Tag: Department for Education

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 8 November 2022.

New Ofsted research, published today, finds a lack of access to specialist help means more primary school children with additional needs are being referred to alternative provision (AP).

Primary-age children are referred to alternative provision when schools are unable to manage their physically or verbally violent behaviour, with negative effects on other children and staff. Around 7,000 primary-age children in England are currently known to be in AP. While this is a small proportion of all primary pupils, the number has risen by over a quarter in the last 5 years.

To understand this increase, Ofsted research explored the role that AP plays in the education system and the reasons primary-age children are referred there in the first place. It also looked at the challenges schools and APs face in supporting young children with additional needs, and how they work together to re-integrate them into mainstream education where possible.

Ofsted’s study, published today, found that most primary-age pupils only stayed in AP for a few weeks or months, and usually attended part time. However, some children with additional needs stay in AP for years while they wait for a special school place, and AP staff may be unable to meet their needs fully in the meantime. This absence of appropriate teaching and specialist support could have long-term consequences for these vulnerable children.

Primary school staff told Ofsted that the strain on specialist services nationally – exacerbated by the pandemic – has made it more difficult to support pupils with special educational needs. Limited access to professional help, such as speech and language therapists or educational psychology services, could be leading to more AP referrals and potentially more permanent exclusions.

Study participants also told Ofsted:

• Children were referred to an AP when their schools’ support strategies had not worked – either because of a lack of training, funding or facilities. Support strategies also became ineffective when relationships between parents and school staff broke down. In these cases, an AP referral was sometimes used as a ‘circuit breaker’ to repair relationships, with the AP acting as a mediator between the school and parents, while supporting the child.
• School staff believed pupils’ violent behaviour often stemmed from difficult home lives or undiagnosed SEND. A large majority of children in the study had social, emotional and /or health needs. This aligns with national statistics on pupils referred to AP.
• Staff had high expectations for pupils’ progress and outcomes, and most were expected to return to school. For other children, schools and APs worked together to identify the right future setting, such as a special school.
• Schools saw outreach work by APs to be important for the early identification of children’s needs, preventing an escalation in behaviour and helping retain pupils in mainstream education. However, AP staff said that funding arrangements affect the amount of outreach work they can do.
• Some APs had specialist teams on site, so that pupils’ needs could be understood and addressed quickly. APs may also extend help to families, because some parents of children in AP have their own emotional, cognitive or learning needs.
• All parents involved in the research said their child’s behaviour and academic work had improved since joining an AP, but some were unsure whether AP could substantially ‘change’ their child’s behaviour or lead to them have a happy and full life after leaving AP.

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, said:

It seems shocking that primary age children, as young as five, could be taken out of school for violent behaviour. But, as our study shows, AP can be a positive choice for these children and play a transformative role in their young lives.

But limited access to external services, and lengthy waiting times for a special school place, mean some vulnerable children languish for years in APs that cannot provide the specialist support they need. And the consequences for these children may last well into their adult lives.

Today’s report states that a high-quality curriculum and high-quality teaching are crucial in preventing pupils’ needs from developing or worsening. Teachers would also benefit from improved access to appropriate external services, and opportunities to develop the right knowledge and skills. This could allow more mainstream schools to support pupils with additional needs, avoiding an AP referral or exclusion.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 31 October 2022.

Today Ofsted has published a research report looking at how high-performing secondary schools provide targeted support for struggling readers.

Reading is essential to every subject and children who cannot read well will find it difficult to keep up with the demands of secondary school.

Each year around one quarter of 11-year-olds do not meet the expected standard in reading at the end of primary school. Fewer than 1 in 5 of these pupils can expect to get a GCSE grade 4 in English. Being unable to read well can often also lead to poor behaviour. The consequences of poor reading extend beyond school, as evidence shows that adults with low literacy are likely to have fewer job opportunities and a lower income.

The aim of our study was to explore how schools make sure that pupils who leave primary school unable to read age-appropriate books fluently can become proficient readers and keep up with all their other curriculum subjects.

The 6 schools we visited for the research were chosen because a higher-than-expected proportion of their initially poor readers achieved a pass in English language at GCSE.

