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Reposted by John Dickens

Micon Metcalfe @miconm.bsky.social · 22h

There was actually guidance to this effect (knives) pre 2010 under labour as I referenced it in an exclusion appeal. It disappeared under the coalition.

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 22h

The Conservatives would introduce a legal 'presumption' that pupils who bring knives to school or assault their classmates or staff be permanently excluded, the shadow education secretary has said

schoolsweek.co.uk/conservative...

Conservatives want exclusion presumption for violent pupils

Shadow education secretary also sets out plans to make alternative provision 'independent' of councils

schoolsweek.co.uk

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 22h

Also - can't help admire/despair at the DfE's attempts to spin this as a positive story in an embargoed press release sent to journos yesterday, before the actual bursary information was published

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 1d

Govey needs to renew his Schools Week subscription ...

schoolsweek.co.uk/reform-on-ed...

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 1d

We've seen some green shoots of recovery for teacher recruitment this year

But just like after the one-year Covid boom, government has reacted by slashing spend on bursaries

It was a costly decision last time, but perhaps falling rolls may lesson the impact this time round?

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 1d

The government has swung the axe on teacher training incentives – including cutting funding for shortage subjects such as maths and foreign languages

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-swings-a...

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 2d

Big scoop in the policy world:

The founder of Oak National Academy @matthewhood.bsky.social will lead a new 'delivery unit' for the Department of Health and Social Care tasked with cutting hospital wait times and improving access to GPs

schoolsweek.co.uk/matt-hood-to...

Matt Hood to lead new health reforms ‘delivery unit’

Oak National Academy founder Matt Hood to run new team under health secretary Wes Streeting to cut hospital waiting times and improve GP access

schoolsweek.co.uk

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 5d

Edition 406 done and dusted:

Another big white paper scoop

Investigation: RISE advisers call in support from ... their fellow advisers' organisations

The best Labour party conference analysis

Views on Ofsted’s similar schools, home visits, beating Autumn blues and retention

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Reposted by John Dickens

Freddie Whittaker @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social · 8d

Education secretary @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social being interviewed at packed @csjthinktank.bsky.social and Parentkind fringe here at #lab2025

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Reposted by John Dickens

Lydia Chantler-Hicks @lydiach.bsky.social · 8d

NAHT is urging school leaders to write to their employer, demanding in strong terms a full risk assessment of new Ofsted inspections and impact on staff wellbeing.

"This is not simply about workload or stress management. It is about preventing avoidable harm – including the most serious outcomes"

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 8d

School leaders have been told by a union to demand a full risk assessment from their employer over the 'very real dangers to staff wellbeing' of Ofsted’s new inspections

schoolsweek.co.uk/union-tells-...

Union tells school leaders to demand Ofsted risk assessment

School leaders are being urged by union NAHT to write to their employers, demanding steps are taken to assess the risk Ofsted inspections will pose to wellbeing

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Reposted by John Dickens

Freddie Whittaker @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social · 12d

Scoop: Mandatory reading test for year 8s (age 13) incoming in the schools white paper, due out this autumn

DfE and Ofsted will have access to school results, but data will only be reported nationally and we understand it won't prompt intervention/early inspection

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 12d

Exclusive: The government plans to introduce a mandatory reading test for year 8 pupils in its upcoming schools white paper, amid fears poorer children are disengaging in the early years of secondary school

schoolsweek.co.uk/year-8s-to-s...

White paper to usher in year 8 reading test

Move to ensure poorer pupils are not shut off from wider curriculum

schoolsweek.co.uk

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 12d

Edition 405, sneak peek:

Scoop: Labour's white paper to introduce mandatory year 8 reading test

Watchdog sides with school in fair banding row

Long-read: Ofsted chief slams schools over 'tech tax'

An inside look on how SEND reforms are shaping up

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Reposted by John Dickens

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 18d

❌ Investigation: Councils have accused schools of refusing so many challenging pupils it 'amounts to selection', capping cohorts to prevent in-year transfers of vulnerable pupils and wrongly turning away youngsters in care
schoolsweek.co.uk/shut-out-how...

Shut out: How schools are turning away vulnerable pupils

Schools accused of refusing so many pupils it 'amounts to selection', capping cohorts to prevent in-year transfers and wrongly turning away youngsters in care

schoolsweek.co.uk

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 19d

Edition 404 done and dusted

Special school admissions investigation

The sector grades Ofsted

Our first Boardroom Leader

Northern Star Academies Trust takes the School Spotlight

@edsupportuk.bsky.social CEO talks defining high stakes

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Reposted by John Dickens

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 22d

The voices of children, their families and teachers will be 'at the forefront' of SEND reforms, the new education minister has said, as she promised 'there will always be a legal right to additional support'

schoolsweek.co.uk/new-minister...

