Tag: Department for Education

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 31 May 2012.

New research, released from the Teaching Agency (TA) today, reveals that perceptions of teaching are changing for the better. 81% of final year students view the occupation as one which has real status and kudos and 72% of students felt that their friends and family would react positively if they decided to enter the profession, up six per cent from 2010.

According to the UK Graduate Careers Survey, conducted by High Fliers Research, schools and universities have moved up to become the second most popular type of employer, with nine per cent of graduates saying they wanted to work in this area, beaten only by advertising, PR or marketing at 11%. An additional piece of research showed that well over half of final year students (58%) have considered applying for teaching, up five per cent on 2010, with students increasingly recognising it as a career for people with drive (67%) and a great option for the long term (72%).

Despite increased recognition of the rewarding career teaching provides, misconceptions still persist when it comes to the earning potential of teachers. In fact, one in three students are being deterred from a career in teaching because of inaccurate salary perceptions, with four in five (82%) of final year university students underestimating the figure, by as much as £4000.

Whilst over a quarter of students thought the starting salary for a teacher in the capital was £23,000, the reality is that these teachers can now expect to earn £27,000 in Inner London. Similarly, most students (61%) thought teachers outside London earned £19,000 or less, while in reality salaries are more likely to be £21,588. The average starting salary for a UK teacher is £23, 010 (1), a figure that now compares favourably with other graduate jobs which range from £17,720 to £23,335 (2).

The research also revealed that the majority of students, 64%, do not realise the long term earning potential of teachers. Teachers are seeing their salaries rise by an average of around 30% after their first four years in the job. Experienced primary and secondary teachers, achieving the appropriate standards, can earn up to £64,000 (in London) and up to £56,000 (in other parts of the UK). Students may also be surprised to learn that the average salary for headteachers is £62,600, rising to £84,600 for secondary headteachers (3) and 700 heads are earning at least £100,000 this year following a rise in average salaries for senior staff members (4).

The TA is calling upon graduates to take a fresh look and reflect upon the modern day realities within this valued profession.

In addition to competitive salaries, the coalition government has introduced a number of financial incentives in the last 12 months such as tax free bursaries of up to £20,000 to attract the recruitment of top graduates to train to teach in maths, physics, chemistry or modern foreign languages.

Lin Hinnigan, chief executive of the Teaching Agency commented:

While it’s heartening to see the positive attributes of teaching being recognised by top graduates, it appears that some graduates are basing important career decisions on inaccurate perceptions. Teaching is increasingly a career for the most able graduates as demonstrated by its pay, benefits and prospects that compare favourably to other graduate professions. I’d urge anyone considering a career in teaching to investigate just how well the profession compares to alternative careers.

Neil Dhanda, who earns £45,000 as Curriculum Team Leader for Modern Foreign Languages at Saint Cecilia’s school, Wandsworth, Church of England School said:

Pay in teaching definitely compares favourably with the private sector. If you are ambitious and take up additional responsibilities, then you can expect increased financial rewards.

Having become head of department within four years, I have first-hand experience of the progression opportunities available within the profession and as such, it’s fair to say that aspirations for moving up the career ladder are wholly realistic and achievable.

I love my job and I think that teaching is a career which I’ll stay in for the rest of my working days; it’s varied, challenging, demanding and rewarding, I think that’s more than many would say about their chosen careers.

To find out more about a career in teaching, please visit get into teaching.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 30 May 2012.

Ofsted today announces the results of its consultation on changes to the way it inspects schools, further education and skills, and initial teacher education. The changes, which come into effect from 1 September 2012, are intended to support headteachers and principals in their work to provide the best possible education for pupils and learners.

Ofsted’s consultation was launched by Sir Michael Wilshaw, HMCI, in February 2012. The 12-week consultation received over 5,000 responses and the views received have directly shaped the announcements made today.

Announcing the results of the consultation, Sir Michael Wilshaw, HMCI said:

All schools and colleges can, and should, provide at least a good level of education. Parents and employers, children and learners, expect nothing less. That is why we are introducing these changes to the way we inspect. Inspectors will be clear about what needs to improve, and will return sooner to those that are not yet good to check their progress.

We want to work with good headteachers and principals as they strive to provide the best education possible for pupils and learners. These new arrangements have benefited from extensive consultation and I am grateful to all those who took the time to respond.

