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The primary school scooping A digital newspaper determined to get DfE accolades past the bluster and explain the facts. 250th Edition P12 Critics are wrong. The non-existent ‘Expulsions’ Exam boards are Ofsted wellbeing expelled: another busier than ever review DfE U-turn P25 P8 P13 SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK | @SCHOOLSWEEK FRIDAY, MAY 14 2021 | EDITION 250 ‘ You have to dig deep and rise above it’ Meet the CEO who nearly got sued by Gav for Christmas PROFILE | PAGE 21-23 Cautious schools go slow on unmasking Localised outbreaks cause some schools to maintain mask rules DfE: Temporary restrictions will be brought back if cases spike School Covid outbreaks double, Sage meets over variant fears FREDDIE WHITTAKER | @FCDWHITTAKER INVESTIGATES PAGE 4 JOIN US AT THE Headline Partner The 2021 Festival of Education will take place PREMIER EDUCATION online across two inspiring weeks and will be free for EVENT OF THE YEAR! educators across the globe. FREE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN #EDUCATIONFEST EDUCATIONFEST.CO.UK @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 250 | FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2021 Meet the news team John Dickens JL Dutaut Jess Staufenberg EDITOR COMMISSIONING COMMISSIONING EDITOR EDITOR @JOHNDICKENSSW @DUTAUT @STAUFENBERGJ [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Freddie Whittaker Samantha Booth James Carr CHIEF REPORTER SENIOR REPORTER SENIOR REPORTER @FCDWHITTAKER @SAMANTHAJBOOTH @JAMESCARR_93 [email protected] [email protected]@SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK [email protected] Tom Belger Nicky Phillips Shane Mann MANAGING DIRECTOR SENIOR REPORTER HEAD DESIGNER @SHANERMANN@TOM_BELGER @SHANERMANN@GELVETICA @SHANERMANN [email protected]@SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK [email protected]@FEWEEK.CO.UK [email protected] THE TEAM Head Designer Nick Phillips | Designer: Simon Kay | Sales team leader: Bridget Stockdalew | Sales executive: Clare Halliday | PA to managing director: Victoria Boyle HAYS – VARIOUS ROLES – SALARY DEPENDENT ON ROLE HTTPS://HTTPSLINK.COM/RZ7T UNITY SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (SECONDARY) - L37-L43 HTTPS://HTTPSLINK.COM/UC92 BMAT - DIRECTOR OF SIXTH FORM (DEPUTY HEADTEACHER) - LEADERSHIP SCALE, POINTS L19 - 27 (£66,900 - £81,124) HTTPS://HTTPSLINK.COM/CSEE THE BELL FOUNDATION - TRAINING MANAGER - £37,565-£45,912 HTTPS://HTTPSLINK.COM/RE9O TOTO ADVERTISEADVERTISE YOURHTTPS://HTTPSLINK.COM/3NQ1YOUR VACANCYVACANCY WITHWITH EDUCATIONEDUCATION WEEKWEEK JOBSJOBS ANDAND PLEASEPLEASE CALLCALL 020020 8123481234 778778 OROR EMAILEMAIL [email protected]@SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK 2 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 250 | FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2021 Contents EDITION 250 Lifting the VEIL on hidden post-Covid suffering How a Dutch HR firm bagged the £62m tutoring contract Page 26 Pages 16 Why ‘expulsions’ undermined the Covid recovery Page 24 Retention: It’s other teachers that keep teachers teaching Page 29 Disclaimer: If you wish to reproduce an article from Schools Week is owned and published either the digital paper or the website, both by Lsect Ltd. 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CONSULTANCY AND TRAINING LTD The design of the digital newspaper and of co.uk with Error/Concern in the subject E: [email protected] C/O MINDSPACE, 9 APPOLD STREET, LONDON EC2A 2AP the website is copyright of Lsect Ltd and line. Please include the page number T: 020 81234 778 or click here T: 020 8123 4778 material from the newspaper should not and story headline, and explain what the E: [email protected] be reproduced without prior permission. problem is. SUBSCRIBE For an annual subscription to Schools Week for just £50 visit www.schoolsweek.co.uk and click on ‘subscribe’ at the top of the page. 3 schoolsweek.co.uk or call 020 8123 4778 to subscribe or click here. @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 250 | FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2021 DO YOU HAVE A STORY? News CONTACT US [email protected] Outbreak fears cause schools to keep mask rules FREDDIE WHITTAKER @FCDWHITTAKER INVESTIGATES Mask rules for pupils will remain in place at some schools across England next week amid fears about localised outbreaks and a highly transmissible new variant of Covid. Several schools told Schools Week that they would continue to require masks in classrooms and communal areas even after the official government recommendation lifts the requirement on Monday. Prime minister Boris Johnson said