With teachers preparing to walk out in a historic strike over pay across England and Wales on Wednesday, school leaders this week signalled their support while putting plans in place to minimise the disruption to children’s learning.
The NAHT school leaders’ union said it was “committed” to holding another strike ballot, after its earlier vote - in which 64 per cent voted “yes” to a strike - failed to satisfy the minimum legal turnout threshold.
And the union also this week demanded a 15 per cent pay rise for teachers and leaders next year, saying that the School Teachers’ Review Body, which makes recommendations to the government on teacher pay, must show its independence.
Meanwhile, in advice that goes against official Department for Education guidance on keeping schools open during strike days, Unison told its school support staff members that they “should not be moved from the duties they would normally have carried out” to provide cover.
This week, Tes also launched its new Leadership Forum webinar, pulling together multi-academy trust leaders to give expert insight into the two different funding systems that MATs use - and the benefits they bring to individual schools.
Catch up on your must-read Tes news and analysis articles from the past week right here:
- Strikes: Heads warn over ‘hardline’ DfE approach
The Department for Education’s expectations about keeping schools open when the national teacher strike takes place on Wednesday are “incompatible” with the reality on the ground, school leaders have warned.
- Don’t cover teacher colleagues on strike, TAs told
Unison, a union that represents school support staff, is advising its members not to provide supervisory cover for teachers on strike, which is advice that clashes with DfE guidance on measures schools can take to stay open on strike days.
- Strikes: Keegan’s last-ditch plea to keep schools open
Education secretary Gillian Keegan urged school leaders to keep “as many schools open” and “as many children in school as possible” during strikes in a speech on Friday.
- Heads’ union is ‘committed to balloting again’ on strike action
The NAHT school leaders’ union has said it wants to hold another ballot on industrial action after its strike vote failed to meet the legal turnout threshold.
- Teacher strikes: What school leaders need to know
Do schools have to report their strike plans to government? Are support staff taking part? Can heads force staff to cover classes? Tes answers the big questions for school leaders ahead of the strikes.
- Teacher pay: Heads call for 15 per cent ‘uplift’ in ‘last chance’ review
The NAHT school leaders’ union has demanded a 15 per cent “uplift” in leader and teacher pay next year, saying that the body that makes recommendations on pay has a “last chance” to assert its independence.
- Teacher strikes: NEU attacks Keegan ‘fishing expedition’
The NEU, the teaching union behind the planned strikes, has revealed that education secretary Gillian Keegan asked it a series of detailed questions about the timing of its declaration of the results from its strike ballot.
- Teachers strikes: what will the government do?
Strikes are the logical next step for a sector stretched almost to breaking point - but they may lead to drastic action from a government seemingly unwilling to budge, writes former DfE adviser Sam Freedman.
- Ofsted will not inspect schools on strike days
Schools will not be inspected, and notifications of inspections will not be issued, on the days when teachers are on strike in February and March, Ofsted has announced - but one school leaders’ union has asked the watchdog to go further.
- Academy trust body questions the ‘validity’ of Ofsted ratings
The Confederation of School Trusts, the leading body representing academy trusts, has questioned the reliability of Ofsted inspection grades and warned that these judgements can feel “arbitrary” to schools.
- Next Ofsted chief ‘must restore schools’ trust’
With Amanda Spielman’s tenure as Ofsted chief inspector coming to an end, her successor will need to rebuild trust between the inspectorate and teachers, says Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.
- Three days ‘not enough to fix schools’ “requires improvement” issues’
Government-appointed school improvement experts have said they are being given as little as three days to work with struggling schools, which is not long enough to implement long-term improvement strategies.
- Top slicing or GAG pooling: which is better for schools?
Launching the new Tes Leadership Forum webinar, senior MAT leaders discuss the two different funding models used within MATs and how they affect pupils’ educational opportunities.
- ‘Rapid’ academy growth for 2030 target ‘could hit quality’
The government should prioritise a “slower transition” towards a fully multi-academy trust-based school system to avoid risking “trust quality” problems, says a new report from the National Foundation for Educational Research.
- The school teaching the sector to go fossil fuel-free
How a new school in Milton Keynes was built to be fossil fuel-free and wants to be a model for sustainable school buildings for the future.
- ‘Schools are often the providers of last resort’
Teachers and leaders are “under huge pressure” and facing burnout because of their commitment to giving children whatever support they need, says Ambition Institute CEO Hilary Spencer, who, in answering Tes’ 10 questions, also explains why the Early Career Framework is so important.
- EYFS: Nearly half of pupils ‘not ready’ for school
Nearly half of children starting school are unable to eat independently, use the toilet or communicate clearly, which is forcing staff to dedicate valuable time to helping them with basic tasks, according to a new report.
- Why I’m convinced an academy trust-led system is best
The benefits of joining an academy trust - financial, structural and educational - can only be fully appreciated once you have made the leap, writes Rob McDonough, CEO of the East Midlands Education Trust.
- The private school sector has ‘priced itself into irrelevance’
Those who want to abolish private schools should save their energy because the gradual rise in fees has meant that very few people can afford them these days - and the sector has lost its influence in wider society, writes Sam Freedman.
