A free school has opened in South London this month with only 17 pupils, Academies Week can reveal.

Trinity Academy – a secondary free school in Brixton – opened two weeks ago and originally had a planned admission number of 120 children.

The low pupil roll comes against the backdrop of a secondary places surplus in Lambeth. According to Lambeth Council figures, the borough expected to have 226 more places this year than required.

The school has opened in a pre-existing building on the former Brixton Hill campus of Lambeth College.

The freehold was purchased by

the DfE for £18m in May.Trinity Academy headteacher

Ben Thompson said: “We have 17 pupils currently attending with four recent applications being processed. We also have three pupils who accepted places at the school but, as of yet, have not attended. We are investigating the status of these pupils.”

In past years, low pupil numbers was among the reasons why some approved schools were cancelled or withdrawn, according to a National Audit Office report published last December.

Newham Free Academy was reported as being pulled a matter of weeks before it was due to open in 2012 because of low demand.

Mr Thompson said the school originally had more than 90

applications for 2014 entry, but uncertainty over the school site had put some parents off.

The school considered deferring, Mr Thompson said, but instead has opened on part of what will end up being its permanent site.

“We chose the opening on a reduced scale option after working through the numbers very closely with DfE. The process was robust and we had to meet stiff criteria for financial viability,” said Mr Thompson.

The Catholic-ethos school had a planned admission number of 120, though Mr Thompson said that the DfE had agreed that the school would not open with this many pupils.

The revelation comes at a time when Natalie Evans,

the director of the New Schools Network, has called on the government to hand responsibility for finding school sites to property companies (see page 3).

The DfE purchased the freehold of the former college site for £18m from Lambeth College, though the free school is only based on part of the campus, with the rest to be used for a number of other education centres.

Mr Thompson said the school would be in a position to expand the accommodation to recruit a full cohort next year.

A DfE spokesperson said: “It is perfectly normal for any type of new school to take time to fully establish itself and we fully expect

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Free schoolsolutions

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continued on page 2

From left: Grace, Ryan, Mia, Jake and Lilly from St George’s Church of England Primary Academy, ages 8 to 10

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school groups and has led to at least four free schools announcing over the summer that they would be delaying planned September 2014 openings by a year.

Academies Week also reported online last week that a property (pictured) was bought by the Education Funding Agency for £1.2m to be used as a free school – but may now not be used after protests from local residents.

Ms Evans said that finding a suitable site represented the “biggest challenge” for free school groups, and urged the government to draw lessons from this.

Ms Evans also said that difficulties finding

buildings could have a “huge” knock-on effect on schools even after they opened.

“Understandably, free schools that haven’t been able to firm up their site until late spring — or worse, in some cases, as late as the summer — have often found they are under roll for their first year.”

While this was often corrected in the second or third year of operation, she said: “It needn’t, and shouldn’t, be like this.”

Ms Evans also called on the government “to be smarter about the publicly-owned space that already exists” and to make better use of spare space in existing schools.

She said that, in some cases, new schools could open in existing secondaries that are under-roll.

Also that “government should be buying up property and sites in areas where there is an absolute shortage of school places, either existing or projected,” she said.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We always seek to buy new school sites in areas where demand is high and will continue to utilise unused space in secondary schools as temporary free school sites, where possible.

“We frequently use local contractors or construction companies to secure a site where it represents the best value for the taxpayer. However, if that is not possible we will use our own agents.”

pupil numbers to grow with the school over time.”

The DfE said that, once fully up and running, the free school would offer 840 places.

Responding to the news, Tristram Hunt, Shadow Education Secretary, said: “David Cameron’s free school programme has diverted millions of pounds away from areas that are desperately in need of new school places.

“Instead of addressing chronic shortages, money is being spent on new free schools that parents don’t want to send their children to.”

Councillor Imogen Walker, deputy leader of Lambeth Council, said: “We want every child in Lambeth to have the best education possible and a near-empty free school in an area that already has adequate provision will not help that aim in any way.”

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Yorkshire schools are missing out on at least £650,000 pupil premium funding with foreign children ineligible for free school meals (FSM).

When families from the European Economic Area (EEA) are able to claim for certain benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance, which allow them to claim for FSM, the schools can access additional cash to benefit their learning.

If they cannot claim then schools miss out on FSM and therefore pupil premium – and Bradford Council, along with the local NHS, said it has stepped in to feed at least 700 “malnourished and destitute” children.

The council said it has a large number of families from Eastern Europe coming to the city.

With pupil premium at a minimum of £953 per child, 700 children entitled to pupil premium would bring in at least £654,500 to local schools.

The council’s education scrutiny committee has agreed to write to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan asking her to address the issue.

Ralph Berry, the council’s portfolio holder for children and young people, said it was not a new issue but had become more prevalent in the last two years. He said: “To be eligible for certain relevant benefits, children who have arrived from certain countries must be here for a year.We are running a programme using money from the clinical commissioning

group to feed about 700 children who are, in effect, destitute, where their parents had fallen out of employment and then the children were ineligible for any support such as free school meals.

“Of course, the new programme [free school meals] has been a help, but it is only for children up to a certain age.”

Headteachers across the country are also concerned about the likely impact of the government’s new universal infant free school meals programme.

In Oxfordshire, headteacher Lynn Knapp, who looks after the city’s largest primary school, said that now hot meals were on offer for all children up to seven, then parents were unlikely to register their children meaning schools miss out on funding.

She said: “I just don’t think there is any incentive for parents to fill out the paperwork for free school meals if they are getting it anyway. And the families who are often eligible don’t particularly like filling out forms as it is. This is going to impact on our budget.”

A government spokesperson said: “Slovakian, Romanian, and Bulgarian nationals – whether they are Roma or from any other ethnic group – have the same rights as other European Economic Area nationals, including entitlement to benefits.

“The way in which pupil premium is calculated has not been affected by the introduction of free school meals. We know from areas that already offered universal free school meals that it is still possible to identify pupils eligible for the pupil premium.”

The government should consider handing over responsibility for finding new school sites to property companies, the head of a charity that supports proposed free schools has said.

Writing exclusively for Academies Week, Natalie Evans (see page 8), director of the New Schools Network, called on the government to look into alternatives to the “creaking” system in place now.

“A process that might have worked for a couple of dozen free schools is creaking at the seams now that there are regularly 100 approved free schools working their way through the system at any one time,” she wrote.

Ms Evans said that “recruiting armies of specialists to join the Education Funding Agency is not the answer”.

Instead, property firms could be contracted

on a regional basis, allowing them to use their knowledge of local property markets to find suitable buildings for new schools.

Finding accommodation has proven to be a stumbling block for a number of free

An academy trust has sacked a school’s entire board of governors and suspended eight staff amid exam cheating allegations.

Wakefield City Academies Trust (WCAT) revealed today it had dissolved Goole High School Academy’s governing body and suspended another teacher. Last week eight members of staff, both teachers and support staff, were suspended from the Yorkshire school.

A WCAT interim executive committee has replaced the governing body with immediate effect.

The trust, which took over the school on August 15, said it was broadening its investigation, initially focused on alleged assistance during online exams taken by 30 GCSE students this summer.

It is not known which subject the teachers taught, or which exams the concerns surround.

WCAT chief executive officer Alan Yellup OBE said: “We have broadened the investigation’s remit to ensure we’re getting to the bottom of any alleged examination malpractice. To ensure the process is a fair one, there was a need for a further suspension.

He added: “The alleged malpractice is historic but it is our responsibility to sort it out and we will.

“We have acted swiftly and decisively and I want to reassure the community of Goole about our determination to turn their academy around.”

The school was placed in special measures last December and a new principal, Matthew Partington, started on September 1.

Mr Yellup said: “Matthew is focused on improving the teaching and learning at the academy and we’re already seeing the benefits.

“He and staff at the academy are very ambitious. They have belief in the potential of all the students and a culture of high expectations is being developed.”

The trust said the Department for Education, Ofsted and exam regulator Ofqual were all aware of the developments.

Ofqual’s latest figures for exam malpractice show 97 penalties were issued to individual school and college staff related to exams in 2013.

The regulator said 61 per cent of those penalties were a result of staff giving inappropriate assistance to candidates and 36 per cent were for reasons such as entering the exam room to prompt candidates or allowing them to work after the official finishing time.

