Thursday
How to build a sustainable school improvement model
There is no one-size-fits-all model for school improvement. But here are some golden rules to bear in mind, writes this MAT education director
Concern as MAT growth advisory meetings halted
Leader calls for ‘full transparency about academy decisions’ as Tes reveals that regional advisory boards will not meet or publish minutes in pre-election period
Limited SEND funding pledges pose ‘serious threat’ to provision
The next government must tackle the challenges of the special educational needs and disabilities system, urges Education Policy Institute
Wednesday
Schools ‘in the dark’ over budgets after manifesto pledges
None of the main parties’ election manifestos offer ‘significant extra levels of core funding to help schools’ meet their financial challenges, IFS warns
PFI contracts must be tackled to ease funding woes
The next government should take action over expensive private finance initiative contracts costing schools millions, writes this headteacher
Exclusions aren’t the answer to Scotland’s behaviour issues
Resistance to school exclusions seems to be weakening in Scotland – but educators should be wary of apparent quick fixes for behaviour problems, says David Cameron
7 ways to solve the KS3 grammar knowledge problem
Grammar knowledge can be a big issue in key stage 3 and is often blamed on challenges owing to transition – here, Mark Roberts argues there are multiple barriers to address and gives some possible solutions
DfE ‘robs’ schools of £1.9bn for crumbling buildings, say unions
School Cuts coalition calculates schools could have an extra £36,000 each on average if the DfE distributed unspent capital funds
Tuesday
DfE to spend nearly £5m researching risks of older school buildings
The project will use artificial intelligence to learn about ‘defects’ associated with different types of buildings
Protect schools from this surge in parent complaints
School leaders are suffering because it’s too easy for parents to raise highly disruptive complaints, writes one head in the third piece in a series by the Headteachers’ Roundtable
GCSEs: Deprived schools worst hit by teacher absence
Challenges facing this year’s GCSE exams cohort are significantly higher in disadvantaged schools, findings suggest
Sexual harassment and sexism ‘rife’, say support staff
Union findings come as support staff are told to reject pay offer of up to 5.77 per cent
