven Academy in Cumbria, where it at its schools with regional accountability, Whitehaven Academy had been taken oversaw falling exam results, buildings in review and challenge (ARC) groups, which seriously three or four years ago when they disrepair and an “inadequate” Ofsted rating. were advised by school-level “drive teams”. first raised concerns, we wouldn’t be in this The email from McKeeman, sent in June Emails, seen by Schools Week, were sent position now. 2017 to the school’s then head, stated from McKeeman to other staff following “It’s right and proper that a full McKeeman had not responded to Rayson’s attempts by Rayson to find out how to share investigation takes place. It has to be made request in “over 4 weeks”. concerns with the ARC groups. public. We don’t want other schools to suffer “We just keep sending her down cul-de- McKeeman urged the head to “not respond in the way Whitehaven Academy has.” sacs until her son leaves. You need to THINK to this individual”, adding Rayson had been McKeeman, who declined to comment, about his application to your sixth form!!!” escorted off site, was close to being issued left the trust in November 2017 after nine she wrote. with a harassment warning, and was now months at the helm. She is currently the Schools Week understands no action was having to pay for freedom of information headteacher at a Kent special school. taken against either Rayson or her son. requests after submitting so many. A spokesperson for Bright Tribe said its Bright Tribe is being closed and its schools However Rayson, whose son chose to leave new leadership has “worked tirelessly to rebrokered. MPs were told last year that Whitehaven Academy when he finished rectify the mistakes of the past. Central to government investigations into the trust his GCSEs in 2017, has insisted all three achieving this has been building trust with were due to be completed by Christmas allegations are entirely false. the schools, parents and students so they are 2018. “It was upsetting,” she said. “I think if I supported at all times. One of those investigations, by the ESFA, had seen this email back then it would have “We are very disappointed if these is probing claims made by BBC Panorama really terrified me. I think she thought I principles have not always been of repeated false claims for building and would back off if they used delay tactics and demonstrated in the past.”
Computing test regime confirmed JESS STAUFENBERG | @STAUFENBERGJ
Ofqual has confirmed that pupils’ programming science to become a permanently exam-only implement innovative forms of assessment skills in the computer science GCSE will be subject. such as online or on-screen testing”. assessed via an exam from 2022 onwards. Following 394 responses to the consultation, Schools and colleges will need to confirm But the regulator will leave it to exam boards the exams regulator has confirmed exam to their exam board that their pupils have to develop their own “innovative” tests – boards will be “free to adopt approaches to been given the opportunity to complete a although using a traditional pen and paper assessing programming skills by examination programming task as part of their course. approach has not been ruled out. that they feel are most appropriate” from 2022 Meanwhile the current arrangements The practical coursework element of the onwards. whereby schools must set aside 20 qualification was removed for pupils taking “This affords them the opportunity to consult timetabled hours for students to undertake a their exams from 2018 to 2020, after tasks from with stakeholders and be innovative in their programming task as coursework will remain the test were leaked online and downloaded approach.” in place for pupils sitting exams up to 2021. “thousands of times” in October 2017. The consultation document states “the After that, the obligatory 20 hours will be Ofqual launched a consultation before approach to assessments allowed under our removed. Christmas on proposals for GCSE computer proposals would mean that boards could
11 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
DO YOU HAVE A STORY? News CONTACT US [email protected] EXCLUSIVE ‘Funding gap has forced me to cut SEND places’
Business Leadership, said JESS STAUFENBERG joining a MAT would allow @STAUFENBERGJ trustees to erase any deficit by pooling surplus funding A headteacher is reducing the from other schools, as well as number of special needs pupils reducing back-office costs. she accepts in a bid to balance Gloucestershire has one of the the books after a government lowest per-pupil funding rates funding warning. of all local authorities. Julia Maunder, head of Maunder said she had been Thomas Keble secondary forced to dig into her core academy in Gloucestershire, a budget every year because the single-academy trust, says she amount she received for EHCP was left with no other choice provision did not cover staffing when the trust was given a costs. financial notice this month. Gloucestershire provides It followed a request for about about £615 for each hour of £200,000 in recoverable deficit support outlined in an EHCP, funding last year. but the school spends £866 to She said the deficit was partly pay for experienced teaching the result of the school having assistants, who have become to plug a £130,000 gap in costlier as pension and national funding for the high proportion insurance contribution rise. of pupils with special needs. Maunder said: “The funding Her school will reduce the issues the trust has experienced number of places for pupils is the direct result of the with education health and care subsidy we have to pay between plans (EHCPs), which replaced the funded amount for EHCPs the old statements, from 35 to and the actual staffing costs.” 22 over the next four years. Meanwhile, 101 of the It would “continue to be an school’s 666 pupils on roll have inclusive school, but to be able additional needs, but do not to balance the books under have an EHCP with attached the current funding policies, Julia Maunder, head of Thomas Keble secondary academy funding. The government we have had to cap the level of expects schools themselves to provision we can offer. fund the first £6,000 of extra “It goes against the principles “It goes against the principles support for these pupils. of the trust, but we have no Yet the school has low alternative.” of the trust, but we have no numbers of pupils who attract Thomas Keble has been told pupil premium funding, so to explore joining a multi- alternative.” there is less cash to meet this academy trust, but Maunder is £6,000, Maunder says. reluctant. The trust must now Her current deficit amounted financial notices to improve specialist at the Association of commission an independent to 3 per cent of the budget, but were handed to single-academy School and College Leaders, review of financial a trust would slice 3 to 5 per trusts. said the government had management and governance cent of that budget for its Of the nine multi-academy failed to ensure there was and provide monthly budget central services, and she was trusts given notices, four enough money in education to updates to the Education and not convinced the school’s had fewer than five schools, ensure “schools are financially Skills Funding Agency. financial situation would suggesting that as funding sustainable on their own”. She If it fails to meet these improve. continues to be squeezed said they should not have to requirements, the trust will be Analysis by Schools Week smaller trusts will be forced to join a MAT. at risk of having its funding also shows that more than join or form a MAT. But Micon Metcalfe, a fellow agreement terminated by the half (11) of the 20 most recent Julia Harnden, a funding at the Institute for School government.
12 SUMMIT
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SAVE THE DATE This year’s, Headteachers’ Roundtable summit, a one-day policy and practice event will focus on debating and finding solutions to the key issues challenging school and education leaders: insufficient funding, excessive accountability, poor retention and limited school autonomy & agency.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCED: JAMES POPE Director, Inspireducate.co.uk
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League tables FREDDIE WHITTAKER | @FCDWHITTAKER
MATs slip below the national average for progress and EBacc entry
upil progress and entry rates to the EBacc in multi-academy “All of our efforts are geared towards giving young people in some of trusts is falling behind the national average, new government our most deprived communities a real chance to make something of Pstatistics have revealed. their lives.” Multi-academy trust league tables, published on Thursday by the As with last year, very few of the trusts at the top and the bottom of Department for Education, rank the performance of the 85 chains that the league tables were large. had been in charge of at least three schools for at least three years by Of the 12 trusts with 10 or more schools included in the secondary last summer. performance tables for 2018, six had progress 8 scores that were “below Just a day after the education secretary, Damian Hinds, urged more average”, one had an “average” progress score and five were “above schools to become academies, the new statistics showed that the average”. average progress 8 score for multi-academy trusts was -0.04 in 2018, Of the trusts with the top 10 progress scores, just one, the Harris compared with 0.01 in all state-funded mainstream schools. Federation, had more than ten schools included in the data. The progress 8 score of 33 per cent of MATs was also below the Six academy trusts had progress 8 scores that were well below average national average last year, with 7 per cent “well below”. This compares in 2018. with 27 per cent that were above the national average and 4 per cent The University of Chester Academies Trust, which is in the process that were well above. of being wound up, had a score of -0.83, followed by the Fylde Coast However, more generally, progress scores in academies and free Teaching School on -0.78 and Midland Academies Trust on -0.70. schools are higher than the national average. Aldridge Education had a score of -0.63 while Wakefield City Nick Gibb, the schools minister, said: “It’s been clear for some time Academies Trust, which has given up all of its schools, had a score of that standards are rising in our schools and the data underlines the -0.61. role academies and free schools are playing in that improvement, with UCAT also had the worst progress among disadvantaged pupils, with progress above the national average and impressive outcomes for a score of -1.16. disadvantaged pupils.” The stats also show that multi-academy trusts lag behind other Star Academies, formerly known as the Tauheedul Academies Trust, schools in terms of their entry rates to the EBacc performance measure. topped the MATs league table with a progress 8 score of 1.42. MATs had an EBacc entry rate of 35.2 per cent last year, compared The trust was one of three with an average progress score that with 39.1 per cent among all state-funded mainstream schools. At the was “well above” the national average. The other two were Dixons same time, 56 per cent of MATs have an EBacc entry rate below the Academies Trust, with a score of 0.83 and the Diocese of London on national average. 