- House of Commons written answers: VAT on fees (Worcestershire)
- 'The reopening of the school represents more than continuity'
- A closer look at the impact of independent school fees on borrowing
- School leaders 'not aware' of admissions segregation, warns Sutton Trust
- More inclusive schools more likely to be graded down by Ofsted, union analysis suggests
- Ecctis highlights academic strengths of Bedales' home-grown qualifications
House of Commons written answers: VAT on fees (Worcestershire)
PoliticalDame Harriett Baldwin, Shadow Minister (Business and Trade), submitted two written questions in the House of Commons. In the first, she asked the education secretary what estimate has been made of the number of additional teachers employed in state schools in Worcestershire since the introduction of the government's VAT on fees policy. In the second, she asked what estimate has been made of the number of additional teachers funded in Worcestershire with the proceeds from VAT on school fees.
Schools minister Georgia Gould provided the same response to both questions, reiterating ministers' pledge to raise revenue to invest in public services by reforms to VAT and business rates. "This increase will support schools to recruit the staff they need, including in Worcestershire", she said. She added: "We are making good progress with the workforce growing by 2,346 full-time equivalent between 2023/24 and 2024/25 in secondary and special schools, the schools where they are needed most. In Worcestershire local authority area, the number of secondary and special school teachers has grown to 4,797, the highest on record for this area." Hansard.
'The reopening of the school represents more than continuity'
Independent sectorSchool Management Plus shines a light on the parent-led rescue of what is now Clare House School in Porthcawl, South Wales, formerly St Clare's School. "Its journey from closure to reopening offers a rare insight into what it takes to open an independent school under intense time pressure, financial uncertainty, and public scrutiny", writes Michael Harris.
A closer look at the impact of independent school fees on borrowing
Independent sectorTelegraph Money explains the impact of school fees when taking out a mortgage, and outlines a number of steps that can be taken to mitigate it. The article notes the effect of the government's VAT on fees policy and refers to the paper's analysis of current school fees, which suggests the family of a child joining reception this year will pay an average of £349,000 in total by the time that child completes their A-levels. By Charlotte Duck.
School leaders 'not aware' of admissions segregation, warns Sutton Trust
State sectorSchool leaders lack awareness of the extent to which poorer pupils are being shut out of top-performing state schools, the Sutton Trust has warned. In its report Admissions Not Impossible, the social mobility charity says there is "mounting evidence" that too many teachers are not aware of social segregation in schools and that leaders often do not know how to address it. Polling by Teacher Tapp for the Sutton Trust found 34 per cent of school staff agreed that there is an issue with income-based segregation in non-selective state school admissions, and the charity is calling for schools and trusts to complete an annual "fair access review" as part of their inclusion strategy. By Jabed Ahmed, Tes.
More inclusive schools more likely to be graded down by Ofsted, union analysis suggests
InspectionOfsted is more likely to downgrade schools with poorer intakes or more pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for their achievement, attendance and behaviour, according to new analysis of 600 Ofsted inspections by the NAHT. It found that one-third of schools with above-average eligibility for free school meals received a 'needs attention' judgement for achievement, compared with less than one-fifth of schools with below-average eligibility. NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said the findings "should ring serious alarm bells" for the government’s ambition for more pupils with SEND to be educated in mainstream schools. By Lydia Chantler-Hicks, Schools Week.
Ecctis highlights academic strengths of Bedales' home-grown qualifications
ISC blogIn the ISC's latest blog, Will Goldsmith, head of Bedales School, explains how an independent review has endorsed the school's approach to in-house assessment.