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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Seven new Social Mobility Commissioners appointed

    PRESS RELEASE : Seven new Social Mobility Commissioners appointed

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 1 September 2022.

    • Minister for Women and Equalities, Liz Truss, appoints seven new commissioners to Social Mobility Commission board
    • The appointments will support Katharine Birbalsingh in her role as Chair of the SMC
    • The new board members will advance the independent work of the SMC following this year’s State of the Nation report

    Dr Raghib Ali, Resham Kotecha, Matthew Goodwin, Ryan Henson, Rob Henderson, Parminder Kohli and Rob Wilson have been appointed to the Board for a period of four years. They’ll make up a new panel of advisors, from diverse ethnic backgrounds, with expertise stretching from academia, to education and business.

    Following the announcement of Katharine Birbalsingh and Alun Francis as the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Social Mobility Commission (SMC), the organisation released its State of the Nation report in June. The report, and accompanying speech by the Chair, have set a new direction for the work of the SMC, which the newly appointed Commissioners will help to advance.

    Minister for Women and Equalities, Liz Truss, said:

    “Everyone in the UK should have the freedom to reach their full potential. These appointments are a positive step forward for equality in this country as we strive to improve social mobility and ensure everyone has the chance to succeed.

    “The combined expertise and experience of the new Commissioners will help the SMC to carry out its important work to ensure a person’s circumstances of birth do not determine outcomes in life.”

    Further Information:

    These appointments were conducted in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    The Social Mobility Commission is an independent statutory body (an organisation created by an Act of Parliament), established by The Life Chances Act 2010.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government takes further steps to address serious council failures in Slough

    PRESS RELEASE : Government takes further steps to address serious council failures in Slough

    The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 1 September 2022.

    • Local Government Minister Paul Scully expands government intervention in failing council
    • New powers granted to Commissioners who will be given control over recruitment of senior officers at the Council
    • Move comes following report from Commissioners outlining ‘unprecedented’ challenges at Slough Borough Council

    The government will expand its intervention in Slough Borough Council after persistent failure to deliver best value for local taxpayers, Minister Scully will confirm today (1 September 2022).

    A report from the Commissioners submitted in June of this year revealed the Council was facing an “unprecedented” scale of challenge, following years of financial mismanagement, piling debt and poor accounting practices.

    The Council was also plagued by governance issues, and despite the best efforts of Commissioners, insufficient progress had been made to deliver proper value for money for Slough’s taxpayers.

    To ensure Council staff have the best support possible in place, commissioners are now being granted further powers to oversee the recruitment of the Council’s most senior members of staff.

    Local Government Minister, Paul Scully, said:

    The people of Slough deserve a council that can deliver for their needs and drive long-lasting improvements and a brighter future.

    Given the scale of the challenges set out in the Commissioners report, I am granting further powers to Commissioners to help implement much-needed changes.

    I am confident that these expanded powers will support the Council so they can drive forward long-term change and protect hardworking taxpayers.

    In July this year, the Levelling Up Secretary confirmed he was minded-to expand the intervention in Slough. Having considered the representations made after this announcement, the decision to expand the intervention has now been confirmed.

    Lead Commissioner Max Caller CBE said:

    I am grateful to the Levelling Up Minister for confirming the expansion of the Directions and his support for Commissioners’ work at Slough Borough Council.

    There is much to do and no easy answers. Getting the right officer team in place quickly is an important step in the Council’s recovery and in delivering best value for Slough’s taxpayers.

    Further information

    On 1 December 2021, Commissioners were sent into Slough Borough Council to address serious financial and management failures at the request of the former Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

    On 28 July, the Levelling Up Secretary announced that he was minded-to expand the existing intervention in Slough Borough Council following the Commissioners’ report on the failings in the Council. A period of representations was held which closed on 11 August. The representations received agreed with or were neutral toward the expansion of powers for Commissioners and the Secretary of State has duly granted them.

  • PRESS RELEASE : More than 16 million households receive cost of living council tax rebate

    PRESS RELEASE : More than 16 million households receive cost of living council tax rebate

    The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 1 September 2022.