0.67. They also score lower in terms of the government’s new average Star also topped the league tables in terms of its progress score point score for the EBacc, which in 2018 was 3.78 among MATs, for poorer pupils. The trust achieved an average score of 1.3 for compared with 4.12 for all state-funded schools. disadvantaged pupils. Mufti Hamid Patel, Star’s CEO, said he was “delighted that the effort PROGRESS OF MATS and dedication of all our talented pupils and staff has been recognised with such exceptional results”. 29 0 2
BEST PERFORMERS FOR PROGRESS 8: 2 20
0 TAUHEEDUL PERCENTAGE OF MATS PERCENTAGE EDUCATION TRUST DIXONS 1.42 ACADEMY TRUST 0 0.83 DIOCESE OF We e o Be o A era e A o e We a o e LONDON a era e a era e a era e a era e 0.67 WORST PERFORMERS FOR PROGRESS 8 1 UCAT -0.83 2 FYLDE COAST TEACHING SCHOOL LTD -0.78 4 HARRIS FEDERATION 0.49 3 THE MIDLAND ACADEMIES TRUST -0.70 5 THE CAM ACADEMY TRUST 0.46 4 ALDRIDGE EDUCATION -0.63 6 THE DIOCESE OF WESTMINSTER ACADEMY TRUST 0.43 5 WAKEFIELD CITY ACADEMIES TRUST -0.61 7 THE GORSE ACADEMIES TRUST 0.36 6 EDUCATION CENTRAL MULTI ACADEMY TRUST -0.57 8 EAST MIDLANDS EDUCATION TRUST 0.34 7 WOODARD ACADEMIES TRUST -0.46 9 CITY OF LONDON ACADEMIES TRUST 0.32 8 EASTERN MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST -0.42 10 THE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST 0.32 9 BROOK LEARNING TRUST -0.38 10 THE HEATH FAMILY TRUST -0.37
14 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019 League tables Deep dive: What the numbers tell us
FEWER SCHOOLS BELOW THE ‘FLOOR’ PERCENTAGE OF SCHOOLS BELOW THE FLOOR The number of secondary schools figures are not comparable, because BY REGION falling below the government’s “floor UTCs, FE colleges with 14 to 16 N RTH EAST 2 .2 standard” fell last year, but only after provision and studio schools were not N RTH WEST 20. the results of some schools were included in the data in 2018. excluded from the data. Meanwhile, in the north-east of EAST MID AND . Government statistics also reveal England, 23.2 per cent of schools fell WEST MID ANDS . a huge regional variation in the below the floor, compared with just 5.1 S TH WEST proportion of schools falling below the per cent in London. standard, which is no longer used to The gap in attainment between S TH EAST 0. prompt intervention in schools. disadvantaged pupils and their EAST . In 2018, 346 schools were below better-off peers at secondary school RKSHIRE AND THE H M ER . the floor standard, equivalent to 11.6 also grew – by 0.6 per cent – between per cent of state-funded mainstream 2017 and 2018. This is in contrast to ND N . schools, down from 365 schools, or 12 the disadvantage gap at primary level, 0 0 20 2 per cent, in 2017. which narrowed by 3 per cent last However, the government claims the year.
SLIGHT SHIFT IN EBACC ENTRIES EBACC ENTRY RATES BY PRIOR ATTAINMENT The proportion of disadvantaged in state-funded mainstream schools pupils and those with low prior from 38.9 per cent in 2017 to 39.1 per 9.1 All pupils attainment entering the EBacc Prior centattain ent in 2018. and Percenta e entr .9 201 201 increased last year, while entries Lo priorThe attain ent EBacc entry 9 rate for 10. .2 from better-off and previously high- A era edisadvantaged prior attain ent pupils rose from 29.2 25.4 29. High prior Hi prior attain ent . .2 attainment . attaining pupils decreased. A pupi sper cent in 2017 .9 .2to 26.4 per 9.1 cent in In 2018, 10.8 per cent of pupils 2018, while entries among other Average 29. with low prior attainment entered pupils decreased from 43 per cent to prior attainment 29.2 the full slate of EBacc subjects, up 42.8 per cent. from 9 per cent in 2017. Meanwhile, Dave Thomson, chief statistician ow prior 10. the proportion of pupils with high from FFT Education Datalab, said the attainment 9 prior attainment entering the EBacc changes were “likely to be caused 0 0 20 0 0 0 0 0 decreased from 58.3 per cent to 57.2 by increased entry in science and per cent. humanities among disadvantaged 201 201 This rise in entries among previously pupils and those with low prior low-attaining pupils has driven an attainment and a fall in entry in overall rise in the EBacc entry rate languages among other pupils”.
WHITE PUPILS STILL FALLING BEHIND White pupils remain the lowest- than English also continue to do better PROGRESS BY ETHNICITY performing ethnic group based on than native English speakers on a progress 8 scores, while Chinese number of metrics. For example, EAL 1.0 pupils continue to outshine all others. pupils had an average EBacc points .0 White pupils had an overall progress score of 4.28, compared with 4.10 8 score of -0.10 in 2018, compared among all mainstream school pupils. 0. to -0.02 among mixed pupils, 0.12 And the average progress 8 score of 0. among black pupils, 0.45 among Asian EAL pupils in mainstream schools 0. youngsters, and 1.03 among Chinese was 0.49, compared with -0.10 among 0. pupils. native speakers. It follows warnings that progress 8 But the Bell Foundation warned that 0.2 is loaded against schools in poorer the figures “mask the real picture” 0.12 areas with majority white British because the term EAL “covers a vastly -0.1 -0.02 0.0 populations, and in favour of those in different group of students, from more multicultural areas. advanced bilingual learners to those -0.2 Pupils with a first language other new to English”. WHITE MI ED BLACK ASIAN CHINESE
15 TH
NEXT YEAR WE WILL CELEBRATE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FESTIVAL OF EDUCATION, WHICH HAS GROWN FROM A THOUGHT-FORUM TO THE MOST IMPORTANT, INTERESTING AND INSPIRATIONAL EVENT IN THE EDUCATION CALENDAR.
LAST YEAR OVER 4,000 ATTENDEES IMMERSED THEMSELVES IN SESSIONS RANGING FROM THE CANDID PIERS MORGAN INTERVIEW WITH SIR MICHAEL WILSHAW, TO THE INFORMATIVE TESSA DON’TDUNLOP AND THE EMOTIVE MISS DR NEVILLE LAWRENCE. THE WITH OVERULTIMATE 250 OTHERS, INCLUDING TOM FESTIVALSHERRINGTON, GEOFF BARTON, OFAMANDA SPIELMAN EDUCATION AND DAISY CHRISTODOULOU, THERE WAS OVER 250 SPEAKERS OVER 4,000 ATTENDEES ACROSS TWO INSPIRING DAYS
THE 10TH FESTIVAL OF EDUCATION #EDUCATIONFEST THURSDAY 20 & FRIDAY 21 JUNE 2019 EDUCATIONFEST.CO.UK WELLINGTON COLLEGE, CROWTHORNE @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019 News DfE ditches policy for delivery in digital makeover
the Education and Skills Funding Agency due to start on February 11. JESS STAUFENBERG because the portal crashes, said the source. It follows Jonathan Slater, permanent @STAUFENBERGJ Business managers also have to submit secretary at the Department for Education, financial data to numerous portals across writing in a blog in November that he The Department for Education is set to the DfE’s site, but each has different log- wants to replace the “traditional divide improve its digital services for schools from ins. between ‘policy’ and ‘delivery’” by bringing next month under a new £560,000 scheme, Submitting information to keep people from both backgrounds on to the as heads face time-consuming battles to designations as teaching schools or same team. submit data because portals keep crashing. national leaders of education is also “time- According to the unnamed source, a Processes such as data collection from consuming”, they added. new team was set up as a “one-stop shop” schools, applying for a teaching vacancy, The department has 400 digital services for schools’ policy and delivery before for a school place or for free school meals’ for education and last year identified 250 Christmas, headed by senior civil servant eligibility for pupils could all be simplified. that it wants to improve during the initial Andrew McCully. The DfE is seeking a company that stage of the project. Jonathan Simons, director of policy and will create a “better experience” for its A blog from that year stated the public relations consultancy Public First, website users to “transform from a policy department found it needed to “look deeper said Slater’s idea to merge the teams was department to a delivery department” for into several areas”, particularly how it “very sensible” because historically there schools, according to a contract for the collects data from schools. “The way we has been “competition between policy scheme. collect it and offer it back to schools could people and delivery people” at the DfE. A source, who did not wish to be named, be approached differently.” But he added “change will only happen told Schools Week the department’s The chosen partner will test new ways of if the DfE understands how the Education current digital services are “awful – always using DfE services over two months as part and Skills Funding Agency, regional school crashing and difficult to use”. of a £160,000 contract. If successful, these commissioner teams, local authorities and School business managers in particular will be rolled out over four months as part schools will actually put the plans into struggle to submit their budget returns to of the £400,000 contract. The contract is practice”.