In these schools, we found that:

• Senior leaders prioritised reading by investing in additional, bespoke help for struggling readers and training for staff who taught reading
• Teachers accurately identified gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge
• Staff who taught reading had expertise in teaching weaker readers
• Clear procedures were in place to monitor this teaching and its impact on struggling readers
• As pupils’ reading improved, they gained confidence and became more motivated to engage with reading in class

Ofsted’s Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said:

The ability to read is a fundamental life skill. However, secondary school leaders and teaching staff should be aware that a significant number of their pupils are lacking the basics.

All children, with very few exceptions, should leave school proficient readers. That’s why it’s essential that children who leave primary school unable to read well get the additional teaching they need to participate both academically and in wider society.

The research visits to the 6 secondary schools took place in March 2022.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 20 November 2012.

Only the highest-quality vocational qualifications will continue to count in reformed performance tables for colleges and school sixth forms, Education Minister Matthew Hancock announced today (20 November 2012).

He said that the move would ensure that post-16 institutions focused on valued qualifications that make it easier for young people to get good jobs or go on to higher education.

The proportion of 16- to 18-year-olds (studying at level 3) now taking at least one of the 4,000 post-16 level 3 vocational courses available (BTECs, City and Guilds, NVQs and so on) has risen from 31 per cent in 2008 to 45 per cent in 2011 – from 104,000 students to more than 167,000.

All these 4,000 courses count in the current performance tables. But the degree of rigour and stretch in these varies considerably and most rely heavily on internal assessment, like coursework, rather than externally marked exams and other work.

Around 90% of these could be cut from the new-look tables if they fail to meet rigorous criteria due to be outlined in a Department for Education consultation next year. These could include, for example, external assessment and recognition by universities and employers.

The announcement, made by Mr Hancock in a speech to the Association of Colleges, follows Professor Alison Wolf’s review of vocational education.

He said all students could continue to study any accredited qualification, and that lecturers and teachers should ensure young people study the courses that are right for them. But he added that in the future only those courses which meet the rigorous new criteria would continue to count in performance tables.

Professor Wolf said in her ground-breaking report that there were far too many low-level qualifications that did not properly progress young people. As well as the thousands of level 3 vocational course students, about one in five 16- to 18-year-old students are on level 1 or level 2 courses – those aimed at 14- and 15-year-olds. None of these courses count in the tables at the moment.

Previous government announcements stemming from her report, and strengthening post-16 education, include reforming the funding system so that institutions are paid per student not per qualification. The government has also introduced new study programmes for 16- to 18-year-olds (both from September 2013).

Today’s announcement (20 November 2012) is part of a package of reforms designed to drive up standards in post-16 education even further.

Other changes announced by Mr Hancock today include:

• Reformed performance tables from January 2014, showing institutions’ performance in A-levels and in vocational qualifications separately. Then from 2017, there will be separate columns for academic, vocational and “occupation-specific” qualifications – practical, competence-based qualifications (eg plumbing or brick-laying) which can be identified as providing high-value routes into a trade or profession. The tables for January 2013 will be interim tables that show the current joint measure (academic and vocational) and a separate academic column.
• New minimum standards that will apply to school sixth forms, sixth-form colleges and further education colleges. These will identify the weakest performing institutions either in A-levels or in vocational qualifications. This is part of a strategy to weed out under-performance, and treat academic and vocational qualifications as different but equally important part of a high-quality education, with comparable measures across schools and colleges.

Until now, minimum standards have applied only to further education colleges, sixth form colleges and training providers, and have been based on success rates. There have been no standards that apply to school sixth forms.

Professor Wolf said in her report that “success rates” (a retention measure, based on the number of students who start and pass a course) created perverse incentives which encouraged colleges to guide students into less challenging qualifications.

Education Minister Matthew Hancock said in his speech:

For vocational education to be valued and held in high esteem we must be uncompromising about the value added of vocational education.

I share with Alison Wolf the view that we must encourage the use of the most rigorous and valuable vocational qualifications.

I also share her view that far too little genuinely occupational education takes place among 16- to 18-year-olds.