Sir Michael stressed that inspectors’ evaluation of the progress made by pupils and learners will be central to their judgment on whether a school is providing a good education. This means if pupils are making good progress, a school can be found good or better even where attainment is below average.

Sir Michael confirmed that Ofsted will no longer describe schools, further education and skills providers and teacher training providers as ‘satisfactory’ where they are not providing a good level of education. From September 2012, the ‘satisfactory’ grade will be replaced with ‘requires improvement’ and inspection reports will be clear about what needs to improve.

Ofsted will re-inspect those found to ‘require improvement’ sooner than under current inspection arrangements. Schools will have a full re-inspection within two years. Further education and skills providers found to ‘require improvement’ will be re-inspected within 12 to 18 months. Initial teacher education providers will be re-inspected normally within a year of their last inspection.

Recent independent studies have shown that an inadequate judgment from Ofsted acts as a catalyst for improvement for schools. From September, Ofsted will work with schools found to ‘require improvement’ in much the same way as it does with schools found to be inadequate: checking action plans, monitoring progress and re-inspecting within a shorter period of time. Extending this way of working to more schools is intended to help tackle the number of coasting schools that have remained stubbornly ‘satisfactory’ over many years.

Sir Michael confirmed that if a school has been judged to require improvement at two consecutive inspections, and is still not providing a good education at the third, Ofsted is likely to find the school to be inadequate at that inspection. This means it will be placed in ‘special measures’ unless there are exceptional circumstances. Ofsted will therefore expect schools to improve to ‘good’ within four years.

Inspectors will continue to focus on the quality of teaching but Ofsted will be clear that it does not expect to see a particular teaching methodology. From September, only schools and further education providers with outstanding teaching will be awarded Ofsted’s ‘outstanding’ grade. It does not mean that every lesson seen during an inspection needs to be outstanding. It does, however, mean that over time teaching is enabling almost all pupils to make rapid and sustained progress.

Sir Michael confirmed that inspectors will evaluate the robustness of performance management arrangements and consider whether there is a correlation between the quality of teaching and salary progression.

Ofsted also announced further reductions to the notice of inspections. Currently further education and skills providers can receive up to three weeks’ notice of an inspection, and initial teacher education providers up to eight weeks. From September, the notice period for both further education and skills and initial teacher education providers will be reduced to two working days.

Under the new arrangements, schools will receive almost no notice of an inspection with inspectors calling headteachers the afternoon before an inspection takes place. Ofsted proposed conducting school inspections without any notice but listened to headteachers’ concerns about this during the consultation. Calling the working day before an inspection will enable headteachers to make any necessary logistical arrangements including notifying parents and governors of the inspection. Parents can be reassured that inspectors are seeing schools as they really are.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 29 May 2012.

Fifteen brand new University Technical Colleges (UTCs) have today been approved to open in 2013 and 2014. They will have involvement from around 200 high-profile employers – including household names like Jaguar Land Rover, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. They will also have significant input from world-class universities, such as Cambridge and Warwick.

They range from a UTC specialising in aviation engineering, located close to London Heathrow Airport, to one in Warwick that will focus on delivering a business-like education – with input from over 30 employers – in engineering with digital technology. One project will also be based at the new MediaCityUK in Salford – home to much of the BBC and other media outlets.

UTCs will create opportunities for more than 20,000 young people to train as the engineers and scientists of the future – playing a crucial role in the UK’s long-term economic growth. They will offer hands-on technical learning alongside academic GCSEs and A levels.

The projects approved today join 17 UTCs that are already working to open this September or next. The number of UTCs in the pipeline now exceeds the Government’s ambition to create 24 by 2014.

Schools Minister Lord Hill said:

I am very pleased to be announcing another wave of strong UTC proposals. Right around the country there is a lot of enthusiasm from employers, universities, pupils and parents for high quality rigorous technical education. They provide more choice for children as well as helping provide the kind of highly skilled technicians our economy needs. The response from employers to UTCs speaks for itself.

UTCs are Academies for 14-19-year-olds. Pupils choose to go to them at ages 14 or 16. They focus on providing technical education that meets the needs of modern business. Each has one or two specialisms – ranging from engineering, to manufacturing, to construction or bio-medical sciences. Students spend around 60 per cent of their time on core academic subjects, and the rest of their time learning specific technical skills and qualifications.