EXCLUSIVE JESS STAUFENBERG | @STAUFENBERGJ EMOTIONAL NEEDS FOCUS FOR NEW SEND SCHOOLS
More special education free schools are set to not be allowed to become places for mainstream open in 2020 than in the previous five years schools to dump their “challenging” pupils. combined, with almost a quarter focusing on Anne Heavey (pictured), the national director of social and emotional needs for the first time. Whole School SEND, said she had “big questions” Thirty-four special free schools are due to open about how the government would recruit enough in 2020-21, compared with just 32 in the period specialist teachers to staff the new schools. from 2015-20, data from the pro-free schools The Department for Education needed to target charity New Schools Network (NSN) shows. its recruitment efforts “not just in a general sense” Of those, eight schools will specialise in social, but also on the specialist sector, she said. emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs for Vacancies in special schools and alternative the first time. provision have tripled since 2011, and were The data comes as government statistics show 100 to 150 per cent higher than in mainstream 32,000 more pupils were added to the SEN secondaries, the National Association of Head (SLD), moderate learning difficulties (MLD) and register between January 2017 and 2018, rising Teachers claimed last year. speech, language and communications needs to 14.6 per cent of all pupils from 14.4 per cent The Children and Families Act, which introduced (SLCN). in 2017. sweeping SEND reforms, included SEMH as a A NSN spokesperson said the schools offered It also follows a government call in March last formal needs classification for the first time in “fantastic opportunities for families who have year for bids for a “special wave” of free schools 2014. been marginalised for far too long, and who for excluded and SEND pupils. Ministers said at Another eight free schools specialising in autism now have an opportunity to receive the right the time they expected many more schools to are due to open in 2020-21. With SEMH schools, education for their children”. open from 2020 on. this makes up 47 per cent of all approved free The schools would provide “high-quality Barney Angliss, a SEND consultant, welcomed special schools for that year. provision in their area, instead of having to travel the increase in schools, but warned they must Others focused on severe learning difficulties long distances every day”.
17 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
DO YOU HAVE A STORY? News CONTACT US [email protected] Hinds assembles new panel for ed tech revolution
despite “astounding examples” of education continuing professional development and FREDDIE WHITTAKER technology, the sector “sometimes gets a bit tackling cheating. @FCDWHITTAKER of a bad name”. Hinds, who revealed that he worked for “This is one of the few sectors where IBM in Manchester in the late 1980s, said The education secretary will assemble a technology has been associated for some the government needed to do more to link panel of school leaders to identify education people not with a decrease in their work, but schools and tech companies. “I do believe technology that can help with tasks such as an increase,” he warned. we are truly on the cusp of amazing things lesson preparation and parental engagement. He also accepted it can be “very difficult” in education technology…but in some ways It follows warnings of “difficulties” in the for leaders to know “what is good” from a I still feel we’re in 1987 – that we have a lot current ed tech market and “nervousness” “vast range” of ed tech on offer. England’s of these brilliant innovations but we need to about new products in schools. devolved system of academies and make more connections.” At the Bett Show on Wednesday, Damian maintained schools “can also make it hard for The politician also urged schools that are Hinds outlined the ten focus areas for a the seller to reach the buyer”, he said. not already reviewing their policies to “shift new “ed tech strategy”. It was announced This, coupled with a “nervousness” in away from an email culture”. alongside a £10 million fund to support schools about unfamiliar brands and a Frank Norris, director of the Co-op innovation in ed tech across England – the concern that they will get “locked in” to bad Academies Trust, which has conducted equivalent of around £450 per school. deals, creates “particular challenges” for the a recent staff-led review into teacher Efforts by the government to act as ed tech industry, he added. workload, said the sector needs to “encourage a matchmaker between the schools The government’s ed tech strategy will flexibility”. community and technology industry stem assemble a group of schools and colleges to “I know some have tried to embargo emails from concerns that involving the latter “aid the development, piloting and evaluation outside of working hours but with mixed has actually increased teacher workload. It of innovative technology”. results. Whilst it has worked for some, others follows a recent move by the government Alongside solutions for lesson prep and have seen staff pine for the 5:35pm email so to quality-mark education apps for young parental engagement, the panel will also they didn’t have to deal with it the next day. children (to help parents choose which apps look for tech to support essay marking, Some colleagues like to get into school early their children should use at home). flexible working, special needs support, in the morning while some come in a little Hinds told delegates on Wednesday that early learning, basic skills, adult learning, later.”
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18 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019 News
How trusts can improve accountability
The public accounts committee this week warned how high-profile academy failures have “damaged” the education of pupils in England. Here’s the key recommendations of its report on improving accountability in the sector.
Make trusts provide school-level Strengthen sanctions against 1 financial information 4trustees The report found trusts not doing enough to help The DfE did not have an “effective regime” to parents and communities understand what was sanction those responsible for serious failings at happening at individual schools; too many published academy trusts. accounts highlighted trust-wide finances. MPs also warned there was nothing to stop those It said trusts should publish school-level data and increase involved in malpractice from acting as trustees or transparency over governance and decision-making. governors elsewhere. Schools Week has previously The recommendation is quite controversial, as academy supporters highlighted a discrepancy between the action aken against will argue their finances are already much more transparent than in headteachers compared with trustees. the local authority-maintained sector. The Department for Education The PAC wants the DfE to write to its members by March with a plan (DfE) has also criticised the recommendation, claiming academies to strengthen its sanctions, as well as details of any sanctions imposed have “higher levels of accountability and transparency than local to date. authority schools”. Publish academy finance Improve the annual academies reports within two months report 5 2 The report criticised the Education and Skills Funding The DfE has been told its annual academy sector annual Agency (ESFA) for not being “sufficiently transparent” report was “not adequately meeting the needs of users”. about inquiries into academy trusts as the results were MPs want it to explain more about the “financial not always made public or were subject to lengthy sustainability of the academies sector as a whole”, delays. an analysis of the performance of trusts based on This is another issue highlighted by Schools Week – for location and size, and trends among in-year deficits. instance, the investigation into the collapsed Lilac Sky Schools trust Neil Carmichael, the former education select has still not been published. committee chair, has previously called for more information to be To rectify this, the ESFA should have to publish the results of published in the report. The DfE has to respond by March financial management and governance reviews into academy trusts within two months of completing the work. Make trusts publish complaints 3procedure and have a “named individual” The report said it was not always clear who parents What the DfE said could turn to if they needed to escalate concerns about the running of academies and their trusts. “We don’t accept this The DfE was also unable to confirm all trusts had appropriate arrangements for complaints. negative characterisation” MPs want every academy trusts to have a published complaints procedure, which should include a named The department said that with approval needed for those individual for parents to take their concerns to. it did not accept the PAC’s over £20,000. The report highlighted the Bright Tribe scandal, “negative characterisation of A spokesperson said: “The where parents had to “fight” to get information about academies”. majority of academies are their children’s schools. It had taken steps to increase delivering a great education Meanwhile, the DfE should also have a named accountability by publishing and – as recognised by the PAC employee who parents could contact if they were unhappy with a lists of trusts who did not – we are taking robust action trust’s response. This person’s name should be “clear and accessible”. return accounts on time, in the small minority of cases
challenging high executive pay, where they are not meeting the and requiring trust to report high standards expected.” all related-party transactions,
19 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
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The Save Our Continual assessment in this way can also from 1 September this year. We’ve worked Early Years Campaign, led by CACHE, was prove to be not only impractical but also with Professor David Burghes and his set up and supported by thousands of inaccessible to learners, meaning at times, colleagues from the Centre for Innovation in childcare organisations, concerned parents they’ll be unable to re-sit and therefore left Mathematics Teaching (CIMT) to develop this and educators from across the country without these fundamental qualifications. new Core Maths qualification, designed to calling for one thing: a level playing field so Add to this the psychological impact on help combat the issue of poor progression in that Functional Skills was accepted as an learner confidence and self-esteem from mathematics from age 16. equivalent to count in the ratios for Level 3 subsequent attempts failing to improve Early Years Educators. Thanks to their hard results, it becomes clear that it really is time David and colleagues have been involved in work, Government policy was changed and to look at what else we can do to ensure the Core Maths initiative from the outset and Functional Skills reinstated but the upheaval that young people achieve these skills in a have been able to share their knowledge and could have been avoided if attitudes to different way. expertise of the subject area to enable us to technical alternatives were different in the develop a truly innovative qualification that first place. Technical alternatives for those learners who meets the original purpose. don’t want to choose traditional academic We are doing all we can to shift perception routes are becoming more important than This qualification enables post 16 learners and champion the importance of technical ever and we believe that NCFE is fantastically not studying AS or A level maths the alternatives and vocational education full placed to help learners get the most from opportunity to undertake a Level 3 maths stop. Learners are at the heart of everything technical learning. course alongside their main programme of we do at NCFE and we want to ensure that study. It will enable them to retain, deepen every young person has the ability to reach Functional Skills qualifications from NCFE and extend their mathematical understanding their goals and aspirations in life. give learners useful, transferable skills in through using maths to solve meaningful English, maths and ICT. Functional Skills and relevant problems which will prepare If you’d like to find out more about the work help learners to function more confidently, learners for university, academic or vocational we do and the qualifications we offer, please effectively and independently in their work, learning, employment and life. visit our website: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/ as well as life in general. We know how
20 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019 News: Round-up
JESS STAUFENBERG | @STAUFENBERGJ Minister promises review of Prevent
New fund encourages foreign exchanges The government has announced an independent review of its anti-extremism programme Prevent, which has received hundreds of referrals of pupils since its Schools can apply for a slice of £2.5 hosting foreign pupils. inception. million to take disadvantaged pupils on The paperwork and potential issues Launched in July 2015, Prevent requires teachers trips abroad. arising from the checks are said to be to identify pupils at risk of radicalisation and report About 2,900 secondary school “killing off” language exchange trips, incidents they believe are linked to extremism or pupils are expected to be funded for particularly ones in which pupils terrorism. The programme has proved controversial. A joint either foreign exchanges with partner live with native speakers, heads have committee on human rights warned that some teachers schools or trips abroad under a new warned. were “over-enthusiastic” in their use of the programme, Department for Education programme The government’s new programme, and that young Muslims felt they were being targeted by that will be targeted at schools with which will encourage pupils to stay with schools because of their faith. above-average numbers of pupil host families, will be run in partnership Ben Wallace, the security minister, said on Tuesday premium children. with the British Council. Its research that “the time is now right to initiate a review of The move is intended to improve the has previously found only 39 per cent Prevent”. language skills of pupils and comes of state-funded secondary schools run However, the government made it clear it wanted the approach to continue, as Wallace challenged critics to as the government scrambles to foreign exchanges, compared with come up with “solid evidence of their allegations”. boost the numbers of pupils taking 77 per cent of private schools. Figures published in December showed referrals to modern foreign languages at GCSE. Damian Hinds, the education Prevent from the education sector rose by almost a It also follows an secretary, said the money quarter to 2,462 in 2017-18. investigation by Schools would help schools that Education continues to be the biggest referrer to Week on a change to “may not have much Prevent, responsible for about a third of all referrals. safeguarding guidance, experience organising trips Wallace said communities had “got behind the policy which suggests schools abroad, to ensure their and are contributing to it because they want, as we do, their own young people to be protected from grooming should carry out criminal pupils don’t miss out on all and exploitation by terrorists”. background records checks the fantastic benefits these Further details will be announced in about six months, on foreign host families experiences can bring”. and the review will report to Parliament within 18 and on English families months.
