how would you gibb hits back why i lead teach with a gun over ‘comma a steiner to your head? chaos’ claims free school Page 12 Page 13 Page 10 SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | EDITION 56 Zimbe! 1,000 students sing together P18 One in 12 teachers denied salary rise 90 per cent think performance-related pay decisions unfair Government accuses unions of ‘scaremongering’ JOHN DICKENS & BILLY CAMDEN which teachers should progress based on their @SCHOOLSWEEK performance. P2 However the new fi ndings – jointly released by One in 12 teachers have been denied a salary the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) increase since performance-related pay was and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) – show It’s official! introduced, with nearly 90 per cent of those saying nearly half of teachers think their school’s pay they had no warning their pay would fl atline. policy is unfair, whether they have received a rise A survey of 10,000 teachers, published today, also or not. Cambridge found that nearly nine in 10 teachers denied an Christine Blower, NUT general secretary, said increase thought the decision was unfair. the survey shows teachers are rejecting the Teachers on the main pay range automatically government’s pay changes and has called for PRP to brings back progressed up the pay scale, until former education be abolished. secretary Michael Gove brought in a performance- She said: “The biggest risk of all is that by entrance tests related pay (PRP) policy in 2013. From September removing the right to pay progression and making 2014, schools were given the power to decide Continued on page 3 NOW YOU HAVE CHOICE We’ve got it covered Find out more: ocr.org.uk/cambridgenationals Call our Customer Contact Centre: 02476 851509 Email us: vocational.quali [email protected] 2 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, FEB 5, 2016 EDITION 56 NEWS Cambridge University brings back entrance exams SCHOOLS WEEK TEAM Editor: Laura McInerney JOHN DICKENS @JOHNDICKENSSW Head designer: Nicky Phillips Designer: Russell Hardman Cambridge University has confirmed it Sub editor: Johnny Paige will reintroduce entrance tests, while a critical study has said the university should Senior reporter: Sophie Scott streamline its “intimidating and complex” Senior reporter: John Dickens admissions system. The university told schools and colleges Senior reporter: Freddie Whittaker on Tuesday it would introduce a “common Reporter: Billy Camden format” admissions test for pupils applying for entry in 2017. Photographer: Ellis O’Brien Schools Week first reported that the university was consulting on the proposals Cartoonist: Stan Dupp Photo: Mario Sánchez Prada: http://bit.ly/1J4mYL3 via freeforcommercialuse.org to bring back testing in April last year. At Financials: Helen Neilly the time the university claimed it was a At Cambridge, it ranged from 71 per cent schools and colleges to administer”. Victoria Boyle result of the government’s A-level reforms. at King’s College to 50 per cent at Trinity. Dr Lucy said no advance preparation But new research, published by Research from the Independent Schools would be needed, other than “revision of Sales manager: Hannah Smith the Sutton Trust yesterday, called for Council found about 6.5 per cent of school relevant recent subject knowledge where Sales executive: Wallace Williams Cambridge and Oxford to reconsider the children in the UK are privately educated, appropriate”. use of additional tests. rising to about 18 per cent of pupils over 16 Most pre-interview exams will last Administration: Frances Ogefere Dell Sir Peter Lampl, the chairman of the years old. no longer than two hours. They will be social mobility thinktank, said: “The Cambridge University officials met with administered by the Admissions Testing Contributors: Heather Fearn number of additional exams and tests teachers last month to explain its new Service and will be free to applicants. should be reviewed … to avoid advantaging admission plans. An email to schools on Schools and colleges will be responsible for Liam Collins those who gain from extra tuition and Tuesday said the new written tests would registering pupils no later than October 15. Nick Gibb support.” be taken either in schools and colleges in Documents from a senior tutors’ He also said more should be done to November or at pupil interviews during committee, previously seen by Schools Laxmi Patel consider “contextual admissions”, which December, depending on the subject. Week, stated the university was “being Jill Berry would take into account the schools where Dr Sam Lucy, director of admissions for forced” into changing its “well-tried system” applicants had studied. the university, said: “They will form part of of using AS-levels to assess applicants Colin Richards The research found just 11 per cent our holistic assessment of applicants, rather because the government was phasing them of state school applicants for Oxford’s than being a stand-alone mechanism for out. Brasenose College were offered places interview selection.” The