24 February 2020 Schools get an extra year to bring curriculum into line with new Ofsted framework

Schools will get an extra year to bring their curriculum into line with Ofsted's new inspection framework, after the inspectorate announced an extension to its transition period

The new framework, which places greater weight on curriculum content and less on outcomes, came into effect last September.  However, Ofsted also gave a year-long transition period so that schools which have a plan to review their curriculum, and can demonstrate action to do so, are not penalised

Now Ofsted has said that the transition period will be extended for another year, so that schools will have this protection until July 2021.  However, the transition arrangements will only apply to the descriptors of 'what good looks like' and not to the 'outstanding' and 'inadequate' judgements

10 February 2020 DfE extends academy trust capacity fund to rural maintained schools

Rural schools maintained by local authorities will be able to access DfE funding for the first time in order to encourage them to become academies and form new multi-academy trusts

The DfE has extended the trust capacity fund, which was originally launched last year.  The fund will continue to be used to support strong trusts to grow and innovate, accelerate the development of mid-sized trusts and create new strong trusts

However, it can now be used to support outstanding or good local authority maintained schools to collaborate and create new, strong multi-academy trusts

6 February 2020 NGA advises that trust chair and member roles should be separate

The National Governors' Association (NGA) has advised academy trust chairs also serving as members to give up one of their roles

Sam Henson, director of policy and information at the NGA, said that members have a role in 'casting an eye over how effective the governance of the trust is, and so they have to be free from conflict to do so'

The Department for Education's strong preference is for a majority of the members to be independent of the board of trustees