Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · May 16

🚨 Exclusive: In a parliamentary question, the Department for Education confirmed it had not assessed how benefit reforms would impact its school readiness target.

Many teachers who spoke to me said it was "short sighted" to not do this.

Read more: schoolsweek.co.uk/benefits-cut...

Benefits cuts threaten school-readiness target

Starmer wants 75% of children school-ready by 2028. Benefit cuts put that in jeopardy

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · May 9

Former schools minister Sir Nick Gibb has been recruited as a strategic adviser by a company that sells pouches to lock away children’s phones.

Read more below with @schoolsweek.bsky.social: schoolsweek.co.uk/ex-minister-...

Ex-minister Nick Gibb to advise phone pouch firm

Former Conservative politician becomes strategy adviser to American firm Yondr

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Apr 25

79 schools withdraw from breakfast clubs trial

Many schools cite inadequate funding, raising concerns about the viability of the full rollout

schoolsweek.co.uk

Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Apr 25

A career first for me! Delighted to see myself and @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social appear in this afternoon's influential @politico.eu London Playbook newsletter for our story on primary schools dropping out of the government's free breakfast clubs

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Reposted by Rhi Storer

Freddie Whittaker @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social · Apr 4

Great scoop here from @lydiach.bsky.social - Ofsted is considering whether to rename its proposed 'secure' grade

There are concerns it's not obvious to parents what it means or where it sits on the five-point scale

schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-looks...

Ofsted looks at renaming new ‘secure’ grade

Watchdog has been warned parents may not know where the word fits on its proposed new sliding scale

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Apr 7

ICYMI: School caterers warn a return to the school meal standards of the 1990s is on the cards as schools grapple with inflationary costs.

Leaders who spoke to me say they are facing pressures from NIC rises and inflation costs. Read more below...

schoolsweek.co.uk/outsourced-c...

Outsourced contract rises hit school catering budgets

Hard-pressed schools are warning of extra pressures from rising costs of outsourced contracts as with new national insurance hikes, minimum wages and food costs

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Mar 25

Given Adolescence is dominating news/teachers talk atm this quote from Kate is important:

“Young people’s political opinions about lots of things are diverging if you are a boy or a girl […]

“Oracy helps them learn, think, talk about their feelings, resolve conflict, and feel like they belong.”

Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Mar 25

🗣️ I’m here at The Speaking Summit in Bloomsbury with @schoolsweek.bsky.social.

Come say hello if you spot me.

@kateparadine.bsky.social tells the room Oracy is crucial in schools.

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Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Mar 25

Looks like there are heated discussions between MPs and senior education leaders over Labour’s breakfast club scheme 👀

Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Mar 21

🏫 New from me: The odds of year 11 pupils achieving a grade five in English and Maths almost double if their attendance is over 95 per cent, government research suggests

schoolsweek.co.uk/95-attendanc...

95%+ attendance almost doubles odds of GCSE pass

DfE research finds missing just 10 days of year 11 halves the chance of a grade 5 in English and maths

schoolsweek.co.uk

Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Mar 17

Spotted this evening in Birmingham

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Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Mar 15

Day two of #ASCL2025 conference here in Liverpool and @pepediiasio.bsky.social draws laughs from crowd re: Ofsted.

He says the last thing edu needs is an inspection system that “intensifies pressures."

"It’s a far cry from the Nando’s-style five-point scale Ofsted is proposing." 🐔

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Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Mar 14

Headteachers laugh at Sir Martin Oliver today at @ascl-uk.bsky.social for saying they shouldn’t be doing extra work for Ofsted 👀

He accused his critics of wanting lower accountability with the proposed new report card system 📚

Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Mar 14

👩‍🏫 I will be attending the ASCL conference tomorrow and Saturday in Liverpool with @schoolsweek.bsky.social

🗣️ Are you attending? Would you like to chat to me about something urgent in your MAT or school? Let me know as always: [email protected]. My DMs are open #SENDsky #edusky

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Reposted by Rhi Storer

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · Mar 14

Exclusive: Councils have been given ministerial approval to seize more than £82 million funding from their mainstream schools to prop up widening SEND deficits

Councils seize record £82m from schools for high needs

Schools say top slice is 'devastating and dangerous' for their budgets

buff.ly

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Reposted by Rhi Storer

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · Mar 14

Exclusive: School leaders are turning away SEND pupils and the practice ‘needs calling out’, the ASCL union head has said

Bosses must adopt ‘ethical’ approaches and become ‘models for the next generation’

buff.ly/rF3YG5U

ASCL head: Leaders turning away SEND kids need 'calling out'

School leaders are turning away SEND pupils and the practice 'needs calling out', the ASCL union head has said, calling for more 'ethical' approaches

buff.ly

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Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Mar 13

New from me: Jane Wilson will replace Rob Tarn as the new chief executive officer at Northern Education Trust (NET).

“I feel tremendously honoured to be given the opportunity to lead the trust on the next stage of our journey,” she said.

schoolsweek.co.uk/northern-edu...

Northern Education Trust appoints new CEO

Jane Wilson is set to replace Rob Tarn CBE as the new chief executive officer at Northern Education Trust (NET)

schoolsweek.co.uk

Rhi Storer @rhistorer.bsky.social · Mar 12

Nice stream Brian - any chance you can DM me re: all things Twitch?

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