Tag: Department for Education

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 9 June 2010.

Regarding stories concerning free school meals, a Department for Education spokesperson said:

As the Education Secretary made clear in his letter to Ed Balls dated 7 June 2010, we are not stopping free school meals. All pupils who are already eligible will continue to receive them. We are, however, ending the expansion of eligibility this year. This decision was made because the cost of extending eligibility was significantly higher than anticipated by the previous government. Money saved this year will be invested in projects to boost the attainment of children from disadvantaged families.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 7 June 2010.

The government has today lifted the restrictions that stopped state schools offering iGCSE qualifications in key subjects. It has also announced its intention to include iGCSE results in school performance tables as soon as possible.

The announcement means that state-funded schools will be free to teach from September a wide range of these respected and valued qualifications, putting them on a level playing field with independent schools who have offered them for some time.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb has also announced that development of the new diplomas in science, humanities and languages, due to be introduced from September 2011, will cease immediately. This means instant savings of around £1.77 million, plus further savings in future years.

Along with today’s significant qualifications announcements, ministers also confirmed that they will not proceed with the last government’s proposed new primary curriculum, which was based on a review led by Sir Jim Rose. The new curriculum was due to be taught in schools from September 2011.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 7 June 2010.

The government has today lifted restrictions that stopped state schools offering iGCSE qualifications in key subjects. It has also announced its intention to include iGCSE results in school performance tables as soon as possible.

The announcement means that from September, state-funded schools will be free to teach a wide range of these respected and valued qualifications, putting them on a level playing field with independent schools who have offered them for some time.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb has also announced that development of the new diplomas in science, humanities and languages, due to be introduced from September 2011, will cease immediately. This means instant savings of around £1.77 million, plus further savings in future years.

The Minister said it was not the role of government to force the development of new diplomas in humanities, sciences and languages. Stopping the phase 4 diplomas will help refocus efforts on tried and tested, rigorous qualifications in these subject areas, which employers and higher education are asking for.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:

After years of political control over our exams system, schools must be given greater freedom to offer the qualifications employers and universities demand, and that properly prepare pupils for life, work and further study.

For too long, children in state-maintained schools have been unfairly denied the right to study for qualifications like the iGCSE, which has only served to widen the already vast divide between state and independent schools in this country.

By removing the red tape, state school pupils will have the opportunity to leave school with the same set of qualifications as their peers from the top private schools – allowing them to better compete for university places and for the best jobs.

It’s not for government to decide which qualifications pupils should take, or to force the development of new qualifications, which is why we are stopping development of the state-led academic diploma in humanities, sciences and languages from today. Instead, we will devote our efforts to making sure our existing qualifications are rigorous, challenging and properly prepare our young people for life, work and study.

Up until now, only independent schools were able to offer iGCSEs in English, mathematics, science and ICT, which are widely respected and recognised by universities and employers. A number of the high-performing state schools have expressed an interest in offering these exams, but were prevented from doing so – even where accredited by Ofqual – by restrictions the previous Government had in place.

By removing the red tape around iGCSEs and today approving them for use and funding in state-maintained schools, ministers have given a clear signal that headteachers should be given greater power to choose the qualifications that best meet the needs of their students.

Along with today’s significant qualifications announcements, ministers also confirmed that they will not proceed with the last government’s proposed new primary curriculum, which was based on a review led by Sir Jim Rose. The new curriculum was due to be taught in schools from September 2011, but the relevant clause in the Children, Schools and Families Bill did not successfully pass through the last Parliament.

Nick Gibb said:

A move away from teaching traditional subjects like history and geography could have led to an unacceptable erosion of standards in our primary schools.

Instead, teachers need a curriculum which helps them ensure that every child has a firm grasp of the basics and a good grounding in general knowledge, free from unnecessary prescription and bureaucracy.

It is vital that we return our curriculum to its intended purpose – a minimum national entitlement organised around subject disciplines.

Ministers have always made clear their intentions to make changes to the national curriculum, to ensure a relentless focus on the basics and to give teachers more flexibility than the proposed primary curriculum offered. They will shortly announce their next steps.

In the meantime, the Department for Education has advised schools that the existing primary curriculum will continue to be in force in the academic year 2011 to 2012 and primary schools should plan on that basis.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 2 June 2010.