All UTCs are sponsored by a local university and employers. The involvement of universities and employers means that students benefit from work placements, guest speakers, and a curriculum designed by experts in the field. Many also run longer term times and operate business hours to help prepare students for the world of work.

The combination of a strong technical and academic education ensures that students are ready for work or further study at college or university.

The projects approved today include:

• Warwick UTC has involvement from the University of Warwick and Jaguar Land Rover, amongst other local stakeholders. It will offer a business-like education to 640 pupils – working to business hours – and will specialise in engineering with digital technology.
• Heathrow Aviation Engineering UTC will specialise in aviation engineering. Its sponsors include Brunel University, BAA, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and RAF Northolt. It will offer 600 students the opportunity to acquire the skills for an industry which contributes around £17billion to the UK economy in economic output.
• UTC Cambridge is sponsored by Cambridge Regional College, Cambridge University Health Partners and a range of employers which are leaders in biomedical and environmental science and technologies. The UTC will specialise in these areas. It will cater for 670 students.
• The MediaCityUK UTC will be based in the heart of the country’s first media city on Salford Quays. It will cater for 720 pupils, who will specialise in skills linked to the creative and digital industries. It will help ensure that employers at MediaCityUK and their supply chains have access to the enterprising, skilled talent pool they need to flourish. It is also important for the local area, as some neighbourhoods immediately surrounding MediaCityUK are within the top one per cent most deprived in England.
• Elstree UTC will be based in Hertfordshire and will offer a technical education to 600 students. It will offer two specialisms: entertainment technologies and crafts, and electronic engineering and digital technologies. Elstree students will also have a longer school day than students at a traditional secondary school. Its proposed location in Elstree means it will benefit from the knowledge and expertise of high-profile entertainment and creative industries in Hertfordshire and London.

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

Parents and communities should be able to have a greater say in running their local children’s centre, Children’s Minister Sarah Teather said today (24 May 2012).

The government is seeking views on how to encourage groups of parents, families and community members to get involved in the planning and delivery of early education services.

Evidence shows that empowering parents through involving them in the planning and delivery of Sure Start services can lead to better outcomes for families.

The government also invited expressions of interest from groups of parents who are interested in setting up their own community body so that they can bid to run their local children’s centre. The department announced it will procure an organisation to provide advice and guidance to help a number of groups to develop and test their proposals. Local authorities will still have the final say on whether bids are successful.

Speaking at the Daycare Trust’s London Childcare Providers’ Forum, Sarah Teather said:

It is important that children’s centres are at the heart of community life and we are committed to maintaining a strong and effective national network of centres across the country.

I want to make sure they are delivering the best service possible to their local community. That’s why we want to hear views and new ideas on how parents and communities can help run children’s centres. I believe this will give local people more control and influence over the services they use.

Many children’s centres already involve parents and their local community and now we want to build on this to find ways of enabling them to have a stronger voice in how they are run and what they can offer.

The discussion paper on parental involvement was published today ahead of a new right coming into force later this year called the ‘Community right to challenge’.

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

Education Secretary Michael Gove has today made a statement in relation to school funding and the Priority School Building Programme.

In tackling the challenges we face on school building I have been determined to use the capital funding at my disposal to best effect, seeking value for money and efficiency from every pound spent. Sebastian James’ review of capital recommended a complete overhaul of the system for allocating capital investment so that we can focus on the repair and refurbishment of schools in the greatest need alongside meeting the pressure for new, good school places.

Over the past two years we have allocated £2.7 billion to local authorities to support the provision of new school places and £2.8 billion for the maintenance of the school estate to meet the needs of maintained schools and academies. Over the spending review period, total capital investment will be over £17 billion.

In addition, last year I invited bids to a new programme from schools in need of urgent repair. 587 schools applied for the programme on the basis of their condition need. Today I can confirm that 261 schools will be rebuilt, or have their condition needs met through the Priority School Building programme (PSBP) and a copy of the list has been placed in the House Libraries. Officials have today written to all schools who applied for the programme to confirm whether their application has been successful. Work will begin immediately and the first schools will be open in 2014.

I recognise that many of the schools that applied to the PSBP and have been unsuccessful will also have significant condition needs. Some of those will have their needs addressed through the other funding we have made available for maintenance. Where that is not the case, I will use the information from the national programme of surveys we are currently conducting to ensure that, subject to funds available in the next spending review period, those schools which need renovation will have their needs addressed as quickly as possible. By next autumn we will have details about the condition of every school in the country. Information on the condition of all schools was last collated centrally in 2005.