PIPPA ALLEN-KINROSS | @PIPPA_AK Durand writes off boarding school assets
The Durand Academy Trust was forced to In a move that was enthusiastically its funding offer and the boarding school closed write off assets worth more than £1.6 million supported by the former education secretary, in September 2017. from its failed boarding school project. Michael Gove, Durand opened a satellite The accounts said the assets written off were Accounts for the 2017-18 academic year boarding school on the site of the former St mainly “immovable” and therefore could not be show the trust has “written off some Cuthmans school in Sussex in September taken after the boarding school closed. Schools leasehold improvements and fixtures and 2014. Week understand it relates largely to classroom, fittings” at its satellite boarding school in The school catered for pupils in certain year kitchen and dining equipment. Sussex, with a net value of £1,656,323. groups from Durand’s Lambeth site, and was Durand’s leaders have blamed the DfE for The trust is being wound up after the the first in the country not to charge parents. “failing to deliver” more than £17 million in government withdrew its funding last year, However, after Durand repeatedly failed to promised funding to help support its boarding following a long-running dispute over the secure planning permission to develop the project. trust’s finances. site, the Department for Education withdrew
21 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
EDITORIAL DO YOU HAVE A STORY? CONTACT US [email protected]
It’s time Hinds set a clear vision for our sector’s future
Another week, another half-baked academies opening, leaders are unclear about “announcement” from education secretary Damian how to make the best decisions for their school Hinds. communities. To coincide with the BETT show, Hinds If the government wants all schools to take announced his new “ed tech strategy”, including a up the benefits of becoming an academy – £10 million fund to support innovation in schools. particularly the potential to make efficiency To put that in perspective, that’s the equivalent of savings – then it should be explicit and make it around £450 for every school in England. policy, as Nicky Morgan proposed. There will also be an expert panel appointed to As Sam Freedman says this week, schools help “aid the development, piloting and evaluation shouldn’t be converting in a state of panic, they of innovative technology”. should be academising because of a clear strategy Hopefully Hinds will heed concerns from the and vision for the system. sector after just three of the 14 members of his However, the DfE doesn’t appear to have last expert panel, set up to create a “model” music authority from Number 10 to do so. curriculum, were actual school leaders. Instead, we have the half-baked system which Hinds’s announcement also comes hot on the isn’t helping councils, or the DfE. heels of his “ambition” that all schools will go Some in the sector are claiming academisation plastic-free by 2022, and the activity passport is reaching a “tipping point”. But while the data urging pupils to ditch gadgets and climb trees. shows becoming an academy isn’t a silver bullet to All these ideas are rooted in sound values, but school improvement, and with strong opposition amount to a slap in the face to a sector that’s from unions and the Labour party’s proposals Get in craving a real vision for what the future holds. lingering, uncertainty will remain among many Just this week the government boasted that school leaders. touch. more than 50 per cent of pupils are now studying It’s time for Hinds to look at the big picture in academies. and be honest with schools about where the With the political instability and the potential government wants the sector to go. And the that a future Labour government will stop new sooner the better.
CONTACT: [email protected] OR CALL 0203 4321 392
22 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019 The Debate Stuart Lock, executive No excuses v nurture: what’s principal, Bedford the best behaviour policy? Free School
CATH MURRAY @CATHMURRAY_
Hannah Wilson heads up Aureus School in Didcot, whose strapline is “nurturing hearts and minds”. Stuart Lock runs Bedford Free School, which adopts the “no excuses” approach. We invited them to discuss the differences and similarities in how they manage behaviour.
How do you create your behaviour culture?
Stuart Lock: We’re very routines- and structures-based. We start the day with a talk about our values in the playground, with all the pupils in silence, facing the person who is talking. Our routines include silent corridors, and pupils have to watch the teacher “Our staff sweat when they’re talking. We have very firm expectations – our staff “sweat the small the small stuff” stuff”. But we do everything with “purpose, not power”, which means if we can’t explain a routine to parents or pupils, we shouldn’t be doing it. Do you use rewards and sanctions? “correction” the same day. We call it I think some of our most vulnerable correction, not detention, because it’s about pupils find school calmer than outside, HW: We have a 12-step rewards ladder correcting your behaviour. particularly because of the low noise levels, and really high tariffs for our rewards. I’ve and because very few unexpected things worked in schools where people were over- HW: We don’t do detentions. We do happen. In an anonymous pupil survey, rewarding and it becomes devalued. restorative conversations, starting with 40 100% of our pupils said they feel safe in minutes after school. On a Friday we finish school. SL: We talk about internal motivation, and at 1pm and restoration time with deputy doing the right thing because it’s the right heads is 1-2pm. The really unpopular one Hannah Wilson: Ours is a values-based thing to do. is once a month on a Saturday morning approach. We have 12 school values we in school uniform to do a community task refer to constantly, then three words: HW: So you don’t have extrinsic motivation with me. That has been really preventative. “ready, respectful and safe”, which are for rewards, but you do for sanctions? catch-alls for everything. Our values SL: You do something that sounds like a underpin the rewards and consequences; SL: We have a very simple sanction system. detention! we say that if you make a choice They gain a credit for every lesson, and to contravene the values, there are they can also lose them. At the end of the HW: Some of my kids say, “You just consequences. lesson, you mark off your credit in your use posh words. You’ve just rebranded We start the day purposefully, with planner – unless the teacher has your detentions!” But no, it’s completely mindfulness, so the children go into period card. So your parents can see you’ve got a different. And when you explain it, they do one ready for learning. While we don’t credit for every lesson that day. I guess it’s get it. impose silence in corridors, we do have an a combination of a reward and a behaviour acceptable level of talk in the classrooms system. SL: But your rhetoric is that it’s effective versus the corridors. because they don’t want to do it, not We have coaching time, which is our tutor Do you use detentions? because it’s positive. time, at the end of the day so the children can unpick the day before they leave the SL: If our students lose two credits in a HW: That’s a fair challenge. We don’t sit building. lesson, they’re immediately in a 40-minute in silence doing sheets. We unpick the
23 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019 The Debate No excuses v nurture: what’s Hannah Wilson, executive headteacher, Aureus School the best behaviour policy? & Aureus Primary School
seem to me that anybody local doesn’t want to.
HW: I don’t lose any sleep over people not choosing our school. You want people to self-select. We are black and white at open events about what we stand for, and what we’re not: we don’t do homework, we don’t do detentions, we don’t do setting. That’s not for everyone, but can you see your child working within our values? If you don’t agree, we’ll be falling out!
What about children with SEND?
SL: About 26 per cent of pupils come to BFS with an identified SEN and by the end of year 7 it’s down to 6-7 per cent, because most of our routines are set up for people “We don’t do who are vulnerable. We take them off the SEN register if they make progress. Having detentions” said that, we are attracting more and more pupils with EHCPs, because of our routines and structures.
