Education Articles

A free school trust running just one primary school paid more than a tenth of its income to companies related to three senior people in its governance structure article

A free school chain limited the number of pupils accepted into one of its primary schools to avoid an intake with ‘huge English as an additional language and special educational needs’ article

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A number of influential Tories have gone public with their anger at Government education funding reforms, according to this 30/1/17 article

They say 40 per cent of small rural schools would lose under the funding formula, according to the DfE’s figures.

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The Lilac Sky Schools Academy Trust failed to declare payments to its co-founder Trevor Averre-Beeson’s family. Published September 9, 2016.

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Removing schools quickly from underperforming providers is one of the benefits of an academised system, says education minister Nicky Morgan. But the process is not always speedy. Published March 24th, 2016

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/failing-grindon-hall-free-school-still-waiting-for-bright-tribe-takeover/

Bright Tribe Grindon free school takeover

The education group behind one of the UK’s largest virtual fee-paying secondary schools launches on the London Stock Exchange’s junior market.

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/owner-of-virtual-school-plans-flotation/

Using Freedom of Information requests to generate exclusives: three examples for Schools Week:

The head of a prestigious academy said students could “choose” their A level predicted grades if other schools were “manipulating results”, minutes show.

In response, she tells Schools Week she wouldn’t allow her pupils to do this.

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-manipulate-predicted-grades-leading-head-claims/

Watford Grammar FOI

The Education Funding Agency pays out £510,000 in bonuses – while schools try to manage squeezed budgets

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/funding-agency-staff-get-510000-in-bonuses/

EFA bonuses

The “postcode lottery” for schools’ “top-up” special needs funding.

The responses to an FOI request to all councils in England reveal large differences in the proportion of requests for needs assessments that result in a completed Education Health and Care plan. Without a plan in place for a pupil, schools find it hard to organise and pay for the care students require, say experts.

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/replacement-sen-statements-cause-postcode-lottery-in-school-funding/

EHC plan postcode lottery

Profiles

Profile interview with Kathy Kirkham, chief operating officer of Bright Tribe Multi-Academy Trust and former head of free schools, university technical colleges (UTCs) and studio schools for the Education Funding Agency. Published March 24, 2016

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/kathy-kirkham/