I know that many schools will be disappointed not to be included in the programme. We have had to take difficult decisions in order to target spending on those schools that are in the worst condition. In order to ensure that the process was robust and fair, a qualified surveyor has visited every school for which an eligible application was received to verify the condition of the buildings. This was necessary to make sure the schools being taken forward are those with the greatest overall condition need.

The condition need of some schools is so severe that urgent action is necessary. I have decided to make a limited amount of capital grant available to address the needs of the highest priority schools in the programme. 42 schools – those in the very worst condition and all special schools included within the programme – will be taken forward straight away using capital grant. It is right that the condition needs of special schools – where some of our most vulnerable children are educated – are met as quickly as possible.

This limited capital funding has become available by taking a more disciplined approach to managing my department’s capital budgets. Savings have been made by driving down the cost of new schools, shortening procurement times and challenging contractors to look for savings in all areas. These savings mean that more schools will benefit from the programme.

The PSBP will build on the progress we have already made in delivering a more efficient, faster, less bureaucratic approach to building schools. We are determined to reduce the wasteful processes of the past. That is why we have developed new baseline designs which will speed up the process and increase efficiencies and we are reducing the regulations and guidance governing school premises. This will encourage lower-cost build processes to be designed-in from the start.

I have previously expressed my strong support for the government’s agenda on reforming the PFI model and we are working closely with the Treasury to ensure the PSBP is aligned with this model in providing cost effective and more transparent delivery of services. Schools will have greater flexibility with soft facilities management services, such as cleaning, catering, security and some grounds maintenance being managed and controlled by schools themselves.

In addition to targeting spending on those schools which are in the worst condition, my priority in spending capital has been increasing the number of new school places in order to correct previous failures to meet that need. Since announcing the PSBP last July, the government has allocated £1.1 billion in additional funding to address the need for new school places.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 22 May 2012.

The report highlights a dramatic increase in the take-up of A level and further mathematics, and shows that the youngest children are doing better. GCSE and A-level results continue to rise as a result of the sustained efforts of teachers and students.

But the report finds 3 key areas in primary and secondary mathematics in schools in England, which need to be improved:

• firstly, not enough is being done to help pupils catch up who fall behind early; the 10% who do not reach the expected standard at age 7 doubles to 20% by age 11, and nearly doubles again by age 16
• secondly, inspection evidence shows that pupils in lower ability sets and younger pupils received the weakest teaching; inspectors regularly saw outstanding and satisfactory teaching, and sometimes inadequate too, within an individual school
• thirdly, lots of the brightest pupils do not fulfil their potential when they get to secondary school; 37,000 of the highest attaining primary school pupils got no better than a grade C at GCSE in mathematics last year; schools which routinely enter students early for GCSE mathematics are hindering their ability to reach the highest grades

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw said:

I want all children to have the best education they can and mathematics is a fundamental part of that. It is essential for everyday life and understanding of our world. Too many pupils do not fulfil their potential, including many of the most able, and those who get off to a poor mathematical start or fall behind in their learning never catch up.

We know it can be done. Over half of the schools visited in the survey were judged to be good or outstanding in mathematics, although even in these schools some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching need to be tackled.

We must all play our part to ensure that all pupils receive the best possible mathematics education. Ofsted will support schools to learn from the best, those with the best teaching and assessment and a well organised, mathematically rich, engaging curriculum.

Ofsted will produce support materials to help schools identify and remedy weaknesses in mathematics. It will raise ambition for the mathematics education of all pupils by placing greater emphasis in school inspection on:

• how effectively schools tackle inconsistency in the quality of mathematics teaching
• how well teaching fosters understanding
• pupils’ skills in solving problems
• challenging extensive use of early and repeated entry to GCSE examinations

The report recommends that the Department for Education should raise national mathematical ambition and take action to improve pupils’ mathematical knowledge and understanding. They should raise ambition for more-able pupils, in particular expecting those pupils who attained Level 5 at Key Stage 2 to gain A* or A grades at GCSE.

They should ensure end-of-key-stage assessments and GCSE and AS/A-level examinations require pupils to solve both familiar and unfamiliar problems and demonstrate fluency and accuracy in recalling and using essential knowledge and mathematical methods.

