Funding worth £2.4m to encourage better sports activities in schools has been announced by the Department for Education (DfE)
Nine schools are to share in a £0.5m grant to trial new ways to engage the least active pupils in sports lessons and to meet the new Ofsted inspection requirements. The funding will also help schools develop the skills and confidence of PE teachers
It also includes £1.6m to enable schools to open up their sports facilities to communities after school and in the holidays
Tuesday, 28 January 2020
Wednesday, 22 January 2020
22 January 2020 Ofsted annual report warns against 'narrowing the curriculum'
In the annual report, published today, Ofsted has warned that it will not turn a 'blind eye' to schools narrowing the curriculum
The chief inspector says that 'we must not succumb to the seductive but wrong-headed logic that we are helping disadvantaged children by turning a blind eye to schools that are narrowing education if they deliver acceptable grades at the end'
Concerns were also raised about science in primary schools. The inspectorate said that it understood why science has fallen down the priority list in many primaries, but that some schools were showing that there was space in the curriculum to give children a good grounding in maths and English whilst also building knowledge in other areas
In recent weeks there have been a number of major developments that could change the way that Ofsted inspects schools, including ending the exemption that stops outstanding schools being routinely inspected. During the election campaign, the Conservatives also pledged to pilot 'no-notice' inspections and extend the length of inspections in primary and secondary schools over three days.
Ofsted announced last week that it would trial a new form of deeper inspection into what it called 'stuck schools', which have been rated as less than good over four inspections between 2006 and 2019
The chief inspector says that 'we must not succumb to the seductive but wrong-headed logic that we are helping disadvantaged children by turning a blind eye to schools that are narrowing education if they deliver acceptable grades at the end'
Concerns were also raised about science in primary schools. The inspectorate said that it understood why science has fallen down the priority list in many primaries, but that some schools were showing that there was space in the curriculum to give children a good grounding in maths and English whilst also building knowledge in other areas
In recent weeks there have been a number of major developments that could change the way that Ofsted inspects schools, including ending the exemption that stops outstanding schools being routinely inspected. During the election campaign, the Conservatives also pledged to pilot 'no-notice' inspections and extend the length of inspections in primary and secondary schools over three days.
Ofsted announced last week that it would trial a new form of deeper inspection into what it called 'stuck schools', which have been rated as less than good over four inspections between 2006 and 2019
Monday, 13 January 2020
13 January 2020 Ofsted announces proposals to inspect outstanding schools
The Government has proposed that Ofsted will inspect schools currently rated as outstanding from September 2020
Schools rated as outstanding are currently exempt from inspection. Under the proposals, which are the subject of a consultation, all outstanding schools will be brought back into the regular inspection cycle, with Ofsted visiting them every four or five years. This will affect about 3700 schools when the exemption is lifted in September
The proposals, which are subject to Parliamentary approval, will prioritise those schools which have gone the longest since inspection
Schools rated as outstanding are currently exempt from inspection. Under the proposals, which are the subject of a consultation, all outstanding schools will be brought back into the regular inspection cycle, with Ofsted visiting them every four or five years. This will affect about 3700 schools when the exemption is lifted in September
The proposals, which are subject to Parliamentary approval, will prioritise those schools which have gone the longest since inspection
Monday, 6 January 2020
6 January 2020 DfE announces additional funding for developing music, arts and culture in schools
The Department for Education (DfE) has announced additional funding to support the development of music, arts and culture in schools
The curriculum schemes which will receive a total of £85million for 2020/21 include
- Music education hubs
- In harmony
- National youth music organisations and Music for youth
- Cultural education
The music education hubs, which support the teaching of music in schools through subsidised instrument lessons and ensembles, have benefitted from £300million funding between 2016 and 2020
The curriculum schemes which will receive a total of £85million for 2020/21 include
- Music education hubs
- In harmony
- National youth music organisations and Music for youth
- Cultural education
The music education hubs, which support the teaching of music in schools through subsidised instrument lessons and ensembles, have benefitted from £300million funding between 2016 and 2020
Wednesday, 4 December 2019
4 December 2019 England rises up the Pisa rankings as mathematics and reading improve
A recently published Pisa (Programme for International Student Assessment) study shows that England has moved up the rankings as a result of a significant improvement in mathematics and a small rise in reading.
In mathematics, England was ranked 17th, just one place behind Finland and up from 26th in 2015.
However, it was behind countries including Estonia, Poland and the seven top-ranked East Asian systems.
There was a decline in science, shared by some of the highest performing counties in the Pisa study.
In mathematics, England was ranked 17th, just one place behind Finland and up from 26th in 2015.
However, it was behind countries including Estonia, Poland and the seven top-ranked East Asian systems.
There was a decline in science, shared by some of the highest performing counties in the Pisa study.
Friday, 29 November 2019
29 November 2019 Higher proportion of secondary schools lost their outstanding grade
Schools graded as outstanding are currently exempt from Ofsted inspections. However, Ofsted can inspect them if it has concerns, and in 2018-19 382 of them were inspected.
Data published this week shows that 75% of the outstanding secondary schools inspected were downgraded, compared to 38% in the previous year.
86% of the outstanding primary schools inspected were downgraded, compared to 80% in the previous year.
In September, plans to lift the exemption were announced but the process for this has not yet started.
Data published this week shows that 75% of the outstanding secondary schools inspected were downgraded, compared to 38% in the previous year.
86% of the outstanding primary schools inspected were downgraded, compared to 80% in the previous year.
In September, plans to lift the exemption were announced but the process for this has not yet started.
Friday, 22 November 2019
22 November 2019 Report shows rise in the number of home-educated children with complex needs
A report published by the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) has shown a rise in the number of cases with 'social care, SEND and multi-agency involvement'
The report indicates that responses were received from 132 councils, showing that an estimated 78000 children and young people were home-educated at some point during the 2018/19 academic year
Of this cohort, 38 councils said that between 6% and 10% had an education, health and care (EHP) plan
The report says that 'The surge (in the number of EHE families) notably involves cases which are increasing in complexity and, consequently, require more robust monitoring, support and multi-agency involvement'
The report indicates that responses were received from 132 councils, showing that an estimated 78000 children and young people were home-educated at some point during the 2018/19 academic year
Of this cohort, 38 councils said that between 6% and 10% had an education, health and care (EHP) plan
The report says that 'The surge (in the number of EHE families) notably involves cases which are increasing in complexity and, consequently, require more robust monitoring, support and multi-agency involvement'
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)