letter sent to schools this week between 2012 and 2014. Well-placed sources at the university told said the tests were being introduced to Managing director: Shane Mann The data also found differences between Schools Week last year they were concerned “maintain the effectiveness and fairness And tweet us your thoughts @schoolsweek or the proportions of state school students at test scores would become the main criteria of our admissions system during ongoing with the hashtag #schoolsweek individual colleges. At Oxford, 79 per cent for interview invitations. qualification reform”. of all UK admissions to Mansfield College The assessments will be scheduled on More information will be subscribe were state pupils, compared to just 46 per the same day as the University of Oxford’s published next month at For an annual subscription to Schools Week for cent at Christ Church. pre-interview tests “to make them easier for www.cam.ac.uk/assessment just £50 visit www.schoolsweek.co.uk and click on ‘subscribe’ at the top of the page. www.schoolsweek.co.uk OFSTED RECEIVES THOUSANDS OF UNNECESSARY WAIVER REQUESTS or call 020 8123 4778 to subscribe FREDDIE WHITTAKER bosses and legal professionals for a law result of being the victim.” @FCDWHITTAKER Exclusive change. Ben Thomas, Unison’s national education ADVERTISE WITH US Figures released by Ofsted show that officer, echoed calls for a change to the law, Ofsted has not turned down a single of 3,056 applications received since the and told Schools Week the legislation was If you are interested in placing a product or job advert in a future edition please click on application for suspended workers to guidance was issued, 1,827 were not “not an effective safeguarding tool”. the ‘advertise’ link at the top of the page on return to schools after scores of staff were required because “the role was non- He said: “It has caused an immense schoolsweek.co.uk or contact: caught in confusion over new safeguarding relevant or the offence was spent or non- amount of distress and harm, and we would E: [email protected] laws, Schools Week has exclusively found. disqualifiable”. hope the government would act to amend T: 020 81234 778 Under childcare laws, workers previously Dai Durbridge, a partner at education law the legislation.” Disclaimer convicted of certain types of crime, firm Browne Jacobson, told Schools Week An Ofsted spokesperson confirmed the Schools Week is owned and published by Lsect Ltd. The views expressed within the publication are those of the authors or those living with someone with a the “exceptionally confusing” DfE guidance watchdog had seen an increase in waiver named, and are not necessarily those of Schools Week, Lsect Ltd or any of its employees. While we try to ensure that the conviction, face automatic disqualification published in 2014 forced schools to “err on applications following the government information we provide is correct, mistakes do occur and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of our material. from working with children under eight the side of caution”, putting institutions guidance but stated their own processes The design of the printed newspaper and of the website is copyright of Lsect Ltd and material from the newspaper and must apply for a waiver to do so. and their staff under immense stress. had remained unchanged. should not be reproduced without prior permission. If you It was believed the rules applied only to He said: “I think this was always going “While we process all applications wish to reproduce an article from either the printed paper or the website, both the article’s author and Schools Week early years and childcare providers, but to be the ultimate outcome. The guidance as quickly as possible, we must also must be referenced (to not do so, would be an infringement on copyright). the watchdog saw a leap in the number of presents schools with a list of relevant investigate each application thoroughly Lsect Ltd is not responsible for the content of any external internet sites linked to. waiver applications after the Department offences which is 30 pages long and they before making a decision to grant a Please address any complaints to the editor. We are fully committed to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of for Education (DfE) issued guidance in are told it isn’t even a comprehensive list.” waiver. This can often take time, Practice. If you have a complaint which cannot be resolved by October 2014 clarifying that the rules also Mr Durbridge said he was forced to particularly in more serious or complex the editor, write to the Press Complaints Commission, Halton House, 22—23 Holborn, London EC1N 2JD applied to schools. advise schools to pursue waivers even cases,” he added. The watchdog has now confirmed if there was a lack of clarity over the A DFE spokesperson said their guidance Learning & Skills Events, that after receiving more than 3,000 offences concerned, and the impact on the had been welcomed by schools and Consultancy and Training Ltd applications for waivers of disqualifications, individuals concerned was huge.