Welcoming the report, which contains good practice examples of mathematics teaching, National Numeracy’s chief executive, Mike Ellicock, said:

We believe every child can become a numerate adult – with skilful teaching in school and encouragement at home. This impressive report draws attention to the vital importance of numeracy and we hope its findings will be acted upon. It is essential that we all recognise the need for better support for those who struggle to catch up – at school and post-school.

Professor Celia Hoyles, Director of the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) said:

A deep understanding of mathematics and of subject-specific pedagogy is crucial for teachers of mathematics. The NCETM welcomes the recommendations Ofsted has made, and looks forward to helping to embed them as part of the professional development of all mathematics teachers.

Carol Vorderman MBE, Chair of the committee reporting last August to the Secretary of State for Education with the influential report A world class mathematics education for all our young people, said:

This report is most welcome as it highlights many of the issues, which our taskforce found consistently create an unequal playing field at all levels in school. Ofsted recognises that the teaching of mathematics and the training of teachers both need to improve. Primary initial teacher training has not addressed the lack of mathematical ability in graduates training to be teachers, almost all of whom gave up maths at GCSE level. My sadness is to see how marked the difference in achievement and education is for those students on free school meals. As a “free school meals kid” at a comprehensive myself it was only because of my superb maths teacher that I was able to get to Cambridge. It is time for change.

Neil Carberry, CBI Director of Employment and Skills, said:

Basic maths is essential for everyday life, as well as a key skill required in the workplace. That’s why it’s so troubling over a third of pupils did not gain grade C in GCSE maths in 2011. Employers want all staff to be numerate, which means being able to confidently handle numbers, work out percentages and make estimates. We strongly support the Ofsted recommendation to encourage more young people to continue maths education post-16.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 16 May 2012.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has today submitted evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) – the independent body which makes recommendations on teachers’ pay reforms.

He has set out a strong case for reform, to free up the current system of teachers’ pay to ensure that teaching is a rewarding and attractive career.

The evidence highlights that in order to drive up the quality of teaching and standards in schools, we need arrangements for teachers’ pay which:

• reward good performance and attract the highest performing graduates and professionals into the profession;
• give schools as much freedom as possible to spend their money as they see fit to meet their pupils’ needs;
• ensure the best teachers are incentivised to work in the most challenging schools; and
• provide the best value for money for the taxpayer.

Earlier this month, a major survey of teachers found widespread support for a link between teachers’ pay and their performance, with three-quarters of teachers believing that annual salary increases should be linked to performance.

Evidence shows that improving the quality of teaching is essential to driving up standards in schools. Pupils taught by good teachers score nearly half a GCSE point more per subject than pupils taught by poor teachers. The impact is even more significant for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, according to the Sutton Trust. For poor pupils, the difference between a very good teacher and a bad teacher may be a whole year’s education.

The Government’s initial teaching training (ITT) strategy – Training our next generation of outstanding teachers – published last year set out reforms to attract the best graduates into the profession. However, the current teachers’ pay system is too rigid, complex and difficult to navigate. It does not support schools in recruiting and retaining the best into the profession.

Under the current system:

• automatic pay progression means there is a poor link between a teacher’s performance and reward;
• national pay scales mean schools in some parts of the country struggle to recruit and retain good teachers, while others may be paying salaries which are significantly above local professional pay levels; and
• a number of other barriers prevent schools from responding to local labour market conditions.

In February this year, the Secretary of State commissioned the STRB to consider how reforms could be made to address this, along with teacher shortages in specific subjects and in certain areas of the country.

As a first stage in the process, the STRB has called for evidence from a wide range of stakeholders, including the Government and teacher and head teacher unions.

The Government sets out a number of possible options for reform for the STRB, as the experts, to consider. These include:

• varying level of prescription in national pay arrangements;
• setting a minimum and or maximum pay level; and
• exploring the possibility of having local pay zones.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said:

Ensuring there are enough teachers, and that those teachers are of the highest quality, is critical to driving up standards in our schools.

Reform of the current pay system for teachers is fundamental to driving up teacher quality. The current pay system is rigid, complex and difficult to navigate. It does not support schools to recruit and retain the high quality teachers or leaders they need to address specific shortages and benefit their pupils.

I look forward to the STRB’s recommendations in due course.