In the coming weeks we will publish a consultation on how to identify the highest value vocational qualifications for 16- to 18-year-olds, just as we have done for 14- to 16-year-olds.

Vocational qualifications must be stretching and strong.

Mr Hancock added:

We need to be firmer in tackling educational and financial failure, and turning under-performing colleges around.

So students and employers alike can see performance for themselves, I can confirm that, from this year, we will introduce common standards and measures of performance between schools and colleges. Both will be expected to meet minimum standards.

A levels and vocational qualifications are different, so they will be judged separately from each other.

But each will be judged in the same way for all institutions. We said we’d introduce a level playing field, and we will.

Professor Alison Wolf said:

I am delighted that the government proposes to consult on major reforms to level 3 vocational qualifications.

It is deeply worrying that we combine ever-higher numbers of young people in post-16 education with well-documented skill shortages in areas which depend on high-quality occupational training.

You cannot make a vocational qualification high status by simply announcing that it should be. But if a vocational qualification is demanding, respected by employers and a clear route into employment, and if we can ensure that students and parents know this, it will gain the prestige it deserves.

We need more people taking more qualifications of this type, and the proposed consultation should be an important step in that direction.

The government also announced today that 117 qualifications available at key stage 4 (ages 14 to 16) would count in the 2015 secondary school performance tables. They have all met the characteristics as set out by the Department for Education.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 24 October 2022.

Ofsted has today published an interim report evaluating the quality of the new T-level courses. It finds that providers are working hard to ensure that T-level courses equip learners with the knowledge, skills and experiences needed for future study or employment. However, the first providers to offer these new qualifications have faced some challenges.

The review also finds that the T Level Transition Programme (TLTP) is not always resulting in learners progressing to a T level as intended.

The interim report was commissioned by the Department for Education and is the first stage in a two-year evaluation of T-level courses. It draws on evidence from visits to 24 providers, 10 of which also offered the transition programme, between December 2021 and April 2022.

Overall, Ofsted found that learners were appreciative of the quality of teaching on their T-level course. However, not all learners felt prepared for how much work they had to do. Effective industry placements gave learners broad, high-quality and appropriate experiences that helped them to make informed decisions about their future career path. However, many learners experienced delays in going on placements.

Work experience is a fundamental component of the transition programme that gives learners the opportunity to gain the skills needed to progress to a T-level course.

In some cases, providers failed to help learners secure meaningful work experience relevant to their course, which resulted in learners sourcing their placements independently.

The review also found that many teachers did not receive comprehensive training and some found teaching the new curriculum challenging. Providers did not always have access to the resources they needed from awarding bodies in good time.

The recruitment and retention of staff with sufficient knowledge and experience were also a challenge, due to sector shortages and the effects of the pandemic. The more effective T-level curriculums involved frequent collaboration between education providers and employers.

Inspectors found that, although teaching on the transition programme was generally of a high standard, most learners appeared unlikely to progress on to a T-level course on completion.

Ofsted’s interim report recommends that all T-level and T Level Transition Programme providers:

• provide initial advice to learners before they start a T-level course to help them decide which pathway to follow
• collaborate with employers to make sure the design and delivery of the curriculum is of a high quality
• make sure that the curriculum sequences the different components of a T level in a coherent way that develops learners’ knowledge and skills
• reduce delays to learners work placements
• ensure that learners in the transition programme get relevant work experience
• monitor learners’ achievements and progress and the impact of work placements on their knowledge and skills

Ofsted also recommends that employers provide placements that give learners experiences relevant to their T level.

The Department for Education should evaluate the effectiveness of the transition programme in helping learners progress to T-level courses, and work with universities to make sure they accept T levels for entry to relevant courses.

In addition to this, awarding bodies should make sure that teachers and learners have the resources they need, in good time.

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, said:

It’s clear that T-level courses are giving learners career-building pathways. The right balance of theory and practical elements helps learners gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to enter the workforce. However, we have also identified a number of concerns that need to be addressed.

I am looking forward to seeing the progress providers have made at our next visits in 2023, and to see the additional courses added into the scheme in the next few years.