Meanwhile, 135 penalties were issued to schools and colleges. Reasons included breaches of security, assisting candidates or not adhering to exam requirements such as allowing papers to be sat without appropriate invigilation.

Over the summer, two teachers were banned from teaching by the National College for Teaching and Leadership after cheating scandals were brought to light.

On July 29, Philip Henry a former teacher at Haydock Sports College in St Helens was given a prohibition order, for at least five years, after he admitted falsifying a student’s ICT exam portfolios.

Meanwhile, the former headteacher of St Mary’s Catholic Combined School in Poole, Dorset, Maurice O’Brien, altered Year 6 SATs papers last year, the NCTL hearing found. Mr O’Brien, who had led the school for 17 years, admitted altering 30 out of 51 reading test scripts.

Both Ofqual and the Joint Council for Qualifications said they would be unable to comment on the Goole High School case.

The Department for Education (DfE) appears to have made a U-turn on its involvement in a plan by the country’s largest academy chain to outsource non-teaching roles.

Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) announced earlier this year it wanted to outsource non-teaching roles in a contract worth up to £400m.

In February, Dominic Herrington, the former director of the DfE’s academies group and now South East England and South London Regional Schools Commissioner, told MPs at the education select committee that AET’s decisions about the process was a matter for the board of trustees, not the DfE.

He said: “We have not had long discussions with the trust about it, because it is a matter for them, essentially.”

This was confirmed by Andrew McCully, the DfE’s director general for infrastructure and funding, who also said the decision was up to the trust board.

However, the schools minister Lord Nash has now stated that any final decisions about the outsourcing would be for new Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, to decide.

In a letter sent to Labour MP Alex

Cunningham and seen by Academies Week, Lord Nash said: “The decision on the right approach is fundamentally for the academy trust as long as they are operating within the terms of their funding agreement.”

He added: “I would like to reassure you that AET’s proposal can only be implemented after approval by the Secretary of State.”

AET, a charitable trust that runs almost 80 schools in England, came under fire from Ofsted this month when the inspectorate said too many of its pupils were not receiving a good enough education.

Mr Cunningham, a member of the education select committee, talking exclusively to Academies Week said: “I am a little more reassured than I was. I was extremely concerned about what AET is up to.

“What they are trying to do is effectively take away the powers of individual principals to make many staffing and other decisions.

“I am pleased Lord Nash has now said there needs to be accountability built into this and a form of safeguarding may well be put in place. I think there needs to be a thorough examination of the specific proposals.”

AET has now stated to staff that Price

Waterhouse Coopers is its preferred bidder.

Jon Richards, Unison’s head of education, has also raised concerns about outsourcing and its impact on education.

He said: “We have put questions to the DfE about some of the procurement issues and are chasing those to find out if this is in the interest of the public purse.

“AET needs to be concentrating on delivering in schools and this is a diversion of a huge amount of our time, the time of their board and their staff.”

An AET spokesman said it had set up a steering group in March and added: “Such a proposal is new for academy trusts and we are currently awaiting feedback from the Education Funding Agency.”

A DfE spokesperson said: “It is for the board of AET’s trust to decide how they provide effective services for their schools, providing it is in line with their funding agreement.

“It is right any proposal of this scale is then subjected to further scrutiny to ensure it provides the best value for the taxpayer and it can only be implemented after approval by the Secretary of State.”

Bradford ‘destitute’ pupils missing out on extra cash

Free schools ‘creaking’ property search system should be given to professionals, says charity boss

Governors go as eight staff suspended in exam inquiry

Letter exposes U-turn on AET outsourcing

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SOPHIE SCOTT@SOPH_E_SCOTT

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The £1.2m property bought by the DfE, as advertised by Zoopla

Headteacher Ben Thompson and DfE free school implementation chief Christine Bayliss outside the school, in a picture tweeted by Ms Bayliss earlier this month

ACADEMIES WEEK4 @ACADEMIESWEEK 5ACADEMIESWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 1FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014 FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014

NEWS

t o e n t e r e m a i l : c o m p e t i t i o n @ a c a d e m i e s . c o . u kD E A D L I N E E N T R Y : m o n d ay 3 r d n o v e m e b e r 2 0 1 4

P H O T O G R A P H Y C O M P E T I T I O N

Schools are magical places, full of creativity and opportunity. But what makes your school so magical?

Academies Week is on the hunt for the best picture representing the “magic” of school.

Magic could mean witches and wizards, but also: illusions, magical occasions, something unexplained, it’s up to you!

All you have to do is email us one photo before 5pm on Monday, November 3, illustrating the magic of your school.

The Academies Week team will select its top ten and then put the

selection to a public vote before December.

We’ve teamed up with education marketing & PR experts, EMPRA to offer

the winning school a brand new prospectus and photo-shoot!

EMPRA will design and print a lovely new prospectus for your school and

our resident photographer Ellis O’Brien will spend the day at your school

making sure you have some great photos to include.

Please visit academiesweek.co.uk/competition for more information.

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A N

A Sikh-ethos free school that had its funding pulled five days before opening may yet open in October after being granted a second chance by the Department for Education (DfE).

Falcons Primary in Leicester was informed by the DfE that its funding agreement was being withdrawn on August 29, shortly before 70 pupils were due to join the school.

Representatives of the Akaal Trust, which was behind the plans for the school, met with Schools Minister Lord Nash last week, when they were informed the primary may still be allowed to open if several criteria could be met.

Several new trustees have been appointed and a new chair of governors has been found in an effort to keep the school plan alive.

“Lord Nash has set very strict conditions for the Akaal Trust to meet before the school can open,” said interim lead trustee Inderjit Singh.

“One of the conditions was for the trust and the governing body to be restructured, which

we have done. All this information has gone to the DfE for approval.”

A spokesperson for the DfE said: “We continue to support the idea of a Sikh ethos school in Leicester and have been working closely with the Trust of Falcons Primary to see if we can open the school soon.

“The trust must meet a number of strict conditions before this can happen — for example on staffing, governance and pupil numbers — but good progress has already been made.“

Funding was withdrawn after when two trustees stepped down and two others announced their intention to follow suit,

after relations with Affinity Teaching School Alliance, which had been brought into the project, broke down.

Mr Singh said the trustees were confident the DfE’s conditions could be met.

“We’re working extremely hard to meet all the conditions the DfE have put down.

It’s nothing that we can’t achieve. It does mean we’ve got to move very quickly” he said.

DfE officials had not stipulated a minimum number of pupils the school needed to enrol but had told trustees they would have to be convinced the school would be “cost effective”.

The government has responded to a damning report commissioned by the Education Select Committee which exposed failings in checks and balances and conflicts of interest at academy trusts.

The independent report, published on Wednesday by Professor Toby Greany and Jean Scott of the Institute of Education at the University of London, highlights issues across academy chains and lists a number of recommendations.

The Department for Education (DfE) said it would consider the report and would not hesitate to take action when rules have been broken.

Examples of conflicts of interest include situations where family members of the board of trustees were given high-paying jobs and academies paid companies run by directors for services.

The report added that checks and balances on trusts were currently too weak.

One recommendation was that the committee investigate whether the Education Funding Agency (EFA) — which funds pupils, schools and allocates funds to local authorities — should be separated from the DfE so that its regulatory work can be conducted separately from ministers.

A DfE spokesperson said: “As the report recognises, the vast majority of academy trusts are focused on raising standards of education, often in our most challenging areas. All academies are subject to a strict oversight and regulatory regime which has been further tightened since 2010.

“We are clear no individual or organisation with a governing relationship to an academy can make a profit from providing it with services. We have also made clear to all academies the consequences of breaching those rules and will not hesitate to take action where we think that has happened.”

The report noted that interviewees did not believe either the EFA or Ofsted were fit for purpose when it comes to preventing conflicts of interest.

It said: “The ability of the system to pick up on intangible conflicts that do not involve money seems almost non-existent. The committee should conduct an enquiry session to understand whether the regulatory powers of the EFA should be split from its funding role.”

Chair of the education committee, Graham Stuart (pictured above), told Academies Week when asked if the EFA was too close to ministers: “I can’t answer that question as the committee hasn’t considered all the evidence yet.”