this week that the government would “no longer require face coverings in classrooms, or for students in communal areas in secondary schools and colleges” from May 17. But Public Health England (PHE) data shows there were 48 new acute respiratory infection “incidents” involving Covid reported by education settings in the week to May 9, up from 23 the week before. of their assessment for GCSE grades. the case of “widespread” issues. Government scientists held talks yesterday He said parents had been supportive and Most of the schools keeping their about the so-called Indian variant of the that half-term was the right time to review mask rules said they were doing so after disease and its impact on schools and the rule, given May 28 is the final day of consulting local public health officials. The communities. Ministers also acknowledge assessment for year 11 and 13 pupils “and ASCL school leadership union has also said that attendance restrictions in education I’m very, very keen to make sure that any it will back its members “in the decisions may be needed to contain outbreaks of disruption is minimised”. they make”. variants that are causing concern. White Hills Park Trust will also keep face Geoff Barton, the general secretary, said: Wilsthorpe School in Derbyshire was masks at its two Nottinghamshire secondary “They best know their context and how their forced to close last week after around 160 schools until half-term. parents, staff and pupils feel about the issue students and staff tested positive for the Dr Paul Heery, the trust’s chief executive, of face masks and they are therefore best virus. said the DfE should have been clearer that placed to make a call on how to respond to The school started staggering the return the recommendation would not necessarily the government’s guidance,” of pupils this week but says it will continue be lifted in all areas. A Teacher Tapp survey found a third of to recommend face masks for students and “The message that came out seemed to teachers wanted staff and students to wear staff “following close consultation” with the say ‘from this date, pupils will no longer be masks in communal areas, while 27 per cent local council and PHE. wearing masks in class…’ It’s not helpful wanted them in the classroom. “The wearing of facemasks will be under when the tone is set and then schools are But a third of teachers surveyed said they constant review. We would like to thank having to explain to parents why their would prefer their school did not require students, families and staff for their ongoing approach is different.” face coverings. support in this matter,” a spokesperson said. Schools in other areas have also decided to A DfE spokesperson said: “In a small The outbreak at Wilsthorpe has prompted extend mask-wearing, including Harris St number of cases, such as if there were to neighbouring schools to keep their mask John’s Wood in north London, Philips High be a highly localised outbreak, schools may recommendations in place. School in Manchester and Westhoughton be advised to reintroduce face coverings in Chilwell School in Nottinghamshire wrote High School in Bolton. certain areas for a temporary period.” to parents this week to say it was retaining its The DfE acknowledged this week that The DfE advised headteachers wanting to current arrangements until after half-term. groups of schools may need to reintroduce keep mask rules in response to outbreaks or Headteacher David Phillips said the school masks in response to outbreaks. Such variants of concern to seek advice from their had been “concerned” by the Wilsthorpe decisions would be made on a “case by case” local director of public health, but would not outbreak and had also had to send a class of basis by local public health directors for say whether heads could be prevented from year 11s home this week, right in the middle small groups of schools and by ministers in doing so without their support. 4 @SCHOOLSWEEK EDITION 250 | FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2021 DO YOU HAVE A STORY? News CONTACT US [email protected] PQA reforms could see students miss out on places, Ofqual warns Department for Education’s consultation that TOM BELGER “a combination” of such adjustments would be @TOM_BELGER needed to deliver PQA successfully. It also proposes an initial pilot of any changes Exam results could be delayed and students to boost confidence and “identify unforeseen and could miss out on places if the government relies unintended consequences”. on slashing marking time to deliver a radical The DfE has said its preferred route is “to overhaul of university admissions, Ofqual has compress the exam timetable, the marking warned.