Following careful consideration of all the evidence submitted, the STRB will make recommendations for reform to the Secretary of State in the autumn. He will then, after considering the recommendations and having listened carefully to the profession’s view, ask the STRB to produce more detailed recommendations for implementation of the preferred options for reform. It is expected that the accepted recommendations will start to be implemented from September 2013.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 16 May 2012.

Charlie Taylor, the government’s adviser on behaviour, speaks at the Academies Show on helping children who are in difficulty.

In our society when a child becomes ill we reach out to them, we instinctively keep them close and look after them. This response is sadly not always the case when children become emotionally distressed, especially when this distress is communicated through violence and aggression. Rather than being helped, children in difficulty are often pushed away and ignored. Let’s look at the numbers, only 1.4 per cent of pupils who go to PRUs leave with five good GCSEs, that is one fortieth of the percentage for children in mainstream school. The Ministry of Justice in research after the riots revealed that 86 per cent children in the criminal justice system had been in alternative provision.

Don’t get me wrong, these children can be extremely difficult to manage and they take an enormous toll on their teachers and their classmates. Many cannot, nor should remain in mainstream school, but we must have a system that gives them what they need to change. If we don’t then we will all pay a heavy price as we saw last summer.

In September last year as a result of the riots, Michael Gove asked me to conduct a review into Alternative Provision (AP) including Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). Many of the children in the riots had been excluded from school and were growing up on the streets. Children like these who crave boundaries and companionship look elsewhere for it, and for many, a local gang provides the structure and a sense of belonging that has been missing at home or school.

In many cases schools send pupils who are in danger of exclusion to an alternative provider. This provision can be anything from a day a week doing car mechanics to a full-time college course. The best are terrific, but in my travels round the country for the review I was been shocked by what some schools are doing. They find the cheapest provider, irrespective of quality. Sometimes they pay less money than they receive from the government for each pupil.

There is virtually no accountability in the system for the way schools use AP. With a lack of incentive or direction from schools, the worst alternative providers are little more than holding pens to keep children quiet until they leave school. They become prolific at pool or sit on Facebook all day, without making academic or any other meaningful progress.

Commissioning is piecemeal, there are no follow up meetings and no targets set for the alternative provider or the pupil. The message is pretty clear – “I don’t care what you do with this pupil as long as I never have to see him again.”

Children who are excluded from school usually end up in a PRU. The best PRUs do a remarkable job of engaging their pupils, helping them to change their behaviour and providing outstanding teaching which helps the pupils to move successfully on to the next phase of their life.

But many are bleak, depressing places where children fail to make any meaningful progress.

Often these PRUs are the council’s provision of last resort for children who, for all sorts of reasons, aren’t in mainstream education. There is a one-size-fits all approach that means that children with severe behavioural issues are in the same unit as, for example, a girl who has been severely bullied.

PRUs are often remote from the schools from where they have inherited pupils. There is not sharing of expertise from PRUs to schools on improving behaviour – or from schools to PRUs in improving learning.

Schools fund their local PRU through a top slice of their Dedicated Schools Grant whether they use it or not and irrespective of whether it is any good.

The Government is trying out a new approach to exclusions whereby schools remain responsible for the education of children they permanently exclude, but they, rather than the local authority receive the funding.

Cambridgeshire has developed this approach and the results have been impressive. The PRU has fallen in size from 700 places to just 150. Schools are using the money to make early provision for children before they have gone so far off the rails that exclusion becomes the only option.

This policy provides great opportunities for academies, they can now open alternative provision free schools in order to support these children. In September, East Birmingham Network free school will open. A group of mainstream schools have got together, pooled resources and expertise in order to provide for their most challenging children. What a fantastic, creative solution – imagine the possibilities nationally: the best academies bringing their academic rigour and first class teaching combine to create bespoke, effective provision for their most difficult and vulnerable children. They know their pupils, they know what they need to flourish and they will create free schools that will make a significant difference to the life chances of these children. More applications from groups of schools and academy chains to open alternative provision free schools are in the pipeline as head teachers begin to realise the possibilities.

From September this year the first PRUs will convert to become alternative provision academies. They are going to follow a range of routes from multi-academy trusts, to sponsored solutions to stand alone academies. In PRUs there are some of the best leaders in the education world and as academies they will be able to grow and adapt to the needs of their pupils and to those of local schools. No longer will they have to be pushed and pulled by the whims and priorities of local authorities as many currently are. They will sit in the heart of their communities using their expertise to help schools to help our most difficult children to succeed.