He added: “Most academy trusts are working hard in challenging conditions to raise standards and the greed and nepotism and self-serving behaviour of a few shouldn’t bring the honest into disrepute.

“The report suggests most of the large academy chains have now improved their governance structures and provide more effective management of potential conflicts of interest.

“As Michael Gove’s departure shows, the window of opportunity in education policy is small and the drive to

change the system was conducted with urgency, and there is a certain amount of catching up

to be done for the rules and framework to be fit for purpose.”

The report cited cases across the country where conflicts have arisen. Examples include the Grace Academy Trust in the Midlands, which was set up by Conservative party donor Lord Edmiston. The trust has paid more than £1m,

directly or indirectly, to Lord Edmiston, trustees and their relatives.

The Education Fellowship Trust, which runs 16 schools in Northamptonshire and Wiltshire,

was found to have committed “significant breaches” of regulations, including a payment of £90,000 to the chairman Sir Ewan Harper and £28,000 to his wife for rent of cottages which the trust use as an office.

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the school leaders’ union National Association of Head Teachers said governors played an important role in combatting conflict.

He said: “The report suggests that conflicts of interest occur but are usually well managed. However, conflicts of interest are potentially damaging to the reputations of new academies and free schools. Transparency is vital to the standing of the profession. We have been calling for greater transparency for some time.”

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was due to give evidence to the committee next month – although a date has not yet been set.

NEWSMPs call for nursery schools to become academiesTwo MPs are calling on the Department for Education (DfE) to consider allowing nursery schools to become academies.

In a parliamentary debate last week, they said they believed early years’ providers should be able to seek academy status.

Both Shadow Minister for Childcare and Children Lucy Powell and the Conservative chair of the Education Select Committee, Graham Stuart, said it would give nurseries a chance to innovate with less control from their local authority.

Schools across the country have been taking advantage of the option to become academies, which gives them greater freedom from the local authority and more control over budgets.

Academy schools are already able to offer nursery school provision. But under current legislation nurseries are not permitted to become academies as they do not fit the legal definition of offering full-time education to pupils of compulsory school age.

Speaking to Academies Week, Mr Stuart said: “I took a delegation of nursery schools to see ministers earlier in the year to discuss this and the idea of some of our long-standing nursery schools being able to use academy status in the future and share best practice.

“I believe it is something which deserves full consideration.”

Ms Powell said: “Nursery schools offer some of the best early education and care to children, particularly in deprived areas.

“Yet we know from research by Early Education that their numbers are falling as this provision is more costly than other private, voluntary and independent childcare provision and local authorities are coming under increasing pressure as huge budget cuts impact on their ability to deliver services.

“The Education Select Committee asked the government to bring forward plans to safeguard this important provision yet all we’ve seen from government is inaction.

“Exploring how nursery schools could become academies, in the same way schools at other age ranges can, is one option we could consider to free up nursery schools and give them space and freedom to innovate and safeguard their futures.”

A DfE spokesperson said: “Academies are free to offer nursery provision and as part of our drive to improve quality in this area we want more good and outstanding schools to do this.

“Nurseries are held to account by Ofsted and should a provider fail to meet the high standards required we expect local authorities to take swift action to improve performance.”

Meanwhile, more than half of all children’s centres inspected in a three-month period were less than good, Ofsted statistics show.

Between April and June, the inspectorate visited 89 children’s centres across the country. Of these, 42 per cent were told they required improvement and 10 per cent were judged to be inadequate.

Just 3 per cent were rated outstanding, and 45 per cent were rated as good.

From left: Luqman Burhanudin, aged 16, School Reform Minister Nick Gibb, Zareen Roy-Macauley, 15, chief executive of ARK Lucy Heller and Ochuko Toweh, 16

School site picture taken from Google Maps, dated September 2012

Ark to pilot ‘Professional Pathways’

Schools Reform Minister Nick Gibb (pictured above) attended the launch of three new sixth forms which are to pilot a new course preparing students for work, including in large financial firms.

Globe Academy in South London held a special ceremony launching their Professional Pathways programme.

The scheme will be piloted at three sixth forms due to be opened by ARK Schools next September. The core qualification will be a Btec Level three and students will also take a Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) Level 3 qualification.

A spokesperson for ARK Schools said: “The new programme will give school leavers opportunities in investment operations for large securities and investment firms and financial data outsourcing firms. The CISI qualification carries UCas points, equivalent to one AS, or one A-level for the full qualification.”

Each of the sixth forms will offer students a different pathway. Students at Walworth Academy will study for a securities and investment qualification. Students at Evelyn Grace Academy in Brixton will study information technology, while those at Globe Academy will be take a course in project management.

The scheme will allow students to gain at least 200 hours of work experience, completed mostly during the summer holidays, allowing full-time study to take place during term time.

Yvonne Powell, principal of Walworth Academy, said: “We are capitalising on our proximity to the City to build the skills and experience our students need to ensure they remain competitive in the world of work.”

Mr Gibb said: “I am hugely impressed by the students who I talked with today. They are amazing ambassadors for their school and their community. I feel confident that they will have a bright future as they seek to aspire to university or pursue their career of choice.”

Late reprieve for Sikh free school plan in Leicester

Major report into academy trusts finds conflicts of interest and weak oversight

PHILIP NYE@PHILIPNYE

BILLY CAMDEN@BILLY CAMDEN

SOPHIE SCOTT@SOPH_E_SCOTT

ACADEMIES WEEK6 @ACADEMIESWEEK 7ACADEMIESWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 1FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014 FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014

Each week we will consider how an

education story has been covered in

different ways across the national media.

This week, it’s all about the new A**

GCSE.

As part of Ofqual’s trend for giving oodles of

notice before things happen, the regulator

has announced that from 2017 students will

receive a new GCSE grade – the A**.

It won’t be actually be called the A**,

though. A numbered system of 1 to 9 will

replace the current A to G grading scale.

Grade 4 will be roughly equivalent to the

current C grade. Grade 7 will be approximately

equal to an A and a new, uber-grade 9 will be

given to a strictly controlled percentage of top

performers.

Based on last year’s results, Ofqual says

only 2.9 per cent of students would have

received the coveted 9s. This is 2 percentage

points lower than the proportion receiving the

current top A* grade.

Newspaper coverage was reasonably

uniform – sticking closely to the facts – with

just a few, reader-specific questions thrown in.

The Telegraph asked what it would mean

for Classics given that 33 per cent of students

taking the subject currently get A*s (Subtext:

will this strictness affect our readers’ privately

educated children?).

The BBC questioned what the minimum

expectation for students would be. By setting

floor targets around Grade 5 – roughly

equivalent to B-minus - this gently pushes up

expectations.

Never one to miss an opportunity for

bombast, the Daily Mail saw the new grading

system as “an indictment of the current

system” and said it was “aimed at stopping the

merry-go-round of pupils entering

early or multiple times in the hope of

eventually getting good grades” – somewhat

forgetting that resits and multiple entry have

already been limited, and will be entirely gone

by 2017.

Comments from university admissions

tutors and employers were notably absent.

If the purported reason for the new super-

grade is that both these groups need to

differentiate more finely between applicants, it

is strange that more of them aren’t banging on

the door to support the move.

So far, the coverage has avoided two killer

questions.

First, isn’t there a potentially devastating

impact on core subjects? The ‘tougher’ grades

will only affect core subjects in its first year of

operation.

But if students pick their A-levels based

on the subjects they achieve most highly

in at GCSE (which they do), and the class of

2017 get lower grades in maths, English and

science, then there is a real danger those

subjects will suffer lower take-up.

There has also been no discussion about

what this means for learners at the bottom of

a scale.

Getting an A** may help the super-clever

get ahead, but does it not also mean the Grade

1s are getting further behind?

And where are the policies to help those

who are not achieving the new top grades?

It’s important to party members and speaks to their values.

If speaking to their values isn’t enough, speaking to their dancing shoes should be. Tristram’s support for a negotiating body for school support staff has got my mum, a teaching assistant of 20 years, doing the two-step in the kitchen.

I’d be surprised if this announcement didn’t get the same response from the conference. Over 750,000 support staff will benefit, many of whom have taken an 18 per cent pay cut in real terms since 2010.