Commenting on the decision, Michael Gove said:

This government trusts the professionals. That’s why we want to give teachers greater freedoms and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy. Since I have been shadowing education and more recently held the brief in government there has been one organisation of whose purpose and benefit to teachers I am deeply sceptical – the General Teaching Council for England.

I believe this organisation does little to raise teaching standards or professionalism. Instead it simply acts as a further layer of bureaucracy while taking money away from teachers.

I want there to be stronger and clearer arrangements in relation to teacher misconduct and I am not convinced the GTCE is the right organisation to take these forward. I intend to seek authority from Parliament to abolish the General Teaching Council for England.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 2 June 2010.

The Secretary of State has outlined the number of schools which have shown an interest in becoming academies following the Department for Education announcement of the intention to expand the programme.

Regarding the schools that have shown an interest in becoming academies, Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove said:

I believe that headteachers and teachers know best how to run schools, not local bureaucrats or politicians. That’s why last week I wrote to every school in the country inviting them to take up academy freedoms if they wished to do so. The response has been overwhelming. In just 1 week, over 1,100 schools have applied. Of these, 626 are outstanding schools, including over 250 primary schools, nearly 300 secondary schools (over half of all the outstanding secondary schools in the country) and over 50 special schools.

Total number of schools who have applied for academy freedoms: 1,114

• non-outstanding schools: 488
• outstanding schools: 626

Of the outstanding schools that have applied:

• primary schools: 273
• secondary schools: 299
• all-through schools: 2
• special schools: 52

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 26 May 2010.

The Academies Bill and the Education and Children’s Bill will be introduced to enable more schools to achieve academy status, give teachers greater freedoms over the curriculum and allow new providers to run state schools.

Regarding the legislation, Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, said:

Teachers know how to run schools, not bureaucrats or politicians. That’s why this Government is committed to giving all schools greater freedom. Many schools have already shown a keen interest in gaining academy freedoms. They want to use those powers to increase standards for all children and close the gap between the richest and the poorest.

The Academies Bill in full, as well as explanatory notes, can be downloaded from this page.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 26 May 2010.

All primary, secondary and special schools were today invited to become academies – offering them greater independence and freedom.

Education Secretary Michael Gove wrote to every headteacher in England saying he wanted to open up the academies programme to all schools including, for the first time, primaries and special schools.

He also pledged to make the process of becoming an academy quicker and less bureaucratic, removing local authority powers to block schools that want to become academies.

Schools that are rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted will be fast-tracked through the process.

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the Academies Bill, introduced in the House of Lords today, the first tranche of these academies will open in September 2010.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said:

‘The government is genuinely committed to giving schools greater freedoms. We trust teachers and headteachers to run their schools. We think headteachers know how to run their schools better than bureaucrats or politicians.

‘Many school leaders have already shown a keen interest in gaining academy freedoms. They want to use those powers to increase standards for all children and close the gap between the richest and the poorest.

‘Today I am inviting all schools to register their interest. It is right that they should be able to enjoy academy freedoms and I hope many will take up this offer.’

 

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 26 May 2010.

Gove invites all schools to become academies

Greater freedom and independence were promised to primary and secondary schools today as Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, invited all schools to apply to become academies.

Writing to schools today, he announced the government will open up the academies programme to all schools including, for the first time, primary schools and special schools. He also pledged to make the process of becoming an academy quicker and less bureaucratic, removing local authority powers to block schools that want to become academies.

Schools that are rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted will be fast tracked through the process.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the Academies Bill, which was introduced in the House of Lords today, the first tranche of these academies will open in September 2010 and schools that become academies will enjoy:

• freedom from local authority control
• the ability to set their own pay and conditions for staff
• freedom from following the national curriculum
• greater control of their budget
• greater opportunities for formal collaboration with other public and private organisations
• freedom to change the length of terms and school days
• freedom to spend the money the local authority currently spends on their behalf.

These freedoms will be in addition to system-wide reductions in bureaucracy due to be announced shortly. This will shift power from central and local government back to heads and schools.