This government is changing the education world in England, the opportunities are limitless. We are already seeing how academies are transforming the lives and the life chances of our children. But as we head onwards we must not leave our most vulnerable children trailing in our wake. By setting up free schools or supporting or sponsoring their local PRUs academies will ensure that truly no child is left behind.

 

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 29 September 2022.

GCSE, AS, and A level exams in England will largely return to pre-pandemic arrangements next summer as young people continue to recover from the pandemic.

In line with the plans set out last September, Ofqual has confirmed a return to pre-pandemic grading in 2023.

To protect students against the disruption of recent years, and in case students’ performance is slightly lower than before the pandemic, senior examiners will use the grades achieved by previous cohorts of pupils, along with prior attainment data, to inform their decisions about where to set grade boundaries.

This mirrors the approach used in the first years of reformed GCSEs and A levels in 2017, when early cohorts were protected against the impact of changes to the qualifications and means, for example, a typical A level student who would have achieved a grade A before the pandemic will be just as likely to get an A this summer.

The government is also confirming that students should continue to be provided with support in GCSE mathematics, physics and combined science with formulae and equation sheets, but not with advance information of exam content, as was the case last year.

The decisions reflect the reduced levels of disruption this cohort have experienced compared to the cohorts of the previous two years. Ofqual has launched a consultation on the plans for formulae and equation sheets today.

Education Secretary Kit Malthouse said:

Students working towards their qualifications next year expect fairness in exams and grading arrangements, which is why we are transitioning back to pre-pandemic normality.

Schools are doing a great job in supporting students to catch up and get back on track including through the National Tutoring Programme, which continues to provide one-to-one or small group tuition to students that need extra help.

Chief Regulator, Dr Jo Saxton said:

This summer was an important step back towards normality. Our plans for 2023 take us a step further, whilst also recognising the impact of Covid.

I’ve visited schools and colleges up and down the country and I’ve seen young people’s admirable resilience and dedication. Giving the 2023 cohort some protection against any impact of Covid disruption is the right thing to do. Our approach to grading in 2023 will provide a soft landing for students as we continue the process of taking the exam system back to normal.

Ofqual already announced earlier this year that pre-pandemic arrangements for non-exam assessment, fieldwork and practical science have been reinstated. The department confirmed at the same time that schools and colleges this year will be teaching the full content of qualifications to students taking exams in 2023.

Arrangements for vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) and other general qualifications were confirmed in May 2022.

Ofqual does not expect any further adaptations to be used in VTQs. Awarding organisations are expected to take account of the approach, including in relation to grading, used in general qualifications so that students taking VTQs are not advantaged or disadvantaged in comparison.

UCAS Chief Executive Clare Marchant said:

We welcome today’s announcement by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual).

As an independent charity, UCAS’s aim is to help students make informed decisions about their future that are right for them, whether pursuing university, college or an apprenticeship, and this early clarification means students will be able to apply with confidence in the 2023 cycle.

Higher education admissions is becoming more competitive, with a 1/3 increase in 18-year-olds forecast to apply by 2026. This decision will support teachers and advisors in giving the best guidance to their students, as well as enable universities and colleges to make offers with certainty.

David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said:

The move back to a grading profile in line with pre-pandemic levels, with some protection, is the right thing to do now. It gives certainty to everyone in the system – students, parents, teachers, advisers, employers – but we also need to be alert to the ongoing impact that pandemic lockdowns have had for many young people on mental health, confidence and study skills and make sure they get the support they need.

A series of further consultations relating to qualifications next year and in future years has also been launched today:

• The department and Ofqual are jointly consulting on guidance to schools and colleges about gathering assessment evidence to support resilience in the general qualifications system. The guidance proposes schools and colleges gather evidence in a way that aligns with their normal arrangements for preparing students for exams, helping ensure preparedness should a scenario ever again arise where it would be unsafe or unfair for students to sit exams.
• The department and Ofqual are both consulting on plans to remove the expectation that students engage with unfamiliar and abstract material, such as unfamiliar vocabulary, within modern foreign language (MFL) GCSE assessments from 2023 onwards. The Department’s consultation covers the curriculum, while Ofqual’s covers how it is assessed.
• The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) are consulting on the exam timetable for next summer, which seeks to maintain some of the space built into the exam timetable last year between the first and last exams in the same subject. This spacing was well received by schools and colleges in 2022 and reduces the chance of students missing all exams in a subject due to circumstances such as illness.