HW: That’s self-selection! Because we’re behaviour – talk about what went wrong that isolation has a very strong effect: more nurturing and holistic and we’ve got a and how we can do it better next time. than 50 per cent of our pupils don’t repeat nurture room where children can self-refer any behaviour that gets them into isolation. to recalibrate, we’ve got 33 per cent SEND. SL: We do that! We do readmission meetings I also think sometimes the alternative We do what we call the inner curriculum – for every fixed-term exclusion, and after an is that you artificially manage exclusions plugging the gaps. isolation we talk through what went wrong down, which ends up lowering and how to stop it happening again. But I expectations for everybody. I think we have SL: I don’t use any of that language! I just wouldn’t choose to invest my senior staff’s to be really careful about judging schools. talk about routines and structure. time in restoration meetings. My attitude is, Fixed-term exclusions are a valid way of let’s get the sanction over and get on with it. trying to moderate behaviour. Do you make exceptions for home I think they’ve just been naughty. I suspect circumstances? that you think there’s more work to do. HW: I agree. We don’t want to be the school that excludes children all the time, HW: You know who your vulnerable kids Is fixed-term exclusion a bad thing? and I get challenged by my governors to are. Take a kid who’s got a split family, and bring exclusions down, but I think it’s a they left their shoes at the wrong house. HW: We use the restorative time to try longer journey of correcting behaviours in So they come in and say, “I’m really sorry, and bring down exclusions. But I think children who have been allowed to behave miss, I can’t find my shoes.” We’ve bought a the misnomer is that if you do restorative like that for a long time. supply of plimsolls, so they go to reception practice, you don’t ever make those difficult and borrow some. decisions to exclude. We do. We also isolate. Are “no excuses” schools self-selective But not in a room where you face the wall by nature? SL: In the vast, vast majority of cases where and get no fresh air all day – ours is more behaviour doesn’t go well, it’s because a humane. SL: Of course, if you don’t think Bedford pupil has chosen to misbehave. But we do Free School education is for you, then always have the distinction between the SL: I think if the pupils weren’t in you won’t come. But we’re hugely over- child who won’t behave and can’t behave. isolation, we’d exclude them. So if subscribed and there are lots of schools in And that’s when you go and buy them a you’re campaigning to get rid of booths, Bedford with spaces. I can’t tell who doesn’t pair of shoes. But of course, you don’t make exclusions would go up. Our stats show want to come to my school, but it doesn’t that public.
24 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
Opinion DO YOU HAVE A STORY? CONTACT US [email protected]
with the WHY. reality given our context and DEBRA I love the flexibility for those challenges. RUTLEY who have the courage to stick to and explain their “why”. I love 3. Partnership working. Executive headteacher, that it’s not black and white. Families, families and more Aspire Alternative Provision Attendance isn’t a raw score, but families with support. a look at improvements, given the unique cases that we have. Even 4. Aspirations. “Is this good There’s lots to love in the the use of part-time timetables is enough for my child?” linked evaluated based on the story and with all aspects of PRU life such new Ofsted framework the ambition we have for that child. as attendance, reintegration, I love that Ofsted acknowledges goal setting, improving attitudes and understands the turbulence and behaviour. Debra Rutley rejoiced when she I’d heard, so there was nothing factor of a constantly changing read the new Ofsted framework. for it but to read the whole lot: cohort. New students each week 5. Are young people prepared “At last we in AP could tell our handbook and annexes. upsets the delicate balance, and the for the next steps? story” I’m not saying that I love Ofsted atmosphere in an AP setting can and being inspected, but my be transformed overnight from a These five areas fit in with all of he day the new Ofsted the different provisions we have framework came out I was at Aspire, from complex mental Tat an event for alternative It soon became clear health, hospital school provision, provision chief executives, where key stage 3 reintegration two Ofsted HMIs, Nick Whittaker that not everyone shared programmes and year 11 full- and Dan Owen, were speaking. my enthusiasm time provision. We have a why None of the attendees had had a and a story for each. chance to look at the framework, so My only note of caution, we were relying on what the HMIs conclusion at the end of the 96 Swiss finishing school to Beirut. where I would suggest careful said. The reaction was positive; pages was that if it has to be, There are five main areas where storytelling and use of case personally I loved what I heard so then this framework is good for we can tell our story. (This is based studies with Ofsted, is around much that I practically skipped me. I love the simplicity of it, and on the Ofsted draft handbook, with reintegration. We in AP are home. At last we in AP could tell our the invitation, as explained to a bit of my own interpretation!) often judged on something that story: “all AP contexts are different”. us by Whittaker, to each tell our takes two organisations to make The key word from Whittaker unique story through intention, 1. Knowing your students. work. Mainstream is the other and Owen was aspiration, which implementation and impact. Assessing students on entry is partner in this success or failure, is fabulous for Aspire, our AP I love that Ofsted recognises that key to working out what kind of and too much emphasis on our trust. Having high aspirations for not only are no two AP settings provision they need and making an responsibility masks the barriers all young people is key in all AP or pupil-referral units the same, ambitious plan. we and our students often face. settings, which is why I ask our staff but also that different provision Ofsted HMIs are welcome to reflect daily and ask, “Is this good with the one AP can be different. 2. Curriculum (the three Is) anytime to Aspire. I’d happily enough for my child?” What’s your ambition (intent) in i) In this setting, for this young discuss what we do and why, On the train home, checking that provision, with those children person our ambition is… within all our provisions, and, reactions in the press and on social and in that community? How do ii) Over time we are building in this new context, I might media, it became clear that a lot of you do that? (implementation) and knowledge and skills against the even have the courage to people didn’t share my enthusiasm. how successful are you (impact)? background of our assessment. talk without fear about our I began to doubt myself and what Basically, we’re being asked to start iii) Is our plan translated into challenges.
25 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
Opinion DO YOU HAVE A STORY? CONTACT US [email protected]
Most people helping to shape, fund or can span a number of policy implement education policy in much JONATHAN areas); ministers aren’t around for of the world do so without expert a long time; strong teacher unions advice. It wouldn’t be allowed in any SIMONS defend the status quo; and many of other field, says Jonathan Simons Director, education and social policy, Public First the places where a minister would hear ideas in a more developed s I entered the World country – think tanks, academics, Economic Forum last year ministry staff – are absent or thinly it was there on the wall: 65 A Don’t knock prog-trad debate resourced. per cent of the jobs of the future, this So for all the sound and fury on poster confidently told the various – at least we’re having one! social media, the UK education masters of the universe attending policy environment is positive Davos, do not exist yet. cannot read fluently, in their home any other field. Yet in education, this because this debate is so live. If Similarly, if you go to New York language, the sentence “the name of doesn’t seem to happen at political schools minister Nick Gibb wants and listen to the various education the dog is puppy”. Thousands more level. to push phonics or the shadow meetings at the UN General Assembly, schools and millions more teachers What’s doubly frustrating is that education secretary Angela they’ll be abuzz with discussions of are needed as population rapidly there are organisations dedicated to Rayner wants to scrap key stage soft skills and 21st-century learning. expands. The scale of the challenge improving this – by developing better 2 SATs, then they can do so in the Or fly to the Middle East to attend a that is facing these governments data and statistics, building technical knowledge of both sides of the global education jamboree and it’s – how to massively expand the capacity in ministries of education, argument. (They may not always impossible not to hear a speaker number of schools, staff them, revamp or evaluating specific programmes “follow the evidence”, but that’s a discussing the importance of the curricula, all on a fraction of UK per to share lessons learned. But these different argument.) It’s also easier fourth Industrial Revolution and than it ever has been for different dismissing rote learning. voices to make their case. My point is not that current UK The policy space has When I started as a civil servant policy is right and the rest of the in education almost 15 years ago, world is wrong. It’s that what I rarely a cacophony of voices there was a list of about ten people heard or read in two years in global who would regularly see ministers, education was any actual debate – or, pupil funding – cannot be overstated. micro initiatives don’t shift the one education newspaper, and indeed, any recognition that there There would be vigorous debates macro conversation: because some a handful of headteachers who was a debate to be had. Most people about how best to deliver this if it were influential people and groups aren’t would make their point on a helping to shape, fund or implement in any remotely comparable project in always education experts (foundations weekend or during a visit. Now, education policy in much of the the policy space has a cacophony world – including the fast-growing of voices, and, from amongst the education systems in south Asia, noise, I believe we get good signals. sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America One of the smart things that – do so with scarcely a nod to the fact the Department for International that many of the policies considered, Development has pledged to whether they are ultimately pursued do in its education strategy is or not, are deeply contestable. to consider areas where UK And this really matters. Consider education expertise can be sub-Saharan Africa where 10 per exported to other countries. It cent of the world’s teachers work, but may not be as sexy as funding a where training programmes, funding big new programme, but my first and content of curricula combine so suggestion would be to simply that three quarters of seven-year- export the fact that there is a olds in some of the region’s countries debate.