    • Around 9 out of 10 of eligible households have received £150 cost of living rebate
    • Anyone yet to receive the rebate can make a claim to local authority
    • Rebate part of £37 billion of government support to tackle cost of living crisis

    Around 90% of eligible households have received the government’s £150 council tax rebate to help with the cost of living.

    Figures published today show 16.6 million households in England, 86% of those eligible, were handed payments by the end of July – meaning the actual number of those who have received the rebate by now will be even higher as councils continue to pay it out.

    Today’s figures show a total of £2.5 billion has gone to households in council tax bands A to D under the scheme, an increase of more than £500 million on the previous month.

    All councils in England have begun making these payments and have payment processes in place for people who do not pay by direct debit. DLUHC will continue to drive progress with councils to pay households as soon as possible where they have not already done so.

    Households have until the end of September to claim the £150 payment, which does not have to be paid back. Anyone who is yet to receive their rebate is urged to check their local council website for more information and make a claim.

    However, recognising the importance of the rebate in helping those most in need with rising costs, the government urges councils to do everything they can to encourage the remaining households to claim their rebate to ensure as many eligible households as possible get the money that they are owed.

    An extra £144 million has also be given to councils to provide discretionary support to any household in financial need due to rising energy bills, including transient groups and people on low incomes in council tax bands E to H.

    Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark said:

    I’m pleased to see further progress in paying the council tax rebate out to the millions of households who are eligible to receive it.

    We want to make sure that those most in need receive the support that they are entitled to help households with the cost of living. This is why I am urging everyone to check their eligibility to receive the rebate and contact their councils if they have not.

    The rebate is part of £37 billion of government support being targeted at those most in need to help with the cost of living. This includes at least £1,200 of extra support for millions of the most vulnerable households this year, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400 towards their bills.

    The rebate is available to most households living in council tax bands A to D on 1 April. This includes those who receive Local Council Tax Support, even if their council tax bill for the year is less than £150.

    Anyone who thinks they are eligible but does not have a direct debit and has not received a payment or details of how to make a claim, should visit their local council’s website for more information.

    Since announcing the rebate in April, the government has provided £28 million for councils to set up software and recruit staff and will top this up as necessary to cover all reasonable delivery costs. Councils have been given a host of options to make payments quickly and securely including bank account transfers, council tax account credits or a voucher-based system.

    Local authorities must also make arrangements for those who cannot access the internet.

    If households do not know who their local council is, they can find their website through entering their postcode.

    See more information about government support on the cost of living.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New government partnership directors at NATS – Greg Bagwell and David Smith

    PRESS RELEASE : New government partnership directors at NATS – Greg Bagwell and David Smith

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 1 September 2022.

    Greg Bagwell and David Smith have been appointed as Non-Executive Partnership Directors to the board, where they will work alongside existing Partnership Director Maria Antoniou. Their appointment begins at the end of this month and will last for the next 3 years.

    Aviation Minister Robert Courts said:

    The next few years are going to be crucial for the aviation industry as it continues its recovery from the pandemic and air traffic management will continue to play a key role in keeping our skies safe and flights running smoothly as demand rebounds.

    That’s why it’s excellent we’ve secured such experienced individuals to sit on the NATS Board. While they will have big shoes to fill, both Greg and David’s breadth and depth of experience will be indispensable assets over the coming years.

    NATS Chair, Dr Paul Golby CBE said:

    I am delighted to be welcoming Greg and David to the NATS Board bringing their collective experience on safety and finance issues to support NATS going forwards.

    I would like to express my gratitude to Richard and Iain for all their work and support over the last 9 years which has been invaluable to myself as Chair, the NATS Board and NATS more widely.

    Greg Bagwell previously served for 36 years in the Royal Air Force, as an Air Marshal, Deputy Commander and a member of the Air Force Board, while David Smith has held a number of senior executive and finance positions in large multinational companies, including Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls Royce. He most recently was the CFO and Director of QinetiQ and has also served on the board of Motability for 10 years.

