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Daily News Summary
28 March 2022

White paper: Councils to be allowed to set up their own academy trusts
Nadhim Zahawi suggests teachers will not receive a pay rise in line with inflation
Education secretary vows "tougher guidelines" following strip-search of a schoolgirl
Children should be taught about the positives of the British Empire, says education secretary
Eton College to give an extra £1m to three selective sixth forms it plans to open
School choir releases song to raise money for Ukraine charity
Schools may have to cut staff to pay energy bills, education leaders warn
Disadvantage gap between grammar schools and their non-selective neighbours widens

White paper: Councils to be allowed to set up their own academy trusts

 

As part of Nadhim Zahawi’s education white paper due to be unveiled today, the Government is expected to reintroduce a pledge for all maintained schools to become academies by the end of the decade, allowing councils to set up and run their own academy trusts. By Charles Hymas, The Telegraph.

According to The Sunday Times, nearly 3,500 schools in England will be forced to extend their school day to achieve a 32½ -hour week by September 2023. By Caroline Wheeler and Sian Griffiths.

The prime minister, Boris Johnson, has promised parents that "if your child falls behind at school in either of these key subjects [maths or English], their school will help them get back on track". The white paper will outline new targets to boost GCSE grades and increase the number of pupils reaching expected standards in core subjects by the end of primary school. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

Experts and teachers have warned that poorer pupils will be left behind by the Government’s new plan for schools, with Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, saying: “Commitment to adequate funding, access to support services or detail on how these bold ambitions will be achieved is sadly missing.”’ By Adam Forrest, The Independent.

 

Nadhim Zahawi suggests teachers will not receive a pay rise in line with inflation

 

The education secretary has indicated that school teachers will not be receiving a pay rise that will keep pace with inflation, adding that public sector workers would have to accept pay “restraint”. By Adam Forrest, The Independent.

 
The Independent

Education secretary vows "tougher guidelines" following strip-search of a schoolgirl

 

Education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, has said that "much tougher guidelines" will be introduced in response to the "hugely distressing" strip-searching of a black schoolgirl referred to as Child Q. BBC News.

 
BBC

Children should be taught about the positives of the British Empire, says education secretary

 

Nadhim Zahawi has echoed comments made by Kemi Badenoch, the equalities minister, saying that children should be taught about the benefits of the British Empire rather than focussing just on the criticisms. By Marcus Parekh, The Telegraph.

 
The Telegraph

Eton College to give an extra £1m to three selective sixth forms it plans to open

 

According to The Independent, Eton College has said it will give each of the three selective sixth forms it is planning to open in areas of disadvantage an additional £1 million per year on top of current funding levels. By Catherine Lough.

 
The Independent

School choir releases song to raise money for Ukraine charity

 

The school choir at King's Worcester has released a charity single in Ukrainian to raise funds for people affected by the war. The pupils recorded Shchedryk, a song written by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1916. BBC News.

 
BBC

Schools may have to cut staff to pay energy bills, education leaders warn

 

Education leaders have warned that schools may have to cut staff as headteachers face huge energy price hikes, with Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, saying: "The only way you can find the money is by cutting costs elsewhere and the only way of really cutting big costs like that is by shedding staff." By Simon Dedman and Nic Rigby, BBC News.

 
BBC

Disadvantage gap between grammar schools and their non-selective neighbours widens

 

According to Schools Week, the disadvantage gap between grammar schools and their non-selective neighbours has widened, despite grammar schools being given £64 million to become more inclusive in 2018-19. By Freddie Whittaker.

 
Schools Week

 

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