26 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
Opinion DO YOU HAVE A STORY? CONTACT US [email protected]
haven’t all PAUL evolved to CARNEY identically do one thing more Art education consultant and council member of the National Society for Education in easily than the other. Art and Design Some people assimilate facts and skills much more Creativity cannot be left easily than they can creatively apply them and vice versa. The to chance, it must be taught idea that we find acquiring secondary knowledge harder A knowledge-rich curriculum is need to teach first before we can be than creativity is fraught, vital, says Paul Carney, but students creative. Except, in my experience, because it generalises what is must learn what creative processes creativity doesn’t work like that. a very individual trait. Besides, we are and how they might be used in Creativity can be seen as a wouldn’t say to a child who is very their own thinking spectrum between the everyday knowledgeable “you don’t need to genius with incredible insight, but type of creativity that we use to learn any more knowledge”, so why not often. It’s collaboration that n his book Making Kids Cleverer, draw a picture, compose a piece do we say it about creativity? usually gets the job done. David Didau eloquently argues The ability to visualise, to Ithat the best way of improving construct complex thoughts and children’s welfare is to teach them a Many teachers don’t know actions is an essential trait of knowledge-rich curriculum because innovation, but we rarely make this will make them cleverer. creative processes exist specific reference to it in our I don’t have a problem with teaching. We teach visualisation that – as long as we can be sure of music or to decorate the house, Creativity cannot be left to indirectly such as predicting that our definitions of knowledge and large-scale Creativity with a chance, it must be taught. When outcomes or sequences, rotations are broad enough to encompass capital C that describes innovations we study how the world’s greatest and transformations for example, metacognition and conceptual that have been absorbed into, and innovations came to be we can but I don’t hear of many schools knowledge, as well as factual and affected the domain to which they find familiar patterns. Sometimes a specifically measuring their procedural knowledge. In fact I belong. discovery is not made by increasing students’ ability to visualise (even agree with Didau that increasing Everyday creativity, or small “c” knowledge, but by accident as in the in art). knowledge is vital to success. The creativity, is the type that Didau case of penicillin, or by sheer hard I’d love to be proven wrong, but best teachers don’t simply teach talks about. If we define low-level slog and diligence. Innovation often the truth is that many teachers dry facts, they also teach students creativity as any deliberate process occurs through playfulness such and educators don’t know that to understand that knowledge and or action we make, regardless of as Delbrück’s “principle of limited these creative processes exist, let make connections. its quality, then most people would sloppiness”, or as Richard Feynman alone how to teach them. Yes, we My bone of contention surrounds rightly agree that it is easy enough did, by playing with patterns. need to instil greater knowledge, Didau’s ideas about creativity. He to achieve. But as soon as we begin Innovation often isn’t about we need a knowledge-rich argues that creativity is a by-product to stipulate criteria for creative acquiring new knowledge, but by curriculum, but we also need of knowing more; the more stuff success it gets harder. So hard, in seeing the knowledge you already to teach creativity at the same we put in, the more we have to be fact, that many people struggle to have from fresh perspectives; or time, not afterwards, because our creative with. He claims that we be creative, even at a low-level. even through conflict and argument future creativity depends on it. have evolved to find creativity easier Creativity at the higher end of the such as Galvani and Volta’s famous Drawing for Science Invention than learning secondary knowledge spectrum is harder still. electricity debates. Sometimes, and Discovery by Paul Carney, and so it is secondary knowledge we We are variable, unique, and innovation occurs through a lone Loughborough Design Press
27 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
Reviews
BOOK REVIEW
Including children and young people with special educational needs: How far have we come since the Warnock Enquiry – and where do we go next? Edited by Rob Webster Reviewed by Emma Hardy, MP
ROUTLEDGE FOCUS ed n iaiiisi erigadLife and Learning in Disabilities and Needs Published by Routledge Educational Special with People Young and Children Including
This collection of essays from life and work, Imray notes that “there is more generous INCLUDING CHILDREN specialists in the field of special really no point to educational inclusion public spending AND YOUNG PEOPLE educational needs provides a welcome if it supports social exclusion”. (mid- to late WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS update on how far we have come since We read about progress made since 1970s), the 1981 AND DISABILITIES IN the well-respected Warnock Enquiry, Warnock, for example, in terms of the Education Act LEARNING AND LIFE How Far Have We Come Since the Warnock Enquiry which fed into the 1981 Education Act language used; headteacher Vic Goddard coincided with – and Where Do We Go Next? and brought a sea-change for children credits the report for “emphatically the worst of
with SEND and their families. tackl[ing] much of the offensive the Thatcher o Webster Rob Edited by One thing that is clear from this labelling of children and young people cuts, which Rob Webster book, however, is that there still isn’t a with disabilities”. However, there are prevented consensus on what inclusion is, and to also areas where little seems to have much of it what extent it is desirable. changed. from being Focus Tara Flood, director of the Alliance The most dispiriting observation, for implemented. for Inclusive Education, makes a strong me, was that 40 years on, we are still Rather than commission another case for full inclusion of disabled having the same conversations about report that may offer more realistic children in mainstream, with “a teacher training. Dr Alan Hodkinson’s ambitions in the current economic commitment to removing all barriers chapter offers a brief history of initial climate, the book’s editor – education to full participation”, pointing out that teacher training since the 1970s, academic Rob Webster – thinks we families don’t currently have real choice. revealing just how much rhetoric has should revisit the Warnock Report and The “presumption for mainstream” that been proclaimed about the need for use it to inform the development of more is enshrined in law is not borne out teachers to be trained in SEND, while inclusive practice. In his final chapter, he in practice, she says, often because of very little has actually been achieved. moves the debate away from the question arguments about affordability. In short, In fact, the Carter review of ITT in 2015 of where we should educate children the system is “biased towards segregated again concluded that there was an with special needs, to the very practical provision”. urgent need to improve pre-service question of where they will be educated. SEND trainer and author Peter Imray training in this area. While higher The figures don’t augur well. Keeping pace challenges the notion that every child education institutions are now required with projected demand would require can be included in mainstream, making to ensure that all trainees understand the government to open 30 new special a case for “different” rather than just the SEND Code of Practice, it remains to schools a year, for five years. (Six per year “differentiated” education: “Children be seen how much of an impact this will is the current average.) with complex needs learn differently. have. Webster’s answer is for ALL mainstream If they learn differently, we ought to be Parents of children and young people schools to play a more active role in teaching them differently and teaching with SEND are still not getting the educating pupils with SEND, but he them different things.” support they need, as evidenced in goes on to examine the barriers to that He returns to Warnock’s suggestion the chapter co-written by teacher and happening – including funding and the that rather than being concerned with author Nancy Gedge and actor Sally shrinking role of the local authority due to “All children under one roof” perhaps we Phillips – a view that was also presented academisation. should focus on including all children to the education committee SEND Finally, to respond to the book’s in the “common goal of education”. inquiry last year. subtitle: where do we go next? From my Looking beyond the so-called “national” When Baroness Warnock addressed perspective, the education committee will curriculum (which, he notes, is the first evidence session of the same continue its work scrutinising inclusive completely inaccessible to some) to inquiry, she pointed out that while the practice and policy, and this book will the concept of preparing learners for report itself was written in a time of surely help to inform that debate.
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Research
Every month the Research Schools Network – run by the Education Endowment Foundation and Institute for Effective Education – shares some advice from a research-based initiative it has implemented How research can help to address students’ recurring mistakes
Caroline Creaby, director of Sandringham Research School, St Albans, Herts
can’t begin to estimate the number of times I have written the same feedback on a Istudent’s work – time and time again. Other teachers tell me that I am not alone. But help is at hand from the research evidence. For example, the Education Endowment Foundation’s A Marked Improvement report distinguishes between mistakes and misunderstanding. A misunderstanding is where a student hasn’t fully grasped or has misinterpreted an idea or concept, whereas a mistake is something he or she can do but hasn’t this time. The research evidence suggests that mistakes and misunderstandings should be marked differently. So how should we approach this? One example of a mistake, in my experience think about application, but would it rectify the following questions were suggested for as an economics teacher, is the skill of the mistake in the future? Or might I be faced art students to monitor their work: application. This refers to a student’s ability with a similar answer in the weeks to come? to use examples, data and contextual The goal of feedback should be to change • “Am I doing well?” information about an economy appropriately the student, not the work – a maxim • “Do I need any different techniques to in answers – from their own knowledge commonly attributed to Dylan Wiliam. improve my self- portrait?” or from the exam paper. When I ask my More specifically, he has said that the goal • “Are all of my facial features in students what is the important skill that they of feedback should be to improve the work proportion?” should include in their answers, they parrot of students on tasks they have not yet • “Am I finding this challenging?” “application” back to me. If I ask how they completed. Hence my attention should be • “Is there anything I need to stop and can apply, they can tell me. And I have seen on the student’s next piece of work, not change to improve my self-portrait?” evidence of this skill in most students’ work at necessarily supporting them to perfect and The team at Sandringham Research School some point. As a teacher, I could be forgiven correct their last piece. I need to support my and I have adapted these questions for our for thinking that because students appear students to attend to their mistakes when own subjects, creating monitoring checklists to confidently know what to do, they would they’re writing their next answer, in-the- for students to use when completing a task. then proceed to demonstrate this consistently moment, when they’re inevitably focusing on To model this process in class, as students in their work. describing and analysing the main concepts work on a task, we have stopped them Yet, when faced with piles of answers, it’s and ideas in the question and overlooking periodically and prompted them to refer to not uncommon to find that some students the fact that they should also be applying. their checklist to reconsider and amend their will have written entire answers without This is where the research on approach, before setting them off on their any application at all. I am left poised with metacognition and self-regulation is helpful. task again. It’s early days, but students are my green pen considering what to write. I According to the EEF’s recent guidance becoming more conscious of what they’re could ask them to go back to the exam paper, report on metacognition, expert learners doing, how they’re doing it and are able to identify a specific piece of data and weave are able to automatically plan, monitor and address mistakes as they go. In my own this into a newly drafted paragraph. Certainly evaluate when undertaking a task, whereas classes, evidence of application is becoming this approach would require the student to novice learners need more help. In the report, more visible.
