Cerys Turner
@cerysturner.bsky.social
1.4K followers 1.1K following 600 posts
News reporter at Tes Covering Ofsted, curriculum, teacher training & AI ✍🏻 The Times, Big Issue, Metro (Pronounced like the Welsh singer, not the colour) https://www.tes.com/magazine/author/cerys-turner
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Reposted by Cerys Turner
charlottesantry.bsky.social
This was somewhat surprising at yday’s #cpc25 - heads have tended to argue for autonomy over mobile phone policies in their schools when the question of a ban’s come up previously.
cerysturner.bsky.social
Excl: School leaders have been left "staggered" by the rise of St George's flags in their communities.

Heads say that schools are being left alone to deal with the fallout of immigration debates in the absence of an official government line.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Schools criticise support ‘vacuum’ as racial tensions rise
Concerned leaders tell Tes the government has not equipped them to deal with debates on immigration, race and St George’s flags
www.tes.com
Reposted by Cerys Turner
jonsevers.bsky.social
Seems clear the DfE has decided to back @oaknational.bsky.social and feels sure it will win in legal action brought by BESA and Publishers Association - legal action now continues following a 'stay' after a DfE offer of reduced funding.
Story by @cerysturner.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Oak legal challenge set to go ahead
The judicial review was made against the formation of Oak National Academy as an arms-length body of the Department for Education
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
🚨Excl: Legal action against the DfE is set to go ahead.

The claim is being made against the govt’s decision to establish curriculum resource Oak National Academy as an arms-length body.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Oak legal challenge set to go ahead
The judicial review was made against the formation of Oak National Academy as an arms-length body of the Department for Education
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
Excl: The PM claimed yesterday that he had invited other political parties to work with the government on SEND reform, but neither the Lib Dem’s or the Conservatives have received any such invite.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
PM claim of SEND reform invitation is rejected by opponents
Conservatives and Liberal Democrats reject Sir Keir Starmer’s insistence that he invited political parties to collaborate on SEND reform
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
Phillipson defended the expected introduction of Year 8 reading tests after unions called it “unnecessary” and “distracting”.

The edu sec said that literacy monitoring is “particularly important for working-class kids”.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Phillipson pushes back at criticism over Year 8 reading tests
Education secretary stops short of confirming plans for mandatory reading test in Year 8, but defends the testing of students’ literacy skills
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
Keir Starmer told the BBC this morning that he doesn’t want to take away EHCPs, but - and an important but - added that “we do need to reform this system”.

No final decision has been made on SEND reform & the PM has invited other parties to work with the govt:

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
DfE considering if EHCPs are 'right vehicle'
SEND adviser Dame Christine Lenehan says new reforms will change the 'bureaucratic nightmare' that the system has become
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
Excl from @ktorm-social1.bsky.social

2 in 3 teachers have faced tech problems when delivering the Reception baseline assessment, the first month of the test going digital.

The primary sector has asked why issues weren't identified and worked through in advance:

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
RBA technical problems prompt concerns over progress data
Teacher Tapp survey of KS1 and EYFS teachers finds 67 per cent faced technical issues when administering the Reception baseline assessment
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
Excl: Ofsted cannot estimate how many schools will have monitoring inspections under the new framework.

The watchdog's national director for education Lee Owston also tells me that he does not recognise concerns expressed by unions about report cards.
Ofsted can’t say how its plan is affordable
In an exclusive interview, Ofsted’s national director of education insists it will be able to fund an increase in monitoring inspections under its new system – despite not having tried to predict the likely number
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
A new report has called on the govt to create more resourced provision units specifically for pupils with speech and language challenges.

Speech and Language UK also wants clearer guidance for schools on what good provision looks like:

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Call for more mainstream speech and language units
Charity produces alternative White Paper seeking national availability of resourced provision and access to speech and language therapists for all schools
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
The briefs of the new education ministers have been revealed.

Georgia Gould has the main schools brief, responsible for RISE, inspection, teacher training, pay and curriculum and assessment.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
DfE ministers’ portfolios confirmed
After Keir Starmer’s reshuffle, three new ministers joined the Department for Education. Find out who they are and what responsibilities they have
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
Excl: Almost half of secondary teachers say that a non-specialist is teaching in their school, with over a third of respondents saying non-specialists were teaching Year 7 & Year 8.

But experts warn that this could lead to a "KS4 catch-up sprint"👇

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Year 7s commonly taught by non-specialist teachers
Some 36 per cent of secondary teachers report that a non-specialist is teaching children who have just moved up to their school, a Teacher Tapp poll for Tes shows
www.tes.com
Reposted by Cerys Turner
ellencph.bsky.social
In her new book, Laura Bates describes how deepfake pornography created by students “for free on their lunch breaks” can be used to target their female peers and teachers.

PSHE lead Charli Faux writes for Tes on how to help keep students safe from “the next epidemic of sexual violence”
The ‘next epidemic of sexual violence’ and what it means for schools
AI is creating new threats to girls, and teachers will be on the frontline of it, argues a PSHE lead at an all girls’ school, who shares her advice on how to help keep students safe
www.tes.com
Reposted by Cerys Turner
jonsevers.bsky.social
➡️ The ‘next epidemic of sexual violence’ and what it means for schools

"Deepfake pornography created by students for free on lunch breaks can be used to target their female peers and teachers"

Really important read from safeguarding lead Charli Faux
www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
The ‘next epidemic of sexual violence’ and what it means for schools
AI is creating new threats to girls, and teachers will be on the frontline of it, argues a PSHE lead at an all girls’ school, who shares her advice on how to help keep students safe
www.tes.com
Reposted by Cerys Turner
charlottesantry.bsky.social
There's a new system for deciding when schools get support and when they have to academise or move trusts. It'll partly depend on yet-to-be decided 'metrics' to identify low attainment.

Here's what you need to know: www.tes.com/magazine/new...
RISE teams’ remit extended to low-attaining schools
DfE confirms plans to intervene in more ‘stuck schools’, and will consult on how to define low attainment
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
Bridget Phillipson has thrown her hat in the ring to be Labour's deputy party leader.

Current understanding is that she will remain as education secretary if elected.

www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Phillipson in running to be Labour’s deputy leader
Education secretary enters race after Angela Rayner’s resignation
www.tes.com
cerysturner.bsky.social
The reaction has been strong from unions, to say the least.

+ @naht.org.uk said that the plans pose a "direct risk" to headteacher wellbeing
+ @ascl-uk.bsky.social called it a "recipe for professional burnout"
+ @neunion.bsky.social warned that the plans are "punitive" & high-stakes
cerysturner.bsky.social
The potential impact on staff wellbeing has attracted the most concern from unions.

+ Sinéad Mc Brearty, CEO of @edsupportuk.bsky.social, led a wellbeing review into the revised framework. It found that Ofsted's plans do not "reduce the pressure on leaders to achieve a desirable outcome".