Next, I’d tackle swing voters. Childcare costs are out of control and so Labour’s promise to extend free entitlement to 25 hours will put money back in people’s pockets. Follow this up with ensuring that every teacher is qualified (or on route to qualification) and he’s good to go.

The idea that somewhere in middle England thousands of genius rocket scientists would be teaching in our classrooms if it wasn’t for a one-year on-the-job qualification is a nonsense and Gove’s biggest error to date.

Finally, the reform mantle. This is where Tristram’s own values, skill and bravery will come to the fore. Politics is about arguments and if he doesn’t make the case for pushing on with the radical reforms (as opposed to just a few nice sounding policies) the party might be

swayed, he might even get the public, but he won’t transform our schools system for the better.

I would like to see a commitment to transparency; autonomy and smarter accountability; innovation from the third sector and teachers themselves; and a commitment to the best organisations supporting schools without the argument about whether we should prefer academy chains or local authorities.

It doesn’t have to be one or the other: either might be the right option. Free schools could also open where there is a need for

places. Tristram’s directors of school standards’ framework should make this a reality.

As one of the party’s rising stars (keep your eye out for Liz Kendall and Jonny Reynolds too), we’ll see whether he can

deliver the hat-trick: taking on the mantle

of reform, and taking both the public and

party with

him.

Each week during the political

conference season we will be inviting

a commentator to give their views on

what education policies they wish to see

announced. The Labour Party is first up

next week and Matt Hood gives his view

on Tristram Hunt’s first conference as

Shadow Education Secretary.

A wise Labour Party stalwart once told me that ‘education policy is to Labour what Europe is to the Tories.’ No doubt this sentiment is playing on Tristram Hunt’s mind as he heads towards his first conference speech as part of the front bench team.

For me, Tristram’s challenge is this: can he bring the broad church of the Labour Party with him? Can he set out a vision that speaks to the swing voters Labour so badly needs, while still taking back Labour’s education reform mantle so hijacked and poisoned by Michael Gove.

The conference hall is a scary place, so I

would tackle the party first: opening with the ‘forgotten 50 per cent’ that don’t go to university and making a commitment to high quality vocational education, through the ‘Tec Bacc’.

In practical terms this is re-inventing the wheel — it used to be called ‘the diploma’ and was fantastic — but that’s by the by.

LAURA MCINERNEY@MISS_MCINERNEY

More than one angle on GCSE grading

Labour Party Conference preview

MATT HOODMatt is a director at a national education charity and part-time assistant head at a

secondary school in Morecambe

Can Tristram bring the broad church of the Labour Party with him?

BBC Mail Online The Telegraph

A non-executive board member at the Department for Education (DfE) has taken a new role with an academy trust founded by education minister Lord Nash, Academies Week can report.

Theodore Agnew took up a role as a director of Future Academies in July, documents newly lodged with Companies House show.

Mr Agnew is sponsor and chairman at the Inspiration Trust, which runs six

schools and a sixth form college in Norfolk. Since December, 2010, Mr Agnew has

also been a non-executive board member at the DfE, chairing the department’s academies board. The board was set up in 2013 to strengthen the department’s relationship with academy sponsors.

Mr Agnew is also a trustee of Policy Exchange, a centre-right think tank seen as influential in shaping education policy under the present government.

Future Academies was founded by Lord Nash – now Under Secretary of State for Schools – and his wife Caroline Nash. The

trust runs four academies in London.Future Academies did not respond to a

request for comment on the appointment.The trust has made a number of recent

appointments to its board, with Lorna Parker and Dr Jo Saxton both added in recent months, Companies House records show. Ms Parker is an adviser with investment company BC Partners, while Dr Saxton is a company director of Primary Colours Education.

Lord Nash’s role at the DfE has previously been the subject of criticism, as a former large-scale donor to the

Conservative party. When he was appointed, in January

2013, the DfE said he would step away from any business interests that may present a conflict of interest.

Inspiration Trust declined to comment, as did the DfE.

Ofsted is currently investigating claims that two Inspiration Trust schools, Thetford Academy and Great Yarmouth Primary Academy, received advance notice of inspections. The trust has previously denied being tipped-off.

PHILIP NYE@PHILIPNYE

Agnew joins Nash at Future Academies

Typically my editorial will provide a

perspective on the front page story and

why it features so prominently.

But, forgive me this one time for taking the

opportunity first to welcome and introduce

you to Academies Week.

Edition one has been a huge team effort.

You can read the full roll-call on page two,

and the editorial team are pictured below.

But our readers are also key to a great

newspaper. We are keen for you contact us

with stories and suggested features, as well as

invitations to report on events.

And perhaps most importantly, tell us what

you like and dislike.

Academies Week is an newspaper FOR the

schools sector and feedback is encouraged

and needed.

Secondary school opens ‘near empty’

A school opening story is perhaps not

surprising given the time of year, but with

17 pupils Trinity Academy could find itself in

the unenviable position of being the smallest

ever mainstream secondary school.

Despite late decisions over the £18m site,

many will point to the predictability of a ‘near

empty’ school given the borough already had

more than 200 surplus places.

But this misses the point as in the longer

term a surplus might become a deficit and

some allege that competition drives up

education standards.

What’s important about this story is that

the government decided to proceed with

opening at all.

While under-recruitment at a new schools

is not unheard of, hadn’t the DfE tightened

up on allowing such inefficient funding

agreements?

Clearly finding a site for the Trinity

Academy proved a major challenge, and free

school locations remains a hot topic.

It is then perhaps not surprising, although

entirely coincidental, that Natalie Evans

from the New School Network makes

some sensible suggestions as to how the

government purchase sites and school

buildings in future. See Natalie’s opinion

piece on page 8.

@nicklindford | nicklinford@academiesweek.co.ukEDITOR’S COMMENT

Contact the teamTo provide feedback and suggest stories please email news@academiesweek.co.uk and tweet

using @academiesweek

To inform the editor of any errors or issues of concern regarding this publication email nick.linford@academiesweek.co.uk with

Error/Concern in the subject line.Please include the page number and story headline, and explain what the problem is. From left: Nick Linford, Laura McInerney, Philip Nye, Sophie Scott and Billy Camden

Tristram Hunt

NEWS

ACADEMIES WEEK8 @ACADEMIESWEEK 9ACADEMIESWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 1FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014 FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014

As new free schools are due to open this

month, some have opened in temporary

accommodation and others have had to

delay due to lack of suitable site. Natalie

Evans suggests a better way forward.

In many ways, the building should be the least important part of setting up a new school. Yet all too often it is the most

time-consuming and frustrating aspect of the project.

Delays in finding a suitable site can have a huge knock-on effect for the operation of the school in its first years. Understandably, free schools that haven’t been able to establish their site until late spring — or in some cases as late as the summer — have often found they are under-roll for their first year.

This position readily corrects itself in the second and third years. By that time we see an average of three applicants for every secondary place and two for every primary place. But it needn’t, and shouldn’t, be like this.

The hurdle to set up a new free school is set, rightly, very high. No free school can start without the support of local parents prepared to commit to sending their children to the school.

In addition, groups have to articulate a robust and well thought-through curriculum and education plan; ensure they have the right people and skills; and be clear that the figures add up in terms of the school being financially viable.

But even when those tests have been met, the biggest challenge still lies ahead. Where exactly is the school going to be? Necessity being the mother of invention has led to new free schools opening in all sorts of unorthodox buildings: in former court houses, job centres, RAF bases, churches and even mothballed Department for Education (DfE) buildings.

The government has had to think creatively and has stepped up to the challenge; but more can be done.

First, it should be buying up property and sites in areas where there is an absolute shortage of school places, either existing or projected. Recent headlines have screamed about the current primary places shortage, but these children are going to get older and become secondary school age. We need to be doing much more now to plan for that inevitable shortage.

Second, we need to be smarter about using the publicly-owned spaces that already

exist. There are existing secondary schools that are under-roll, with whole floors lying empty. Just as charter schools in New York move into an empty floor of existing schools, we too should be considering whether new schools could move into a disused part of an under-roll secondary, at least in the short term until they find a permanent site.