29 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
Reviews
him asking where the geography was to be found in such activities and shifting away from those he found lacking. I love creative learning tasks when they work to open or challenge students’ thinking in a rigorous way but as Esner argues, it is important that TOP BLOGS the subject is “the most important element of the week in the lesson”. The Rosenshine papers @steveadcock81
Rosenshine’s principles of instruction have been around for some time. In this blog Steve Adcock shares the journey Our blog reviewer of the week is Robin of the schools in his trust as they use Conway, who is director of research and innovation at John Mason School Rosenshine to help in “ensuring that each school’s approach was anchored in a @JMSREFLECT Adam Boxer’s piece manages all of these. shared understanding of the characteristics Forming good habits, breaking bad In applying Rawls’ Veil of Ignorance of effective teaching”. Adcock explains habits: what works? (the idea that “you decide to structure why they chose Rosenshine and how @HFletcherWood society – its rules and its norms – before they have used his principles to deepen you know which role you will take their understanding of learning across Harry Fletcher-Wood’s work is always within that society”) to the principles of schools and subjects. Thorough and critical engagingly written and combines relevant data-gathering, Boxer challenges us to engagement with the research helped educational or psychological research with reconsider fundamental judgments about to build a shared understanding of how practical advice. This blog is true to form what data is needed and by whom. This aim they could be applied in the classroom. as he explores the challenges or breaking is not to offer practical solutions, but the The journey is ongoing, but Adcock’s old habits and the “central components” of piece would make a great starting point for reflections make for interesting reading successfully forming new ones. He links the conversations and policy meetings. and his summary of the intention behind ideas to supporting students with building the principles is succinct and practical. better study habits, although he warns Letting the learning shine that “the time and effort it takes to form a @EnserMark Judging the quality of student work habit means choosing the most powerful @DoWise habits to form is crucial”. The ideas need I recently read a great blog by Alex Ford not only apply to pupils. I found myself Who shot JFK? and other historical Douglas Wise’s posts tend to be concise, thinking about my own habits and the uses problems that probed the dangers of practical and relevant with examples and to which I might put his ideas when trying poorly framed enquiries and lesson resources shared generously. This one is to improve my teaching, as well as students’ activities that are fun, but which reflect true to form sharing six key things to look learning. poor subject scholarship. Inspired by his for when reviewing students’ work to help ideas, Mark Esner uses this blog to reflect assess quality, rather than simple policy Data’s Veil of Ignorance how his teaching has changed over time. compliance. He also offers discussion @adamboxer1 He particularly focuses on the shift he questions for each point. My first thought has made from novelty activities where was that this would have been helpful in I really enjoy blogs that make me “the nature of the task dominated the my early days as a subject leader. Then, like think about something in a new way, lesson” to tasks that focused rigorously many of the best blogs, it stuck with me and something that this one did. Data is on subject-specific learning. I definitely I returned for a second look. It has much such a controversial and heavily debated have fallen into the trap of focusing on to offer more experienced leaders and topic in education that it is rare to read the excitement generated by the task teachers experiencing “book monitoring”. anything that is original and thought- rather than the underlying history. Esner’s A short, clear piece, worth saving for future provoking without being highly technical. recurring analysis of his own lessons sees reference.
CLICK ON REVIEWS TO VIEW BLOGS 30 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
REPLY OF THE WEEK Debbie Wheeler
s’ ‘No game-changer’: Ofsted framework er proposals won’t reduce stress, say unions ad ReplY After attending 2 sessions outlining the changes and now reading the draft, I think it falls far short of
Educational psychologists forced to identify pupils’ needs the breath of fresh air ‘in one visit’, MPs told the revised framework was being labelled Jo Nye as. I am thoroughly Again, this is not something new. EPs have been doing full disappointed by assessments for EHCPs in one visit for years. the content of the Assessment of SEND pupils SHOULD take place throughout a framework. pupil’s time in school rather than just once or twice. However, There is now the curriculum hoop to jump through IN more SEN teacher training is desperately needed – they are ADDITION to the standards agenda. Our curriculum is rich, often responsible for identifying needs, they spend the majority deep and broad…. but there is a significant amount of work of time with the children during the school day, teachers then required to package it in the way the revised framework need the autonomy to give recommendations, along with requires. parents. More regard needs to be given to the parents’ views, maybe then there would be less misdiagnosis and less need for Very much feels like a catch-you-out document too… one- multiple assessments. to-one conversations with key staff, phone call at 10am and in at 12.30. This will increase teacher stress. Does Ofsted’s draft inspection framework pass the Standards haven’t gone either…. league tables and SATs inclusion test? remain.
Julie Taplin THE REPLY OF THE WEEK WINS A SCHOOLS WEEK MUG. Ofsted needs to consider and include those children and young CONTACT US AT [email protected] TO CLAIM adults who are dual or multiple exceptional – those who have both high learning potential and SEND. Education should be inclusive for all learners; providing each of them with a quality of education that is meaningful for them; giving each of them the opportunity to be challenged in their thinking, to develop and are more concerned with their school’s reputation and in their resilience, to learn and to enjoy learning; whilst ensuring keeping parents on-side. It is little wonder that teachers, especially that they are provided with the tools and strategies to help them the more capable ones, are leaving the profession in droves to seek overcome any barriers to their learning. employment where they are more appreciated and better paid.
Ex-minister’s academy trust ignores governance guidelines @NikiHil69330384 Great sentiment but I would actually find it far more stressful to @inclusive_head have a full inbox on Monday morning than to be answering them So tired of rules being applied differently. The Handbook is as they come in. quoted like a font of all wisdom when it suits but ignored when it doesn’t. It is reducing transparency and creating a two-tiered @gplunkett58 system across many areas of the school system. “Office hours”?!?!
Over 40 per cent of ‘underperforming’ schools improve when ‘Don’t answer emails outside office hours’, education Progress 8 includes pupil background secretary tells teachers Tony Cotton @tonypat40 A. English More research to tell us what we already know. Michael Gove I am not a teacher but I have a child who teaches. Demanding removed the “Contextual Added Value” measure from Raise on and unreasonable parents make her life intolerable, adding to Line – a measure which always provided recognition for schools in the ever-increasing demands from the school to work out of challenging circumstances. contracted hours, including giving up weekends and holidays for general workload and other school activities. Heads and @KeithMaxwell21 school governors are unsympathetic to the problems of teachers “League tables” should be scrapped. Schools aren’t football teams.
31 @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
WEEK IN WESTMINSTER Your regular guide to what’s going on in central government MONDAY It’s not just Brexit causing quarrels in the across the civil service. Microsoft Powerpoint for help with his Conservative party camp. While Slater is clearly a worthy speech. Lord Agnew had to reject claims by a recipient of the accolade, it comes at a Although the politician was almost left fellow Tory minister that the EBacc is time when his department is still out of without a “clicker” to operate the slides having a detrimental effect on the take- favour with many LGBT campaigners when a late-running presentation up of arts subjects in schools. for its efforts to shake up relationships was interrupted so he could start his The academies minister, during a and sex education. speech on time, Hinds seized control House of Lords debate, was even pushed Just last month, activists targeted of the situation to deliver a gripping into denying the performance measure south London schools with fake speech about his upcoming “ed tech is “fundamentally flawed”. Ofsted banners to protest over the strategy”, something called “Lotus 1-2- Agnew was asked about a recent “insufficiency” of the draft RSE 3”, anecdotes about how he worked at intervention from Margot James, a guidance. IBM once, and how he enjoyed coding Conservative MP and the government’s The draft guidance tells schools they as a child. minister for digital, who said the impact should make LGBT content “integral”, What a nerd. on music and creative subjects was “very although it will be up to individual concerning” and that the EBacc was in- institutions to determine how they THURSDAY part to blame. address LGBT-specific content, and After Hinds used his speech on He added: “We have put great emphasis campaigners are worried some schools Wednesday to urge teachers not to on the arts and do not feel that they are will ignore the issue. check their emails outside working disadvantaged by the EBacc.” Of course, the lack of teeth in the new hours, his entire staff found themselves RSE guidance isn’t Slater’s fault. We unable to check their emails DURING TUESDAY understand ministers faced pressures working hours. Three cheers for Jonathan Slater, the from a number of movements, religious All emails, internal and external, DfE’s outspoken permanent secretary, and otherwise during the development went down in Sanctuary Buildings for on being named as Stonewall’s senior process, which will almost certainly the whole day on Thursday, leaving champion of the year. have had an impact. press officers having to actually call As the board sponsor for the LGBT+ journalists to tell them that there’s more Network, Slater is credited with having WEDNESDAY money in schools than ever before and championed the introduction of gender- Damian Hinds had the finest examples that there’s 1.9 million more children in neutral toilets in several DfE offices, of education technology at his good or outstanding schools. pushed for more inclusive procurement fingertips when he addressed the Bett Meanwhile the ESFA’s Eileen Milner and making inclusive guidance available Show this week, so we were heartened and Mike Pettifer missed the email to see the education secretary turn to madness by taking to the stage at the Excel Centre. However, the pair were visibly disappointed when so few people came to their talk at the Education Show, optimistically called “The ESFA and How It Works For You”. Milner admitted to feeling “silly” on the podium, so a roundtable huddle was hastily suggested instead. This seemed like a good idea, until the civil servants realised their discussion would only include one teacher, one school business manager and no fewer than two education journalists. Cosy!