Michael Gove said:

The government is genuinely committed to giving schools greater freedoms. We trust teachers and headteachers to run their schools. We think headteachers know how to run their schools better than bureaucrats or politicians.

Many school leaders have already shown a keen interest in gaining academy freedoms. They want to use those powers to increase standards for all children and close the gap between the richest and the poorest.

Today I am inviting all schools to register their interest. It is right that they should be able to enjoy academy freedoms and I hope many will take up this offer.

Schools who wish to apply for academy status can now register their interest online and will receive further guidance on how the process works.

Further details of today’s changes will form part of the academies bill. Subject to parliamentary approval, the government will allow all maintained schools to apply to become an academy with schools rated outstanding being fast-tracked for approval by the Secretary of State. Other primary, secondary and special schools will be able to convert at a later stage with the final decision on which schools become academies resting with the Secretary of State.

Today’s announcement was welcomed by headteachers, academy sponsors and national education bodies.

Patricia Sowter, Headteacher of Cuckoo Hall Primary School, indicated her school would apply for academy freedoms. She said:

To achieve success in our school we have always been committed to effective and non-bureaucratic ways of working. I have always felt that successful schools should be given the option to adopt the same level of autonomy that comes with academy freedoms. These freedoms would allow Cuckoo Hall to continually build on its success and shape its own future by choosing our own curriculum to best meet the needs of our children.

Dan Moynihan, Chief Executive of the Harris Federation:

Academy freedoms for outstanding schools will remove bureaucratic shackles from headteachers and give them the scope and incentive to run their schools even more entrepreneurially for the benefit of children and their communities. This policy change is a major step forward in creating a world-class educational system.

Sally Coates, Principal of Burlington Danes Academy:

I welcome today’s announcement. I have led inner-city schools under local authority and academy control and I know that academies enjoy the freedom to put into practice fresh ideas to keep students motivated and genuinely enthused about learning. Academies have the autonomy to really respond to the needs of the local community context and strategically shape their offer to meet those needs.

Tom Clark, Executive Chairman of the Foundation, Aided Schools and Academies National Association (FASNA) said today:

FASNA have always said that to ensure a high-quality education for all pupils, headteachers need to have control over how they run their school; and importantly need to be free from local authority intervention. FASNA welcomes this initiative and is confident that many of our schools will be keen to apply for these freedoms.

Dr Elizabeth Sidwell CBE, CEO Haberdashers’ Federation:

At the Haberdashers’ Federation we value our academy freedoms very highly. Overall they encourage a sense of responsibility and allow our principals to take decisions and be accountable for these. The best heads flourish in this way. We enjoy self determination in the allocation of our resources and so get the best deals for our schools in all support services.

Freedom also means we can act promptly and apply resources to teaching and learning where it is most needed. For example, through efficiencies of scale we are able to give all our primary children free cooked lunches which benefits their health, social skills and most importantly their learning.

The freedom to set our own term and holiday dates means we are able to maximise learning and teaching time and put a two-week break in the long autumn term and start the academic year early.

Ian Foster, Chair of the Board – Academies Enterprise Trust:

It seemed to me so often in recent years that, with a few notable exceptions, the Academies programme provided failing schools with reward and opportunity whilst excluding the best schools from the freedoms and opportunities that becoming an academy offers. I am very pleased that the new policy addresses that whilst, at the same time, continuing to allow more challenged schools to become academies, under the control of successful sponsors or commissioned by parents. As a sponsor with a track record of success the Academies Enterprise Trust is looking forward to playing a proactive role in growing the academies network.

Sir Kevin Satchwell, Headmaster Thomas Telford School:

I believe that there will be considerable enthusiasm for this initiative. Outstanding schools by their very nature have outstanding heads who thrive on greater independence and autonomy. They deserve to be trusted and in my view will be able to do so much more to progress their own and other local schools who may need support. I have been afforded these premier conditions for many years and recognise how critical it has been to the success of Thomas Telford School and the family of schools that have grown from our independence.

ARK Schools said:

Having academy status has given ARK Schools the opportunity to design a curriculum and staffing model that is having real impact in delivering high achievement for disadvantaged pupils. ARK’s 3 academies with GCSE pupils achieved a weighted average annual increase in GCSE attainment of 7.8 percentage points since opening.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 26 May 2010.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:

The fall in the overall absence rate and small fall in unauthorised absences is very welcome but the overall level of absenteeism in schools is still too high.

