Schools Northeast Newsletter

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The school leader chosen to lead a Government review of school performance in the North has highlighted a worrying correlation between average point scores (APS) and Ofsted outcomes, leaders attending the SCHOOLS NorthEast Annual General Meeting heard.

Sir Nick Weller, head of the Northern Powerhouse schools review, published researched showing the breakdown of all Ofsted judgements and the corresponding APS on intake. The data showed those schools with lower APS were far more likely to be given a Requires Improvement or Inadequate inspection grade.

Newcastle United and Kenton Academy Trust team up in”biggest wave of free schools”

United West Academy (UWA) will be opened by the Newcastle United Foundation and Kenton Multi-Academy Trust, and will aim to use the appeal of football to get disaffected children back into the education system. The UWA will open its doors next September.

Rebrokered academies given 3-year Ofsted grace period

Rebrokered academies will be classed as “new schools” and entitled to a three-year grace period from Ofsted inspectors. It comes as the government finds itself under pressure to find suitable sponsors for the increasing number of rebrokered schools, Schools Week reports.

'The North is being neglected', says Sir Michael Wilshaw

The growing divide in the performance of secondary schools between the North and South of England should make us “worry as a nation”, the chief inspector of schools has said. Sir Michael told a conference that England “north of the Wash” was being neglected “with serious consequences for the future”.

Grammar school expansion threatens comprehensives’ pupil premium budgets

Proposals in the green paper for grammar schools to admit more pupils from low-income families will suck out cash from comprehensives that would help the most deprived children, warns the former pupil premium champion.

Expanding your academy trust

Updated DfE list of sources of support and guidance for MATs looking to take on more schools.

Handling strike action in schools

DfE updated guidance on what to do when staff strike, referring to current regulations and advice.

More grammars will 'turbocharge' social mobility, says Nick Gibb

The proposals, which will allow existing comprehensives schools to select on the basis of ability, will "complement" the government’s wider academies programme, the schools minister added.

University free school plan ‘insulting’ to teachers, says Oxford boss

Speaking to the Today programme this morning, Professor Louise Richardson said forcing her institution to establish schools would be a “distraction from our core mission”.

Top DfE advisor says consultations are never a ‘sham’

Use evidence and avoid insulting ministers or writing “a diatribe” if you want to be heard in government consultations, says Tim Leunig

Make school commissioners independent, says think-tank

Responsibility for academy brokering and accountability should be taken away from the government and placed with a new independent schools regulator in a bid to tackle potential conflicts of interest and cronyism, Reform has said.

Former Gove advisor wants to defeat ‘garbage’ grammar schools policy

Sam Freedman, now executive director at Teach First, said the grammar school plans were a long way from implementation but that the Government could create a more serious proposal.

Kent school bids to be first new grammar

Meopham School, run by Swale Academies Trust, has set out plans to consult parents on converting to a mixed-sex grammar by 2018.

Extra free childcare 'threatens nursery schools'

Pre-schools will not cope financially after a planned two-year package of taxpayer support ends, says the National Association of Head Teachers.

Councils call for greater powers to tackle illegal schools

Councils are calling for powers to enter houses and other premises, such as illegal schools, where home-educated children are being taught.

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Welcoming new SCHOOLS NorthEast partners

We would like to give a warm welcome to all Partner Schools, Education and Commercial Supporters who have joined our network recently.

Plans unveiled for multi-million pound Morpeth First School on County Hall site

Northumberland County Council is planning to leave its current Morpeth base in 2018 when staff will move to a new Ashington headquarters, reports the Chronicle.

26
SEP

Reinvigorating the ‘Wasted Years’: raising standards in KS3 English

SCHOOLS NorthEast, in partnership with Ofsted, is holding a one day conference focussed on raising standards in English. Delegates will look at KS3 in the contexts of KS2 and KS4 to ensure that they can maximise this period and support students to achieve at GCSE and beyond.

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13
OCT

Annual Summit: Vision for 2020

Keynote Speaker: Rt Hon Justine Greening MP, Secretary of State for Education

We have a fantastic line up of speakers Sir David Carter, National Schools Commissioner, Dr Becky Allen, Director of Education Datalab, Sir Nick Weller, Masha Gordon and more.

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28
SEP

Pastoral Conference – ReTHINK16

This year’s ReTHINK Conference, organised by RGS Newcastle, is aimed at helping schools to understand and develop a whole-school approach to self-esteem. The event aims to tackle the factor at the heart of so many of those issues: low self-esteem.

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18
OCT

Academy Conversion and Multi-Academy Trusts – are you ready?

Find out how to convert to academy status and how to form and grow a MAT with this introductory seminar which include a review of different MAT models, an overview of the legal processes, changes in roles and responsibilities for governors and opportunities for discussion and networking.

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19
OCT

Exploring Academy Status Conference

This one day conference aims to provide clear and impartial information and advice from people who have completed conversion to an academy or formed, or joined, a multi– academy trust. You will gain valuable insights from experts and school leaders that will help you to understand the immediate and longer term implications and benefits of conversion.

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15
OCT

Every Child's Progress Counts

Helping all schools to meet SEND requirements.

Hear from leading Special Education speakers and HMI, on what the implications of the common Inspections Framework are for all schools, mainstream and specialist. This inaugural Conference is brought to you via a Teaching School collaborative.

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In this week's issue Colin Lofthouse, Head Teacher at Rickleton Primary School in Washington, talks about parental liaison and the importance of addressing parents' concerns and complaints effectively: "On my arrival in my current school I quickly became aware of a widespread breakdown in positive parental relationshps. Communication was guarded and edgy which compounded the situation. So I did the obvious and easy thing for the new Head and flung the doors wide open."

Researchers from Newcastle University and NatCen Social Research institute found that 43% of children in London, get private tuition outside of school to help with their studies. In the North East, by contrast, just 11% of parents have the cash to spare for extra classes. Author Prof. Liz Todd, professor of education inclusion at Newcastle University, suggested that if grammar schools were to expand in the North East, more families might start to spend on costly after-school coaching.