Third, we need to consider how well-equipped central government is to oversee the site-finding, negotiation and procurement of all new schools, now the programme is established.

A process that might have worked for a couple of dozen free schools is creaking at the seams now that there are regularly 100 approved free schools working their way through the system at any one time. But just recruiting armies of specialists to join the Education Funding Agency is not the answer.

Instead, government should consider regional contracts with local specialist property firms who know their patch and understand fully the local market dynamics.

These firms could be incentivised on a success fee model, helping accelerate this part of the process and nail down a property as early as possible.

In addition, consideration should be given to allow existing schools that are setting up a new school, and who have a strong track record in managing their own estate well, to be given the financial freedom – within a clearly-defined funding envelope – to negotiate their own sites and building contracts.

Sites and property remain the single biggest headache for free schools – both for the groups themselves and the DfE. “Build it and they will come” is certainly true. We just need to get a whole lot better at it.

The introduction of universal free school

meals for infants this month means

questions are being asked about their

nutritional and monetary value. However

solicitor, Jade Kent, asks a different

thorny question about their content.

It’s an unusual question, but one that needs to be posed in an education system which now opens the door to an increasing

number of unconventional institutions. More to the point, why seek to become a vegetarian school in the first place?

The first vegetarian school, St Christopher’s School in Hertfordshire, was established in 1915 to promote greater dialogue between children of different cultural backgrounds. Today, vegetarian schools and academies are often created in order to promote a specific set of values: religious, ethical or environmental. At a time when budgets remain under pressure – and when the cost of food weighs heavily on schools – the expense of sourcing meat can also make a vegetarian policy more attractive.

Whether or not a school is able to become vegetarian, depends on the type of school it is and when it was created. If the school is a local authority maintained school, special school or a pupil referral unit, The Education (Nutritional Standards and Requirements for School Food, England) Regulations 2007 apply.

The regulations refer to standards requiring that red meat be provided at least twice a week in primary schools and at least three times a week in secondary schools. Oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel, must be provided at least once every three weeks. Vegetarianism simply does not fit with these standards.

The position for academies and free schools is slightly different. Academies established between September 2008 and September 2010, as well as post-June 2014, must comply with the nutritional standards or risk being in

breach of their funding agreements. However, academies set up between

October 2010 and May 2014 only have to refer to the standards as a guide; therefore, a vegetarian school could be possible.

The Department for Education is, however, constantly pushing for new academies and free schools to move over to new funding agreements, which oblige compliance with the standards.

So the ability for schools to become vegetarian may be reduced in the future.

Is it fair that some schools can be vegetarian but others can’t?

And if a vegetarian diet provides all the nutrients necessary for pupils, why should schools be obliged to comply with food standards that conflict with their ethos or beliefs?

Under the 2012 Equality Act, religion and a lack of religion are both protected characteristics. Imposing a situation, such as only serving vegetarian meals, on a non-religious child or parent because of a religious belief could contravene this Act.

A possible way for a school to avoid falling foul of the Equality Act is to draft a food policy that deals with the reasons why it wishes to offer vegetarian-only options – to reduce a child’s carbon footprint or to promote compassion, for example.

Interestingly, the regulations do not apply if there is a party to mark a religious or cultural occasion; at occasional fundraising events; if food is a reward for achievement; or for food used in teaching food preparation.

One final point to ponder: if a parent whose child is eligible for free school meals states they want a meal that is not vegetarian, how would a purely vegetarian school provide this? And would they be obliged to? Only time will tell.

As the legislation governing academies and free schools continues to change, this important issue is one we should all be monitoring.

JADE KENT

New ways of finding free school properties are needed urgently

Is it illegal to run a vegetarian school?

NATALIE EVANSDirector of New Schools Network, an independent charity

Solicitor in the project team at Michelmores LLP

In 2009, Ofsted trialled no notice

inspections. This week they announced

a second attempt. Liam Collins explains

some unexpected problems of this idea.

Earlier this week, when Sir Michael Wilshaw announced Ofsted would be trialling 40 no notice school

inspections, I wasn’t shocked or surprised or worried. I was actually quite bored by it.

The goalposts move so fast with Ofsted that each time new frameworks for inspection are announced headteachers wait to get the lengthy updates sent by the brilliant people at the governors’ services. Many will then look at it, think, “Ah, okay” and carry on as normal.

It’s also not as if schools currently get lots of prior notice. Heads get a phone call

at midday from someone saying, “We are coming tomorrow”. When I got my phone call last year, it was absolutely on the nail — 12 o’clock — at which point we used our battle plan to prepare.

The plan does not include things you often hear about in rumours, such as sending kids off on day-trips or bussing in super teachers. What we spent our time doing was thinking about the basic problem of having four important visitors in school.

Where can they sit? Will they need a parking space? How will we get tea and coffee to them? Do they want fruit? It sounds ridiculous, but it’s important.

The rest of the time is spent getting data prepared. This is the most important part of an inspection and the bit no notice inspections struggle with. We informed the

staff at the end of the day and that was it.My school, Uplands Community College,

went through a no notice inspection last time when Ofsted trialled them in 2009. I was not here then, but senior leaders who took part say the school and inspector spent the first morning collecting paperwork.

This meant the inspectors didn’t decide what trail to follow until the end of that first

day. They then spent the second day running out of time trying to see all the things they needed to see before making the judgements they wanted to make.

This will be even worse under the current framework, as it relies on a depth of data that schools just don’t have at their fingertips. If an inspector calls the day before and says what you need to have ready (as they currently do), then a head can have everything for them. If they arrive with no notice, you can’t.

So why is Ofsted trialling it again? Possibly it is a part of a “look how tough we are” ethos, based on the idea that Ofsted is an

inspectorate that should penalise rather than help schools improve. To me, that is the wrong approach.

Ofsted ought to be re-engineered from being a penalising inspectorate to a school improvement partner. If using no notice inspections then the Ofsted team should agree, in advance, that if they rate the school as ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ then they will also help with the school improvement.

A later inspection could be carried out by a new, independent inspector, but the original team should also attend to point out where changes have been made. This would help with consistency.

There’s also a confusion in the current announcement. Last year, my school was rated as ‘good’ and we were told that we would be given light touch inspections from this point forward.

Does that mean we are exempt from no notice inspections, given that it should only happen where there are major concerns? Or does it mean if we suddenly slipped we would be given a no notice, light touch inspection?

The upside to the announcement is people might be less stressed all the time. Maybe they will think: “We don’t need to over-plan or put on a performance; the inspectors can just turn up and see us as we are”.

Unfortunately, with Ofsted still acting like a group whose purpose is catching people out, rather than helping them improve, I suspect this attitude will be rare.

Should we care about no notice inspections?

LIAM COLLINSLiam Collins is the headteacher of

Uplands Community College in Wadhurst, East Sussex, and a member of the

Headteachers’ Roundtable

EXPERTS EXPERT

AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING GOVERNANCE OPEN!Nominations are now open for NGA’s Awards for Outstanding Governance. These

national awards, supported by the Department for Education, are presented every

two years to a governing board and clerk that have made an outstanding contribution

to the education of children and young people in their schools. We are calling for

nominations from all schools across the country, be they academies, federations, LA

maintained schools, multi-academy trusts, free schools, or any other government-

funded school. Help us to celebrate the important contribution that governors, trustees

and clerks make to education. Anyone can submit a nomination – you don’t even need

to be a member of NGA to nominate or be nominated!

FOR THE OUTSTANDING GOVERNING BOARD AWARD, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A BOARD THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED THE THREE CORE FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNANCE:

Setting the vision, ethos, and strategic direction of the school

Holding the headteacher to account, and

strengthening and challenging their leadershipEnsuring finances are managed well

You can download the nomination forms and find out more about the past winners at : www.nga.org.uk/About-Us/NGA-Awards.aspx

Media Partner

A process that might have worked for a couple of dozen free schools is creaking at the seams now

Is it fair that some schools can be vegetarian but others can’t?

Interestingly, the regulations do not apply if there is a party

Will they need a parking space? How will we get tea and coffee to them? Do they want fruit?

ACADEMIES WEEK10 @ACADEMIESWEEK 11ACADEMIESWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 1FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014 FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014

Back when I was a trainee teacher my eyes were continually drawn to the large shelves looming behind my

professional mentor, crammed with their favourite teaching books.