Gould: Teacher and pupil voice 'at forefront' of SEND reform

New minister also confirms 'there will always be a legal right to additional support' amid SEND backlash

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Reposted by John Dickens

Freddie Whittaker @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social · 22d

Standing room only for Westminster Hall debate on SEND, called in response to this petition calling for legal rights to be maintained petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...

Shows the deep concern about upcoming reforms among MPs

Watch here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 26d

If you enjoy our stories online but don’t subscribe, do take a look at our weekly edition which we’re giving away free today

👇

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 26d

🚨We’re giving away today’s bumper edition of Schools Week for free

Loads of education scoops, analysis, investigations and views

This week’s edition includes Ofsted report cards, accountability reforms, Labour reshuffle, Reform conference and more

➡️ mailchi.mp/mkt.schoolsw...

John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 26d

Edition 403, done and dusted

Scoop: Ofsted won’t publish full consultation findings

Investigation: armed forces now flag SEND failures

@lydiach.bsky.social hunts for education policy at Reform conference

@jackydys.bsky.social digs into new RISE expansion

Plus: can schools handle voting at 16?

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 27d

Is the sector showing buyer's remorse after trading headline Ofsted grades for report cards?

@teachertapp.bsky.social poll shows teachers now far less supportive of the move to drop headline grades, with way more having 'mixed feelings' amid report card criticism

schoolsweek.co.uk/fewer-teache...

Ofsted: Fewer teachers now support ditching one-word grades

Poll shows big rise in teachers reporting 'mixed feelings' over inspection change amid report card criticism

schoolsweek.co.uk

John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 29d

We've also had accountability reforms confirmed today too:

- School profiles to be trialled this year

- RISE teams to start 'informal' work with lowest-performing schools

- Intervention measures for new Ofsted report cards confirmed

- Wellbeing charter update

schoolsweek.co.uk/new-school-a...

New accountability regime: Attainment checks and profiles

School profiles will be trialled this year, with RISE teams to oversee 'informal' attainment checks

schoolsweek.co.uk

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 29d

If she got it, would/could she continue as ed sec too?

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 29d

This comes at a *really* busy and crucial time for education policy - with reforms on SEND, a white paper and a curriculum review all due this term, alongside the return of new inspections

schoolsweek.co.uk/welcome-back...

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Reposted by John Dickens

Laura McInerney @missmc.bsky.social · 29d

Oof. In a month when there’s a lot else on in education this will take a lot of energy! 😬

Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 29d

NEW - Bridget Phillipson is running for deputy leader - promising to “unite the party, deliver for working people and take the fight to Reform.”

“Make no mistake: we are in a fight. We all know the dangers Reform poses our country.

“But not only am I ready for it: I’ve proven we can do it.”

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 29d

Worth noting:

Ofsted publicly discredited our story that they were considering delaying the return of routine inspections - saying it was not on the cards

Today they've announced they are ... delaying the return of routine inspections to at least December, potentially January)

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 29d

🚨 Ofsted has unveiled its final plan for new report card inspections

Explainer: the 8 big changes you need to know

schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-repor...

News and views: fewer evaluation areas, new grades - but unions threaten action

schoolsweek.co.uk/fewer-judgem...

Fewer judgements, new grades: Ofsted report cards revealed

Unions slam new framework as Ofsted says ‘biggest changes in history’ will bring ‘absolute clarity’

schoolsweek.co.uk

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John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · Sep 8

Want to know a bit more about the new education ministers? You're welcome ...

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · Sep 8

Reshuffle: everything you need to know about education's new ministers

schoolsweek.co.uk/reshuffle-15...

Reshuffle: 15 interesting facts about education's new ministers

Three MPs from the Class of '24 have joined the education ministerial team - here's what you need to know about them ...

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Reposted by John Dickens

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · Sep 7

🔀 It's been a busy reshuffle weekend for education

❌ Catherine McKinnell, Stephen Morgan and Janet Daby depart

✅ Georgia Gould, Josh MacAlister and Olivia Bailey join

Story 👇

schoolsweek.co.uk/reshuffle-ge...

Reshuffle: Gould appointed minister as McKinnell resigns

Newcastle MP says she was offered another role but will return to the backbenches

schoolsweek.co.uk

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