The department’s decisions on next year’s arrangements reflect that schools remained open to all pupils through the last academic year, with this year’s cohort having the opportunity to benefit from time in the classroom with teachers and interventions such as the National Tutoring Programme, compared to students from the previous two cohorts.

The government is investing nearly £5 billion to support students’ recovery from the impact of the pandemic, including £1.5 billion for tutoring programmes and almost £2 billion in direct funding, largely targeted at those that need help most.

Over 2 million courses have now started through the National Tutoring Programme, including 1.8 million so far across an estimated 80% of schools – helping children to catch up with learning loss.

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

Health, education and care services legally required to work together

Parents are to get a new legal right to buy in specialist special educational needs (SEN) and disabled care for their children, under plans set out today by Children’s Minister Sarah Teather.

For the first time ever, parents will be given the power to control personal budgets for their children with severe, profound or multiple health and learning – meaning they can choose the expert support that is right for their child, instead of local authorities (LAs) being the sole provider.

The biggest reform of SEN for 30 years will also force education, health and social care services to plan services together by law – so when their children are assessed, parents will be assured they will get full provision to address their children’s needs.

Often it is not clear to parents, and to local services, who is responsible for delivering on the statement of special needs. Services such as speech and language therapy may appear in the statement but are funded and commissioned by local health services.

Sarah Teather said that would stop the ‘agonising’ battle many parents fight to get the support for their families, as they are forced to go from ‘pillar to post’ between different authorities and agencies.

She said it would end the delays children face by undergoing multiple check-ups over many months, sweeping away the current outdated, slow and complex system.

The reforms are set out in the Government’s formal response to the public consultation on its green paper, Support and Aspiration published today.

The main elements are:

• Replacing SEN statements and separate learning difficulty assessments (for older children) with a single, simpler birth to 25 years assessment process and education, health and care plan from 2014. Parents with the plans would have the right to a personal budget for their support.
• Providing statutory protections comparable to those currently associated with a statement of SEN to up to 25-years-old in further education – instead of there being a ‘cliff edge’ when it is cut off at 16, to help young people into employment and independent living.
• LAs and health services will be required to link up services for disabled children and young people – so they are jointly planned and commissioned.
• Requiring LAs to publish a local offer showing the support available to disabled children and young people and those with SEN, and their families.
• Introducing mediation for disputes and trialling giving children the right to appeal if they are unhappy with their support.
• Children would have a new legal right to seek a place at state academies and Free Schools – currently it is limited to maintained mainstream and special schools. LAs would have to name the parent’s preferred school so long it was suitable for the child.

The consultation had a huge response – with around 2,400 formal responses giving broad support for the reforms. The changes are already being piloted in 20 local pathfinders. The interim evaluation reports are due in summer and late autumn this year with a final report in 2013.

The Children and Families Bill announced in last week’s Queen’s Speech will now put legislation in place for the reforms.

Children’s Minister Sarah Teather said:

The current system is outdated and not fit for purpose. Thousands of families have had to battle for months, even years, with different agencies to get the specialist care their children need. It is unacceptable they are forced to go from pillar to post, facing agonising delays and bureaucracy to get support, therapy and equipment.

These reforms will put parents in charge. We trust parents to do the right thing for their own child because they know what is best. The right to a personal budget will give them real choice and control of care, instead of councils and health services dictating how they get support.

It is a huge step forward to require health, education and care services work together. The reforms will give parents better information and a comprehensive package of support that meets their needs.

Christine Lenehan, Director of the Council for Disabled Children, the Government’s strategic partner on its SEN reforms, said:

We are delighted that the Government continues to support disabled children and those with special educational needs. Tackling the battleground for families by ensuring joined-up local services and clear local information is to be warmly welcomed.

The green paper response also confirms a £3 million supported internships trial will be launched in 15 further education colleges this autumn, for 16- to 25-year-olds with the most complex learning difficulties or disabilities; and the possibility for all colleges to offer supported internships from September 2013.

The programme will provide structured study, based at an employer, which is tailored to the individual needs of the young person and will equip them with the skills they need for the workplace. This will include on-the-job training, backed by expert ‘job coaches’ to support interns and employers, and the chance to study for relevant qualifications – where appropriate.