Forever wondering how they found time to read such texts (let alone which to prioritise) the same issues today appear ever more relevant, with teachers also reading blogs and websites, as well as the potential delights of social media.

Seeking to throw some light (apologies for the pun) on these considerations, Don’t change the light bulbs is a compilation of short, focused contributions written collaboratively by teachers working across the UK, the majority of whom are particularly active in tweeting and blogging about the profession.

The format is straightforward for busy teachers, with each author sharing a ten-point guide in their chosen field of expertise or interest.

Included are core educational topics (eg creativity, questioning, maths, science, primary) but the curator, Rachel Jones — herself a teacher and avid blogger — has widened the book’s scope, allowing the authors to contribute on more unusual topics, such as bottom-up leadership or running school assemblies. This leads to a stimulating read on all aspects of school life.

With such lofty ambitions I was naturally fearful the project’s execution might not match its intended impact and the overall results wouldn’t be cohesive given so many differing viewpoints. The final result, however, is good. Very good in fact.

Although it does feel on the pricey side at £25, and whilst some will always criticise the notion of distilling advice into a series of concise sections, it does make the format very accessible and allows each author to

really convey their own expertise, with many indicating further links for future exploration.

The overall result is an engaging glimpse into the classrooms and minds of some of the country’s most motivated and talented teachers, balancing creative solutions that you can attempt in tomorrow’s lesson with wider insight and contextual points.

Reading the book over a number of days I often found myself pausing to look into the various links suggested, or trying to suppress a grin as I discovered a couple of gems I hadn’t heard before.

Frequently these ideas came from subject areas I don’t know well. There are, of course,

references I had heard before and yes, there was the odd repetition between overlapping chapters, but this didn’t detract from the overall experience of teachers writing passionately about their craft.

Notable credit should go to the publishers who allowed these voices to be presented authentically and un-edited (‘This is porn for geography teachers’ perhaps

being the most obvious example). Such frankness won’t be to everyone’s taste

but if you’re looking for exciting, stimulating ideas from excited and stimulated teachers telling you what they think and what works, then you’ll love this.

My final point concerns the authors themselves. Much of their advice really is first-rate but what stood out above even that, was the commitment they displayed for teachers supporting each other and developing as a community.

Many raved about the benefit they had gained from blogging or engaging with Twitter, and I lost track of the occasions authors took time to deliberately credit their points to other collaborators. Along with each article, the author also included their Twitter handle - thus giving an open invitation for readers to collaborate.

This is important as it positions the book as a stimulus to teachers - something that is always vital. But, perhaps more importantly, it makes the book an accessible starting point for teachers wanting to gain the benefits of our most active online communities.

BOOK REVIEW

TOP BLOGS OF THE WEEKRESEARCH REVIEW

Research: Second Special Report into

Underachievement in Education by White

Working Class Children: Government Response to

the Committee’s First Report of Session 2014-15

If you are a white pupil on free school meals, and don’t happen to be born in Westminster or Kensington and Chelsea, you are more likely to leave school without five good GCSEs than with.

In 15 local authorities your chances drop to less than one-in-four, and in Peterborough they fall to only around one in 10. It is therefore no surprise that the Education Select Committee picked white working class pupils as the focus of a recent investigation and on Monday, the government published its response.

The select committee’s report touched on three key areas: data and research; improving schools, and wider factors such as geography, culture and economics.

The government’s response was far from radical. On future use of school data and research it was thorough and encouraging, on improving schools it was blinkered, and on wider factors it was largely silent.

The government is looking to improve the quality of data available to the public. It has confirmed it is trying to tie data together from different government departments (such as information about universal credit) to give a more accurate picture of which pupils are actually disadvantaged.

In future, the Department for Education (DFE) will also publish data on the performance of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) by ethnic group. Hopefully they will do this down to local authority level.

A lot of new research is also underway. One of the big challenges in meeting white FSM pupils’ needs is lack of information about what approaches might work for them.

Encouragingly the government’s response lists an

extensive menu of studies currently underway, including research on use of language in early childhood, something I emphasised when presenting to the committee.

Unfortunately the DfE turned down the select committee’s suggestion of carrying out research into what influences where skilled teachers chose to work, something that would surely be valuable given the importance of attracting the best teachers to the areas that need them most.

Aside from more research, there was little or nothing new on improving schools. Instead, the government reiterated its mantra of having a ‘self-improving school system’ -

drawing attention to initiatives such as the Talented Heads programme (which will encourage excellent heads to work in key areas), Teaching Schools, National Leaders of Education and the creation of 30 mathematics hubs.

While these approaches are commendable, the problem is that they have incredibly limited reach. Over two years, the Talented Leaders programme is aiming to recruit 100 leaders — one for every 200 schools.

Meanwhile even after three years, there are only 600 teaching schools and even the DfE’s response admits that 80 per cent of schools are not involved in a teaching school alliance.

I certainly don’t envy the task faced by The Phoenix School, Peterborough’s only teaching school, if it holds responsibility for turning round the whole city’s fortunes.

The select committee noted that “broader societal factors also have an enormous role to play” but argued that “this should not deflect attention from the central importance of improving school and teaching quality”.

They also glossed over economic, social, geographical or cultural factors. Given that 12.6 per cent of white FSM pupils achieve good GCSEs in Peterborough but almost six times more do so in Kensington and Chelsea, not paying more attention to geography seems to be a huge omission.

If the government really wants to close the achievement gap it will have to take a much more targeted approach. This could mean giving increased support and clout to local and sub-regional initiatives, or being more directive itself about what schools must do.

The former would be more politically palatable but potentially costly. The latter would constitute a policy U-turn and risks putting rather too many noses out of joint in the run-up to the general election.

Can I be that little bit better at....

understanding why I might be getting

differentiation wrong? by @davidfawcett27

Since Liz Truss’s speech referring to the link between “false differentiation” and teachers having low expectations an increasing number of teachers are discussing why and how we differentiate. In this blog David Fawcett argues that differentiation need not be time-consuming, but that it is unrealistic to plan for each child individually. He challenges our understanding of what differentiation is, saying: “Don’t make the task easier, make the thinking easier.” Following his argument, he sets out 12 practical and adaptable ways he uses to ensures all children achieve in his classroom.

Why I don’t like the notion of ‘significant

groups’?

by @MissDCox

In another example of tail-wagging-dog Miss Cox illustrates how government policy — this time the pupil premium and Ofsted requirements — are leading to unnecessary ‘significant groups’ in her classroom. Her powerful and sensible argument is that intervention should be based solely on a child’s needs.

She writes: “I had free school meals for a couple of years at high school. I would have been mortified if I’d known that was the only reason why a teacher or the school show ‘extra’ interest in me. I would’ve hoped it would have been because I, like any other peer, may have been underachieving, not because I got a free lunch.”

How do you explain a concept like growth

mindset’?

by @joeybagstock

For those who want to learn more about the concept of growth mindset, Joe provides a straightforward guide to the way he introduces it to pupils in his school.

His honesty in depicting his pupils and recognition that much of the growth mindset approach is common sense is both refreshing and reassuring. The concrete proof he provides that hard work and perseverance reap rewards is inspiring.

Don’t stop the music: starting on the

wrong note?

by @jackieschneider

Jackie Schneider’s passion for music in primary schools is evident in everything she writes. This blog arrived at the same time as a petition asking the government to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn an instrument following the Channel 4 documentary “Don’t Stop The Music.” As well as advising teachers where music education should start Jackie also gives names and organisations to help. If we want long-lasting change, she argues, four problems in primary music teaching need addressing even before pupils are given instruments.

She writes: “I fear that in schools across the country, as clarinets and cellos break or decay through lack of proper care, or are found to be simply too big for small hands...many of these instruments will end up shut away in cupboards unused...[and] we will find ourselves no closer to delivering a real music education in our schools.”

I did never know so full a voice issue from

so empty a heart

by @primaryhead

In this very amusing and light-hearted article Tim discusses whether primary teachers use a different voice when speaking to children. His glib reference to the lack of evidence for the way we should speak to children highlights the fact that so many decisions we make are solely based upon our own prejudices. In a toe-curling and amusing way Primary Head creates a questionnaire to enable us to identity if we have a ‘teacher voice.’