A full report will be published in 2023. Providers visited for this interim report will be visited again next year, along with others, to see how T-level courses and the T Level Transition Programme have developed.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 20 October 2022.

Thousands of early years professionals will benefit from investment to drive quality and training, and to better support the next generation of children.

Every region in England will benefit from programmes to improve teaching of children’s early speech, language and numeracy, along with professional development to build strong leadership skills and improve the understanding of children’s development. New opportunities will also be provided for graduates looking to embark on a career in early years teaching, as well as staff looking to train as early years special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs).

Evidence shows that access to early education is crucial in supporting children to thrive in adulthood and contribute to society. The Education Endowment Fund has also shown that improving young children’s pre-school language skills could boost the economy by up to £1.2 billion over the course of their lifetimes.

Up to £180 million of government funding over the three years will support the sector to focus on children’s development in their earliest of years and help to address existing recruitment and retention challenges. It follows commitments by the Government to improve parents’ access to affordable, flexible childcare through ambitious reforms, for which work continues.

Minister for Schools and Childhood, Kelly Tolhurst, said:

The early years of a child’s life are vital, not only in establishing important developmental skills, but also in building a lifelong love of learning that will help them succeed in adult life.

I’m really proud of the quality and dedication of our early years workforce. This package of support is a huge investment in their skills and professional development, because raising the status of this important sector is key to its growth.

The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, which has already helped to boost the speech and language skills of an estimated 90,000 children, will also continue this academic year.

The Department for Education, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, has also launched a new ‘Better Health – Start for Life’ campaign, providing parents of children aged 0 to 4 with practical advice and tips to help them develop their child’s language and literacy skills before starting school. Funding from today’s announcement will also support parents to gain additional advice through new Family Hubs, expected to open in the first half of 2023.

Today’s package of support, which will benefit pre-school children all over England, includes:

Early maths, language, and social development training for 10,0000 professionals through the third phase of the Professional Development Programme (PDP3) – more than 1,300 professionals in 51 local authorities were provided with bespoke training designed to support the learning and development of children affected by the pandemic during the second phase of this programme, meaning around 20,000 children will have benefited from better trained, more confident staff;

The national rollout of the Expert and Mentors programme to provide bespoke leadership support to 7,500 early years settings and childminders to address the impact of the pandemic on children in their care. This support is free and available across the country to eligible settings. Around 200 settings across the North of England, Lancashire and Yorkshire received support through a pilot of this programme this Spring;

Graduate-level specialist training leading to early years teacher status – evidence is very clear that higher qualifications are consistently identified as a predictor of higher quality and associated with better child outcomes;

Support for nearly 6,000 early years professionals to achieve the National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) which is designed to support early years leaders to develop expertise in leading high-quality education and care, effective staff and organisational management, and support the recovery of children’s development that has been impacted through the pandemic;

Training for up to 5,000 Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) to help identify children’s needs earlier so they have the right support. A commitment reaffirmed in the SEND Green Paper;

A new network of 18 Stronger Practice Hubs to support early years practitioners to adopt evidence-based practice improvements, build local networks for sharing effective practice and cultivate system leadership;

A new universal online child development training offer to help staff improve their knowledge and understanding of how pre-school children develop, as well as training for early years professionals to help parents and guardians encourage their children’s development at home;

The continuation of the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme during the academic year 2022-23 – building on the two-thirds of primary schools which have already benefitted from this investment, improving the speech and language skills of an estimated 90,000 children in reception classes.

This investment builds on continued work to put children’s education and skills back on track after the pandemic. The government has set a target of 90% of primary children reaching the expected standard in literacy and numeracy, with wider investment confirmed to help every young person leaves school with a strong grasp of these skills.

The government continues to consider responses to its consultation on regulatory changes in childcare and will respond in due course.

 

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 12 October 2022.

The Student Loans Company (SLC) has appointed Chris Larmer as its new Chief Executive. Currently Executive Director, Operations, he will replace Paula Sussex, who leaves the organisation at the end of the year.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 15 November 2012.