We need to do more to tackle the underlying factors that result in thousands of children being absent from school each day.

We are determined to help schools raise standards of behaviour and to give teachers the clear powers they need to maintain a calm and safe environment for children and staff. We need to ensure that students starting secondary school have the basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics firmly embedded so they can cope with the demands of secondary education.

Tackling absenteeism in schools is a crucial part of the government’s commitment to increasing social mobility and to ensuring every child can meet their potential.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 25 August 2022.

Hundreds of thousands of students receive GCSE and vocational results today (25 August). It is the first time in three years that students have sat summer GCSE examinations as the country returns to normality post-Covid.

Students collecting results today will progress to one of a number of high-quality options including A levels, T Levels or an apprenticeship. From September there will be 16 T Levels available for young people to study, in subjects including digital, health, accounting, engineering and construction, offered at over 175 schools and colleges across England.

Just over three-quarters (75.3%) of GCSE grades for 16-year-olds in England are at grade 4 or above, up from 69.9% in 2019 when formal exams last took place and down from 79.1% in 2021, in line with the policy intent set out last year.

Top grades for 16 year olds in England have also increased on 2019 as intended, with 27% of entries achieving a grade 7 and above, up by 5.2 percentage points compared to 2019, and 3 percentage points lower than 2021.

In line with the plans announced last autumn, and as part of the transition back to pre-pandemic grading levels, overall grades today are higher than in 2019 – recognising the unprecedented disruption students have faced – but lower than in 2021 when exceptional steps were taken to ensure progression.

Students were supported with a range of adaptations this year including advance information on the content of some exams, formula sheets and content optionality for GCSE students while some students doing vocational and technical qualifications were given longer assessment windows.

This is alongside continued support from our National Tutoring Programme, through which the government is offering up to 6 million tutoring courses over the lifetime of the programme. So far over 2 million courses have started. In AY22/23, government will provide £349 million direct to schools to subsidise the cost of tutoring.

In recognition of the greater gaps in older pupils’ learning and the lower amount of time those pupils have left in education, the government is investing over £800m to increase time in schools and colleges at 16-19 around 40 hours a year from September for all students.

The additional funding schools receive to support pupils’ recovery will also nearly double for secondary schools from September 2022, with a typical secondary school set to receive £60,000 for evidence-based activities such as extra support with English and maths, attendance initiatives and summer schools, as part of the £1 billion recovery premium.

Education Secretary James Cleverly said:

“Students receiving their results today should be extremely proud, and I want to congratulate them all. The teaching profession has worked incredibly hard and these results are a testament to the resilience of both our students and staff.

We have the most exciting range of post-16 options for students to choose from now, whether that’s one of our exciting new T Levels, an apprenticeship or A levels. There is an option for everyone.

I wish students the very best of luck, no matter what those next steps are.”

Statistics published today also show:

Entries at grade 4 or above for 16-year-olds in England were 77.2% for GCSE English and 75.1% for GCSE maths

Attainment gap between boys and girls narrowed compared to 2021 at the top grades

The proportion of geography and history entries are up by 10.1% and 5.7% respectively compared to 2019, bringing entries into EBacc subjects to nearly 4 million

The proportion of grades at 7 and above in independent schools in England has dropped by 8.3 percentage points on 2021, compared to 2.4 percentage points in academies, narrowing the gap between the two groups at this grade

369,220 certificates across 141 qualifications have been awarded since March 2022, 96% of which are Technical Awards taken alongside GCSEs.

There are a wide range of apprenticeship opportunities available to young people, offering them the chance to earn while they learn and gain the skills needed to secure exciting careers in anything from space engineering, teaching, cyber security, nursing, social care or film and TV.

The government is investing nearly £5 billion to support students’ recovery from the impact of the pandemic, including £1.5 billion for tutoring programmes.

Separate funding is also being targeted at the areas of the country where outcomes are weakest through the Government’s 55 Education Investment Areas, including investment to attract and retain the best teachers through bursaries and funding to increase the number of schools that can benefit from the support of a strong trust.