    They will take over from Iain McNicoll CB CBE and Richard Keys, who have both served 9 years on the board and have made significant contributions, particularly as the industry faced up to the pandemic.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Michael Gove outlines process for setting up free schools

    PRESS RELEASE : Michael Gove outlines process for setting up free schools

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 18 June 2010.

    Education Secretary Michael Gove has today outlined the process for allowing teachers, charities and parents to set up new schools – free schools – in response to parental demand. Free schools are independent state schools run by teachers not bureaucrats or politicians and accountable to parents.

    The government has already set out plans to give teachers the option to take on greater professional freedoms. Today’s announcement will see the government harnessing the passion and innovation of teachers even further by allowing them to set up schools for the first time.

    Education Secretary Michael Gove has today:

    • set out the process for how groups can start new schools and published a proposal form for groups to fill out
    • stated the government’s commitment to making it easier to secure sites for new schools. This will include allowing a wider range of sites, including residential and commercial property, to be used as schools without the need for ‘change of use’ consent. There will also be an extension of powers to protect existing schools’ sites, to make sure they are kept available for use by new schools where there is demand
    • reallocated £50 million of funding from the Harnessing Technology Grant to create a Standards and Diversity Fund. This will provide capital funding for free schools up to 31 March 2011. Funding for free schools will be a top priority for the Department for Education in the forthcoming Spending Review.
    • written to the New Schools Network to establish a formal relationship and to offer a £500,000 of initial funding to help make sure groups across the country get the support they need to start forming schools. The New Schools Network will act as the first point of contact for all groups who wish to start schools and will provide them with information as they go through the process and prepare their proposals.

    Education Secretary Michael Gove said:

    The most important element of a great education is the quality of teaching and free schools will enable excellent teachers to create new schools and improve standards for all children. This government believes that passionate teachers who want to make a real difference to education should have the opportunity. That’s why I am today inviting groups to complete a proposal form and enter a process to set up new free schools.

    Hundreds of groups, from teachers themselves to charities such as the Sutton Trust, have expressed an interest in starting great new schools. Just like the successful charter schools in the US, supported across the political spectrum, these schools will have the freedom to innovate and respond directly to parents’ needs. The new free schools will also be incentivised to concentrate on the poorest children by the introduction of this government’s pupil premium which will see schools receiving extra funds for educating children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    In this country, too often the poorest children are left with the worst education while richer families can buy their way to quality education via private schools or expensive houses. By allowing new schools we will give all children access to the kind of education only the rich can afford – small schools with small class sizes, great teaching and strong discipline.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Gove to the National College – ‘We have to make opportunity more equal’

    PRESS RELEASE : Gove to the National College – ‘We have to make opportunity more equal’

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 17 June 2010.

    Michael Gove today addressed headteachers at the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services’ Annual Leadership Conference in Birmingham.

    The Secretary of State for Education’s first keynote speech to the conference saw him stress the need for greater freedoms for headteachers and schools, the importance of learning from overseas, improved teaching, more intelligent accountability and a curriculum and qualifications system that compares with the best overseas.

    Academy freedoms

    Regarding greater freedoms Michael Gove said:

    One of the first things we have done is to give professionals more scope to drive improvement by inviting all schools to consider applying for academy freedoms.

    But we will now also provide you with the kind of autonomy that has served schools in America, Canada, Sweden and Finland so well and allow all schools the freedom to develop their own curriculum and fully control their own budget and staffing.

    The Education Secretary stated that over 1,772 schools have enquired about academy freedoms; 870 of these schools are rated ‘outstanding’ including 405 secondary schools and more than 400 outstanding primaries.

    He went on:

    That’s 70% of the outstanding secondary schools in the country and a significant cohort of outstanding primaries.

    Any school which acquires academy freedoms will continue to be governed by admissions rules which guarantee fair access to all, safeguards the inclusive character of comprehensive schools, ensures all schools take their fair share of pupils in need and prevents any school discriminating in any way against those pupils with special educational needs.