There are a variety of ways in which an academy or free school can promote a military ethos including:

• bringing Armed Service leavers in as teachers or mentors through Troops to Teachers
• opening a cadet unit within a school
• using the services of groups like SkillForce and Challenger Troop CIC

We are also looking for parties interested in opening a new school with a military ethos. For help and advice about completing a free school application visit the New Schools Network website.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 26 October 2012.

• More rigorous pre-entry tests to raise status of profession.
• New challenging English and maths tests from September 2013.
• Calculators to be banned from maths tests.

Prospective teachers will have to sit new tougher tests in English, mathematics and reasoning before they can start training.

The changes – recommended by an independent review group of leading head teachers and education experts – would see calculators banned from the new mathematics tests and pass marks in English and mathematics raised.

This comes as part of the government’s efforts to raise standards in the education system. It will also help Britain compete and thrive in the global race and spread privilege across our country.

Trainee teachers currently have to pass basic skills tests in literacy and numeracy. Until this September, they took the tests only towards the end of their training course and were allowed unlimited re-sits.

Latest figures show that around 98% of trainees passed the tests, calling into question the level of challenge. Candidates have already been limited to two re-sits for each test from this September, and the pass mark has been raised.

Chaired by top head teacher Sally Coates, the Skills Test Review Panel has now recommended that:

• the current tests are strengthened with tougher questions and approaches – for example, banning calculators and testing candidates’ use of English through their writing of continuous prose;
• the pass mark for the English and mathematics tests is raised again, to the equivalent of GCSE grade B;
• a new test for verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning is introduced, recognising that good teachers need to respond quickly and appropriately to often unpredictable demands.

Candidates will have to achieve separate passes in English, mathematics and reasoning in order to be able to start teacher training. The review panel also proposed that the new tests could be used alongside degree class as a factor in determining the level of bursary to which a trainee teacher would be entitled. The government has today accepted the review panel’s recommendations in full.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said:

The evidence from around the world is clear – rigorous selection of trainee teachers is key to raising the quality and standing of the teaching profession.

These changes will mean that parents can be confident that we have the best teachers coming into our classrooms. Above all, it will help ensure we raise standards in our schools and close the attainment gap between the rich and poor.

Sally Coates, chair of the Review Group and the Principal at Burlington Danes Academy in west London, said:

In carrying out the review, we wanted the tests to send a strong signal about the quality of teachers we all want to see.

We believe that the whole selection process needs to be sufficiently rigorous to ensure that anyone who gains a place on a course of initial teacher training would be highly likely to succeed in that training, and go on to make an excellent teacher.

Charlie Taylor, chief executive at the Teaching Agency, which is responsible for administering the new tests, and a former headteacher said:

The new tests are part of our strategy to create an outstanding workforce of teachers. This is what parents expect and children deserve.

We also want teaching to be a real choice for top graduates and by raising the bar on entry, we will further raise the status of the profession.

Today’s announcement is part of wider plans to raise the quality of teachers in England to match the best-performing countries in the world. The government set out last year its reforms in the ‘Training our next generation of outstanding teachers’ strategy, which include:

• offering graduates particularly those with first-class degrees in physics, chemistry, maths and modern foreign languages significantly better financial incentives to train as teachers – up to £20,000;
• extra financial incentives for trainee primary maths teachers and trainee teachers who work in the most challenging schools;
• encouraging more primary specialist teachers to be trained through specialist training programmes;
• the new School Direct programme allowing schools to lead their own high-quality teacher training;
• giving schools a stronger influence over the content of initial teacher training, as well as the recruitment and selection of trainees;
• weeding out poor-quality initial teacher training providers.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 11 October 2022.

Graduates applying to train as teachers in high priority subjects will receive increases to tax-free cash bursaries and scholarships from next year under government plans to recruit and retain top talent.

For aspiring teachers starting their training in September 2023, bursaries worth £27,000 and scholarships worth £29,000 will draw talented trainees into the highest-priority STEM (science, technology and mathematics) subjects of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing.

£25,000 bursaries and £27,000 scholarships will be offered to prospective languages teachers – up £10,000 on this academic year.

Bursary and scholarship eligibility is being extended to all non-UK national trainees in physics and languages.

