Tes News podcast: academy debts and safeguarding lessons

Join the Tes News team as we discuss the big stories from the past week in education – including the increasing amount that the government is spending to write off academy debts, and the online safeguarding campaign launched by the parents of Frankie Thomas after the tragic death of their daughter

14th October 2022, 5:48pm

Tes reporter

Tes News podcast: Party conferences, KS1 and phonics data, heatwaves

On this week’s Tes News podcast, we discuss:

DfE £9m academy debt bill set to rise amid cost pressures.
John Roberts and Callum Mason discuss our exclusive Tes article revealing the millions of pounds that the government spends on writing off academy debt each year. This figure is likely to go “up and up and up” as schools face increasing financial pressures and academisation targets, experts and school leaders have warned.

Frankie Thomas: the tragic pupil death all schools must learn from
Dan Worth speaks about the tragedy of Frankie Thomas, who died by suicide at just 15 years old after reading inappropriate material online while at school. Her parents have told Tes about their campaign for tighter regulation to make sure that schools’ online monitoring systems are working properly.