He writes: “My voice becomes more of a strangled harsh bark of the highest register and my vowels come out shorter than your average consonant, unless the word I’m saying is a ‘filler’ word, in which case the vowel sound will be stretched to such an extent it makes a Reception phonic lesson sound like a condensed rap performed by Alvin and his band of chipmunks: Noooowwwwww, riiiiiiight, okaaaaaaayyyyyy, liiiiiisten pleeeeeaaaaase.”

To view individual blogs visit www.academiesweek.co.uk/reviews

A week in WestminsterYour regular guide to what’s going on in central government

Don’t change the light bulbs: A compendium of expertise from the UK’s

most switched-on educators

Curator: Rachel Jones

ISBN 9781781352113

£25.00

Published: September 26, 2014

Ian Caswell has worked as a teacher in

London schools and for a number of

universities supporting trainee teachers.

The author of the book, Rachel Jones,

can be tweeted at via @rlj1881

FRIDAY:MONDAY: TUESDAY:

WEDNESDAY:thursday:

“Given that 12.6 per cent of white

FSM pupils achieve good GCSEs in

Peterborough but almost six times

more do so in Kensington and

Chelsea”

Experimental statistics published for the

first time by the DfE showed that less than

10 per cent of young people who get lower

than a C grade in GCSE maths or English

go on to improve their grade before the age

of 19. Students who went on to study at a

sixth form college were most likely to later

achieve a C or above in English and maths.

Ofqual released the results of its

consultation into new GCSE grading

standards, first affecting students

receiving results in 2017. It confirmed the

new exams will be graded from 1 to 9, with

a 4 being equivalent to a C and 9 being

reserved for fewer pupils than the current

A*. [See our Right Angles feature on page 7

for more.]

After a two-year ongoing legal battle,

including a First Tier Tribunal, the

Department for Education finally released

the decision letters sent to successful Free

School applicants between 2010 and 2012.

Some included

handwritten notes,

with Michael Gove

writing at the end

of letter to free

school founder

Toby Young: “I

am so delighted,

Yours, Michael”.

The DfE released a letter to the teaching

unions confirming Nicky Morgan would

meet them on September 16. Ms Morgan

particularly wants to discuss ways to

reduce unnecessary teacher workload.

A report from the Education Select

Committee summarising findings from its

‘White working-class underachievement

inquiry’, hit desks at 10.30am. It called for a

longer school day and more research into

what might close achievement gaps [our

research review on page 10 provides more

detail].

In the afternoon, Ofsted announced

a series of 40 no notice inspections will

be taking place during the autumn term.

[Headteacher Liam Collins shares his

thoughts on this over on page 9.]

Continuing a theme of transparency, the

DfE released a list of all the free school

groups that applied to open new schools

during the ‘wave seven’ application period.

This is the first time proposer information

has been released before the government

announced which schools would open.

Just after midnight, the Education Select

Committee released its second report of

the week – this time drawing attention to

conflicts of interests in academy trusts,

and authored by independent researchers.

[The report’s conclusions are reported on

page 5.]

The National College for Teaching and

Learning revealed this year’s teacher

recruitment campaign - “Your Future,

Their Future” - featuring a video riffing on

Taylor Mali’s “What Do Teachers Make?”

poem.

Our guest blog reviewer of the week is Emma Hardy, primary school teacher and union activist@emmaannhardy

CHECK OUT THE @ACADEMIESWEEK TIMELINE FOR LIVE TWEETS OF WESTMINSTER EVENTS

This week’s research reviewer is Loic Menzies, director of think-and-action tank LKMCo.

REVIEWS REVIEWS

ACADEMIES WEEK12 @ACADEMIESWEEK 13ACADEMIESWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 1FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014 FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014

harder for people to argue the status quo was better.

Nevertheless, many people argued the policy damaged local democracy and placed schools in the hands of unaccountable

business people. Adonis, however, is adamant this is not the case.

“I don’t actually accept that the role of local authorities in education is now a small one. It’s a very significant role if they choose to exercise the full range of their powers, both formal and informal,” he says.

“They have huge soft power in terms of their knowledge of the local education system, their access to schools and knowledge of

A ndrew Adonis looks into the distance and chews carefully. He’s pondering a question about his childhood, a topic that inevitably begins profiles

about most any person. But especially him.He takes his time. Waiters clatter around us. He chews,

brings his gaze back, raises his eyebrows and shrugs.“I never talked about it until the last few years,” he says. “But part of the reason to try is to break the stigma of children in care and show it’s possible for them to get on.”Placed into care after his father – a Greek Cypriot immigrant, then working as a waiter – was abandoned by his mother, Adonis lived in children’s homes throughout his early years. He did, however, remain in touch with his father.

“My dad was absolutely clear all the time that it was education or nothing, in terms of being able to get on,” he says.

And get on, he did. By the age of 30 he’d completed a PhD at Oxford University and was public policy correspondent at the Financial Times. At 40, he was head of Tony Blair’s policy unit in Downing Street. Two years later, he was made a life peer and became schools minister where his main role was to ensure momentum for Labour’s controversial academies plan, a policy for which he was primarily responsible.

Looking at Adonis’ educational history it would be easy to believe he named the policy after his own ‘grand’ education. Aged11, and still living in care, Adonis was granted a place at Kingham Hill School, a private boarding school in Oxfordshire. It was, however, far less grandiose than the title suggests.

“Very few went on to university from there, and indeed only about a third stayed on to sixth form. Most boys did get jobs, and the school did regard itself as under an obligation to help them to do so, which was quite unusual for schools in those days,” he says.

At boarding school, Adonis threw himself into academic life, but also into cross-country running and debating.

“I was very interested in politics at school and I was in the debating society. It was great fun”.

Why fun? I ask. “I liked winning” he says. During his last year at school he applied to study at Oxford

University. “The decision was sort of made for me by my headmaster, who had been at the college I went to. He told me I was more than capable of it and sent me along to see his former tutor,” says Adonis.

Having secured a place at Keble College, he went on to gain a first class honours degree in modern history and completed a PhD thesis on the role of 19th century British elites.

His time at Oxford would be of central importance in shaping his future political involvement in education. Excited by the new Social Democrat Party (SDP)created

during his time as a student, Adonis stood for election as an SDP councillor — and won.

In his role as councillor he became governor of a school, in Blackbird Leys, a large Oxford housing estate.

“It was a pretty hair-raising experience. In one of the years I was governor, I think fewer than 10 out of 160 students got five good GCSEs, including English and maths. This was in Oxford. You had the world’s best universities, cheek by jowl next to the country’s most deprived and worst schools. It brought the contrast into very sharp relief,” he says.

Governance at the school was particularly problematic. “I was one of 20 governors, with Oxfordshire County Council basically calling the shots. So it was more like a debating club than a governing body. We didn’t really govern the school. The key decisions were taken by the local authority and we made a marginal difference I think.” says Adonis.

His experience as a school governor made him sympathetic to the idea of city technology colleges, a Conservative initiative introduced in the late 1980s, which gave greater autonomy to schools. His own incarnation of autonomy – academies – rested on the presumption that poorly performing schools should be removed from local authority oversight and allowed to operate as an independent, charitable organization, held to account by Ofsted.