The generous package is worth £181 million in total, up £52 million on the current academic year, and will help ensure there are excellent teachers across the country, developing the pipeline of skills that the future UK economy will need.

A new relocation premium for overseas nationals coming to England to teach or train in these subjects was confirmed earlier this year in the Schools White Paper, which will help with visa costs and other expenses.

Teachers in the first five years of their career teaching mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing in disadvantaged schools are also able to claim the Levelling Up Premium, worth up to £3,000 tax free.

Schools Minister Jonathan Gullis said:

As a former teacher, I know that investing in our teachers is investing in young people. These generous bursaries and scholarships will attract the brightest and the best into teaching.

Shoring up the talent pipeline to teach vital subject areas such as STEM and languages will, in turn, equip young people with the knowledge and skills they need to secure a bright future, and ensure that our economy remains globally competitive.

Further bursaries available include those for aspiring geography teachers, who will receive £25,000, an increase of £10,000, while £20,000 bursaries for biology and design & technology represent increases of £10,000 and £5,000 respectively on the current academic year. A £15,000 tax-free bursary for English will also be reintroduced.

The funding available is the latest step towards the Government’s intention, set out earlier this year in the Schools White Paper, for every child to be taught by an excellent teacher.

It is also part of broader work to raise the profile of teaching. Earlier this year the Government announced the highest pay awards for teachers in a generation – 8.9 percent increases for new teachers and five percent for experienced teachers and leaders – in recognition of their hard work and supporting with the cost of living, while also reflecting the need for the sound management of schools’ budgets.

Louis Barson, Director of Science, Innovation and Skills at the Institute of Physics said:

Great physics teaching opens up career opportunities in a broad and growing range of career paths: from developing new cancer treatments to tackling climate change.

We are pleased to be delivering the government’s scholarships programme for physics teachers, helping tackle the physics teacher shortage and focussing on areas with the greatest need for specialists, enhancing the life chances of local pupils.

Scholars will benefit from additional financial support, access to experienced professional coaching, high-quality resources and a mutually supportive community.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 24 October 2012.

The ‘Ensuring quality in apprenticeships’ report has been published by Ofsted today to look at apprenticeships in more detail.

The report also assesses the quality of subcontractors providing services for colleges and training providers.

In 2011 the Skills Funding Agency introduced a policy of minimum contract values. This meant smaller providers had two main choices – to form a consortium or set up as a subcontractor for larger providers. In many cases smaller, often good providers have been penalised by the loss of funding they can use to support apprentices because their lead contractors took too high a fee for very little work, often equating to the loss of frontline members of staff.

National Director of Learning and Skills, Matthew Coffey, said:

Following criticism of the delivery of some apprenticeship programmes earlier in the year, Ofsted commissioned a rapid response survey with particular focus on subcontracting arrangements.

This report has found the introduction of the minimum contract value has forced often very good smaller providers to either work together or become a subcontractor of a larger provider. In several cases this has diluted accountability and has placed a greater distance between the learner and those responsible for learning.

Ofsted found that resulting consortia often added value to learning programmes and benefitted learners. However the report also found some unintended consequences of the policy where smaller providers became a subcontractor of the larger organisation. The criteria to act as a lead contractor are based on the size of contract rather than a track record of delivering high quality apprenticeships. Some lead contractors lacked sufficient expertise of work-based learning to quality assure the work of their subcontractors. For example, one was unaware that the subcontractor was not carrying out reviews of learners in the workplace, a contractual obligation.

Lead contractors charge smaller providers a top-slicing fee as a percentage of the contract value in return for allowing them to access the funding and supporting them in their work. This fee varied considerably and inspectors found no clear link between the quality of support and challenge and the fees charged to subcontractors.

As part of the survey report, inspectors found some of the apprenticeship programmes too short in duration to sufficiently embed the skills being developed. There were also some examples of apprentices, particularly younger ones, being used as inexpensive labour during their training and then being discarded as employees to be replaced by new apprentices.

Many apprentices were unclear about who was ultimately responsible for their training programme. Ofsted has recommended that the government and other agencies should consider introducing an independent whistleblowing hotline, so concerns and potential problems can be picked up quickly.