    Improving teaching

    The Education Secretary stressed the importance of attracting highly qualified teachers to the teaching profession:

    The generation of teachers currently in our schools is the best ever, but given the pace of international improvement we must always be striving to do better.

    That is why we will expand organisations such as Teach First, Teaching Leaders and Future Leaders which have done so much to attract more highly talented people into education.

    That is why we will write off the student loan payments of science and mathematics graduates who go into teaching.

    That is why we will reform teacher recruitment to ensure there is a relentless focus on tempting the best into this, most rewarding, of careers.

    And that is why we will reform teacher training to shift trainee teachers out of college and into the classroom.

    Discipline and behaviour

    The Education Secretary said that he will reform rules on discipline and behaviour to protect teachers from abuse, false allegation and from disruption and violence. He continued:

    That means getting parents to accept their responsibilities, giving teachers the discretion they need to get on with the job and sending a clear and consistent message at all times that adult authority has to be respected.

    Professional development

    Teachers will be given more control over their careers with a culture of more teachers acquiring a postgraduate qualification like a master’s or doctorate and potential school leaders will acquiring management qualifications. The Secretary of State saw the National College as key in this.

    Intelligent accountability

    The Education Secretary called for external assessment that shows what works, clearer information about teaching techniques that get results and evaluations of interventions that have run their course.

    Ofsted’s resources will also be directed to schools which are faltering or coasting and inspectors will spend more time on classroom observation and assessing teaching and learning.

    Curriculum and qualifications

    The Education Secretary stated:

    I want to ensure our national curriculum is a properly international curriculum – that it reflects the best collective wisdom we have about how children learn, what they should know and how quickly they can grow in knowledge.

    He stressed the need for a curriculum with a ‘simple core’ which is informed by best international practice which will be a measure for schools and will also allow parents to ask meaningful and informed questions about progress.

    In addition to curriculum reform, the Education Secretary said that tests that 11-year-olds sit in this country should be comparable with those 11-year-olds sit in Singapore, Taiwan or Toronto. He went on:

    That is why I want Ofqual to work not just to guarantee exam standards over time, but to guarantee exam standards match the best in the world.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Schools Minister Lord Hill responds to ‘The Times’ story concerning the General Teaching Council for England (GTC)

    PRESS RELEASE : Schools Minister Lord Hill responds to ‘The Times’ story concerning the General Teaching Council for England (GTC)

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 14 June 2010.

    Dear Sir

    Contrary to your report (Cameron and Gove ‘failing to back headteachers over poor staff’, 5 June 2010) we are scrapping the General Teaching Council for England (GTC) precisely because it is not delivering what heads want. We do need to have an effective way of dealing with incompetence and misconduct and will be setting out which of GTC’s functions should be transferred to other bodies. In addition to the £400,000 grant mentioned, the taxpayer subsidises GTC membership by almost £16 million a year.

    Yours faithfully

    Lord Hill of Oareford
    Schools Minister

  • PRESS RELEASE : Response to admission appeals data for maintained primary and secondary schools in England – 2008 to 2009

    PRESS RELEASE : Response to admission appeals data for maintained primary and secondary schools in England – 2008 to 2009

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 10 June 2010.

    Responding to the statistics, Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:

    Today’s figures show that an increasing number of parents are unhappy with the school choices open to them.

    The level of dissatisfaction underlines why it is so important we change the schools system so providers like teacher groups and charities can open new state schools wherever parents want them; and give outstanding schools the freedoms they need to help improve those in more challenging circumstances.

    By putting education in the hands of parents and professionals, rather than bureaucrats, we can raise standards in all our schools, particularly in the poorest areas where problems are most acute.

    Admission appeals statistics for maintained primary and secondary schools in England in academic year 2008 to 2009 can be downloaded.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Free school meals continue but costly expansion plans shelved

    PRESS RELEASE : Free school meals continue but costly expansion plans shelved

    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.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Changes to qualifications and curriculum – iGCSEs get go-ahead and Rose review is scrapped

    PRESS RELEASE : Changes to qualifications and curriculum – iGCSEs get go-ahead and Rose review is scrapped

    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.