32 JO BS EDITION 164 | FRIDAY, JAN 25 2019
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School Teachers’ Review Body – Vacancy
The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) is an independent body which Eligibility and disqualifications from appointment makes recommendations to the Government on the pay and conditions Serving teachers and headteachers of school teachers in England. Serving teachers or headteachers may apply but can only be appointed if they resign from their post. Serving civil servants may also apply but The STRB assesses evidence from Government and organisations can only be appointed if they resign from their Civil Service post. representing schools and the teacher workforce, and visits schools and local authorities to develop its understanding of issues facing teachers. Consultant headteachers In recent years, the STRB has been asked to report on a variety of The eligibility of consultant headteachers very much depends on the matters, including establishing a stronger link between teachers’ pay and nature of their work. Advisory work as a consultant headteacher would performance, and providing greater flexibilities for governing bodies to not in itself disqualify a candidate, as long as the work is distinct from produce individual pay policies for their schools. actually being a headteacher.
Further information on the STRB is available at: Most importantly, consultant headteachers work should not be able www.gov.uk/government/organisations/school-teachers-review-body to be interpreted as benefiting from the decisions taken by the STRB or taking payment for providing an STRB perspective. All candidates The STRB is now seeking to fill a vacancy, and is looking to recruit a must declare actual or potential conflicts of interest as part of their member that demonstrates the following criteria: applications.
Essential Criteria: Appointment • Recent senior leadership experience within an educational setting, for This position will provide an influential and intellectually stimulating example, a former headteacher. challenge for the right individual, who will contribute to the recruitment, • A detailed knowledge and understanding of workforce issues and retention and motivation of an effective teacher workforce. Asa operations within an educational setting, including recruiting, retaining member of the STRB you will bring your own expertise, alongside a high and motivating an effective teacher workforce. degree of analytical ability, strong communication skills and, ideally, an • An understanding of pay, remuneration, performance management appreciation of public sector reward issues. and reward issues and an appreciation of the policy, financial and operational constraints that impact on remuneration decisions. The time commitment for this position is approximately 25 days per • The ability to analyse and interpret a large amount of complex and year, for which an attendance allowance of £300 per day is payable, sensitive information, providing insight and a working knowledge over along with reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs. the impact of any potential decisions on the teacher workforce. This is a ministerial appointment and will initially be for up to three years. • An ability to communicate effectively in collective decision making, providing sound argument and assessing/debating conflicting opinions The closing date for applications is 7 February 2019. within a group to form a coherent set of recommendations. • A sound understanding of and commitment to equal opportunities, We value and promote diversity and are committed to equality of public service values and principles of public life and the ability to act opportunity for all and appointments made on merit. impartially and uphold the independence of the STRB. Please visit the public appointments website for full details of this vacancy and information on how to apply, available at: Home - Centre for Public Appointments
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DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION £60,0000 - £70,000 (dependent on experience)
Driver Youth Trust is a national charity uniquely committed • informed by robust evidence from across the sector to improving the outcomes of young people who struggle • highly capable manager, able to juggle and prioritise with literacy. a demanding mix of projects and tasks
Our vision is for every young person in England to receive an You will make a visible and sustained contribution to the Trust’s education which is responsive to their literacy needs. We work to broader strategic goals. Your priority will be to expand and improve ensure that this is at the top of the agenda for schools and those in our educational services, but there is also the expectation that you power through educational programmes, political advocacy and will contribute to our policy and communications as well as the digital media. direction of the Trust as a whole.
This is an exciting opportunity for anyone who has the drive and You will have project and line management responsibility for a expertise to help take the Trust’s education impact to the next level number of educational staff and will play an active role in many and who would enjoy the chance to work within multidisciplinary aspects of our policy and communications outputs. team of educators. The role reports to the Chief Executive and is based at our We are looking for someone who is: modern central London office. DYT offers a generous pension and there will be plenty of development opportunities for the • experienced as a leader in education or the third sector successful candidate. The salary offered will be commensurate • credible to represent the Trust externally and to network with with experience – please state current and expected salary in influencers and decision makers at senior levels your cover letter application.
Please submit CV and application letter to Chris Rossiter at [email protected] no later than 1700 on Friday 15th February 2019.
ADVERTISE YOUR VACANCIES HERE! Chief Executive Officer for the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust (DNEAT)
JO Salary: £77,265 - £92,718 BS Job start: September 2019 Location: Norwich
Jobs in schools, colleges An exciting opportunity to lead an established yet ambitious Multi- and education; leadership, Academy Trust in Norfolk. DNEAT are seeking to appoint a new CEO management, teaching who has a proven track record in school improvement and the ability and administration to operate strategically with a broad range of partners. Our values are underpinned by a strong Christian ethos, which shapes the way we We’ve made finding your next colleague work together to achieve excellent educational outcomes. We seek a easier. natural leader, with strategic vision and ambition to see the children and communities flourish. The role will evolve and grow as the Trust continues its impressive improvement journey. Previous experience essential with understanding of how to drive improvement across a group of small schools. Visit our website at educationweekjobs.co.uk
For more details please contact Richard Lucas at Academicis on: To place a recruitment advert please email: E: [email protected] T: 01223-907979 [email protected] or call: 020 8123 4778
Closing Date: 12:00 noon Wednesday 6th February 2019
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RDFZ King’s College School Hangzhou is one of two new school development projects in China initiated through partnership between the highly successful Chinese education management group, Dipont Education, and the prestigious King’s College School, Wimbledon. A third partner in Hangzhou is The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China (RDFZ), one of China’s leading schools.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL VACANCIES The school opened in September 2018 with over 700 pupils We are currently recruiting for: enrolled. A remarkable starting number which is testimony to • Teachers of Early Years (multiple grade levels) the quality of the project, its exciting vision and the support • Teacher of Grade 2 of partners, parents and the wider community. There will be • Teacher of Primary English significant further growth in student numbers for 2019/20 and the • Teacher of Mathematics (Middle and High School) opening of new classes from early years to secondary grade levels. • Teacher of Early Years/Primary PE At capacity, the school will cater for more than 3,000 students. • Head of Music • Teacher of Music (whole school) The facilities at RDFZ King’s College School are outstanding. • Teacher of Early Years/Primary Art We have successfully developed an educational environment • Teacher of Art (whole school) that makes the most of our world-class campus and combines • Teacher of Drama (Early Years/Primary) the best of Chinese and western approaches to learning and • Teacher of Physics (High School) academic excellence, in a context of first-rate pastoral support • Teacher of Computing and opportunities to excel outside the classroom. • Head of Boys’ Boarding
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES SALARY AND BENEFITS We are seeking to appoint highly talented individuals for all Salaries are excellent with a benefits package that includes: areas of the school who can share in our ethos, enjoy working accommodation allowance, annual return airfare (employee collaboratively and cross-culturally with the passion to contribute and dependents), medical and accident cover (employee and to the development of an outstanding school. dependents), bonus scheme and full tuition coverage for employees with school age children
APPLICATION PROCESS
Please send a CV to [email protected] and contact for further information. Interviews will be held in January at King’s College School, Wimbledon for UK based applicants with online interviews arranged for candidates in other locations.
www.rkcshz.cn
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Science Teacher (added allowance on salary of £2,500) The allowance is for having a specific responsibility for an element of the department improvement plan. A reduced teaching allocation of 80% to develop your practice and build your leadership skills.
Science Teacher with Research Teach for 4 of 5 days with a day of paid research. We are looking for teachers in their 2nd or 3rd year who wish to take on a Master’s degree. The Academy will pay for the Master’s degree for a 3 year period whilst the teacher has a reduced teaching allocation of 68%. Sustain outstanding and be a leader of the future.
Calling all teachers, come and retrain as a Science teacher (added allowance on salary of £2,000) We are looking to build leaders of the future and this is attractive to those who feel the lid is on the jar of ambition and promotion. The Academy will invest in your ‘retraining’ for 2 academic years. Half-term 1 you will undertake training in science knowledge, health & safety, pedagogy and practice. Half-term 2 will see you in an Academy to gain experience in team teaching, leading to observed and mentored lessons. Half-term 3 & 4, a block placement on 75% teaching allocation and the same in half-term 5 & 6 in another placement for experience. Second year (1st year of Science teaching) will see a 80% teaching allocation with the retention continued (£2,000) and you will be offered a place on a relevant NPQ programme, either NPQML or NPQSL.
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