Opposition to the idea was always fierce, though in the early days (the first academy opened in London in 2002) when the policy focused on the very worst schools it was

In February Lord Adonis spent a week travelling by bus talking to London commuters about their journey

Adonis’ bookEducation, Education, Education: Reforming England’s schools

In July last year on a visit to School21 in Newham, Lord Adonis took part in a classroom activity. Also pictured (left) is Peter Hyman

Born: February 22 1963, in London

Educated at: Kingham Hill School and Keble College, Oxford University

Career:PhD and Fellowship at Nuffield College (1987 – 1991)

Journalist at the Financial Times (1991 – 1996)

Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit (1998 – 2005)

May 16 2005 – Life Peer, Baron Adonis of Camden

Ministerial Positions:Minister of State for Education (2005 – 08)

Minister of State for Transport (2008 -09)

Secretary of State for Transport (2009-10)

CurrentTreasury Spokesperson 2011; Non-Executive Director, Edge Foundation and Baker Dearing Educational Trust; Trustee of TeachFirst; Chair of Frontline (a social enterprise recruiting social workers) and the think-tank IPPR

PROFILE

IT’S A PERSONAL THING

It sometimes seems like you come across very seriously, is there a frivolous side to your character?I think you’d have to ask my kids. They would say there is a very non-serious side. I enjoy playing with them

Have you done the ice bucket challenge?Yes. I have done it, I was challenged by one of my charities

Who did you nominate?No one yet – but I should

What do you like to do to relax?I read quite a lot, especially history books

What was the best thing about your school days?It was a safe environment and there were some inspirational teachers, although for far too few. When I look back on it the ability to develop our potential and the opportunity to make the best of ourselves was certainly true for me but a bit hit and miss

ADONIS PROFILEDLAURA MCINERNEY@MISS_MCINERNEY

work standards. If they want to start blowing whistles and calling attention to local issues and encouraging solutions they are more than capable of doing so.”

Why then is there such anger, I ask. “When dealing with deep-seated problems,

like systematic failure of a large proportion of the comprehensive school system you are not going to be able to improve that without big change, and whatever big change you bring

about is going to be very controversial,” he says.

I push again on the reasons for anger, pointing out that the most vociferous complaints come from within the Labour Party.

“The anger is what I call ‘official anger’, which is often very different from what’s happening on the ground”, he says, politely pushing back.

Despite anger from his critics, it is undeniable the academies policy has caused large-scale change. Today, more than half of England’s secondary schools and more than 10 per cent of primaries have become academies.

While Adonis was the instigator of this change, however, it was Michael Gove, the Coalition’s former Education Secretary, who pushed through rapid expansion, allowing good and outstanding schools to become academies as well as forcing poor schools to do so.

“I never went out of my way to court controversy, though” says Adonis. “Probably the difference between Michael Gove and me is that I am naturally a conciliator, who hates arguments. I wouldn’t say Michael would say that of himself.”

But didn’t he say he liked debating? I ask.“I need to make a distinction between

arguments and controversy. You can’t avoid, if you are engaged in politics, a number of arguments. Whether you want gratuitously to cause controversy is a different matter,” he replies.

It’s an almost perfect answer, characteristic of the entire interview. Despite his critics, many of them from within his own party, it’s hard to conclude he is anything other than genuinely motivated to do good, even if his particular version of it doesn’t appeal to everyone.

“My dad was absolutely clear all the time that it was

education or nothing, in terms of being able to get on”

I NEVER WENT OUT OF MY WAY TO COURT CONTROVERSY

Curriculum Vitae

ACADEMIES WEEK14 @ACADEMIESWEEK 15ACADEMIESWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 1FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014 FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014

The lessons of London’s educational

success over the past decade can

be exported to other parts of the

country, Martin Post, the regional schools

commissioner for North West London and

South Central England has said.

Speaking to Academies Week, Mr Post said

it would be “daft” not to replicate elsewhere

the collaborative approach that had worked

well in London.

“I think we would take lessons from

anywhere, but these are lessons that are right

on our doorstep” he said.

“They are a homegrown success - so we

would be daft as a system if we weren’t trying

to learn the lessons and link up in the way

London schools have done,”

“No one is isolated in London.

“Schools are supporting each other

towards success and that’s the kind of thing

we need to replicate.”

Mr Post was previously headteacher at

Watford Grammar School for Boys for 14

years, Hertfordshire, and spent a total of 25

years working in the county.

Since mid-August, however, he has been

one of the government’s new regional

schools commissioners, with a patch

straddling inner London and the Home

Counties.

Asked why he applied for the role, Mr Post

said the role was too good an opportunity

to miss.

“It was the kind of challenge I didn’t expect

to get, to be honest, and I didn’t expect this

kind of role would come along,” he said.

“I’ve been saying for years that this is the

only kind of job that would make me leave a

job I’ve enjoyed for 25 years.”

Each Regional School Commissioner

(RSC) will lead a headteachers’ board (HTB)

– with four elected members, two members

appointed by the commissioner with the

option to co-opt a further two members.

Four headteachers were selected to the

new board during open elections in the

summer term.

Mr Post has also appointed two primary

school leaders — Kate Dethridge and

Dame Alison Peacock.

One of the first things the board will be

discussing is whether to co-opt two further

members.

“That’s something we’re going to be

discussing,” said Mr Post.

“With only six people on the board and

me chairing it, it’s impossible to reflect all

the interest groups and all of the groups that

want to make this a successful experiment.

“We’re going to be talking — both at

our own HTB, but also when the regional

commissioners all get together next week for

our first RSC forum — about ways in which

we can incorporate all of the goodwill and

local knowledge which people want to give

us.”

Based in Hemel Hempstead in leased

government buildings, Mr Post said he was

looking forward to meeting more of those

working on his new patch.

“I want them to feel they’ve got access to

me — because obviously I’ve got a decision-

making role, but I’ve also got a championing

role, and I want to champion what’s really

good out there in the region,” he said.

ENGLAND

SCOTLAND

ISLE OF WIGHT

KNOW

SLEY

ORKNEYISLANDS

SEFTON

WIRRALFLINTSHIRE

DENBIGHSHIRE

CONWY

ISLE OFANGLESEY

GWYNEDD

CEREDIGION

CARMARTHENSHIRE

POWYS

THE VALE OFGLAMORGAN

BRIDGEND

NEATHPORT TALBOT

SWANSEA

RHONDDA,CYNON, TAFF

MERTHYRTYDFIL

20

Numbered* unitary areas: 6 LIVERPOOL 7 BOLTON 8 SALFORD 9 TRAFFORD 10 ROCHDALE 11 MANCHESTER 12 TAMESIDE 13 OLDHAM 14 CITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON 15 WALSALL 16 SANDWELL 17 DUDLEY 18 BIRMINGHAM 19 SOLIHULL 20 COVENTRY*except London ST HELENS

WIGAN

7

6

BURY

98

10

CALDERDALE

KIRKLEES

SHEFFIELDROTHERHAM

11 12

13

BRADFORD LEEDS

YORK

BARNSLEY

WAKEFIELD

DONCASTER

NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE

NE LINCOLNSHIRE

CITY OFKINGSTON UPON HULL

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE

MIDDLESBROUGH

NORTH TYNESIDE

SOUTH TYNESIDE

SUNDERLAND

HARTLEPOOL

GATESHEAD

NEWCASTLEUPON TYNE

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY

SOUTH AYRSHIRE

EASTAYRSHIRE

ARGYLL AND BUTE

NA H-EILEANAN AN IAR

HIGHLAND

MORAY

ABERDEENSHIREABERDEEN CITY

ANGUS

PERTH AND KINROSS

STIRLING

FIFE

DUNDEECITY

EASTLOTHIAN

MIDLOTHIAN

WESTLOTHIAN

S LANARKSHIRE

CLACKMANNANSHIRE

FALKIRK

WESTDUNBARTONSHIRE

EASTDUNBARTONSHIRE

INVERCLYDE

NORTHAYRSHIRE

1

2

34

5

SCOTTISHBORDERS

STOCKPORT

WREXHAM

Numbered unitary areas: 21 POOLE 22 BOURNEMOUTH 23 CITY OF SOUTHAMPTON 24 CITY OF PORTSMOUTH

21 22

23

24

CITY OFBRIGHTON & HOVE

RUTLANDCITY OF

LEICESTER

CITY OFDERBY

CITY OFSTOKE-ON-

TRENTDARLINGTON

MEDWAY

SOUTHEND-ON-SEATHURROCK

TORBAY

CITY OFPLYMOUTH

BLACKPOOLBLACKBURN

WITHDARWEN

WARRINGTON

HALTON

CITY OFPETERBOROUGH

CITY OFNOTTINGHAM

TELFORD ANDWREKIN

Numbered unitary areas: 25 READING 26 WOKINGHAM 27 BRACKNELL FOREST 28 WINDSOR AND MAIDENHEAD 29 SLOUGH

Numbered unitary areas: 1 RENFREWSHIRE 2 EAST RENFREWSHIRE 3 GLASGOW CITY 4 NORTH LANARKSHIRE 5 CITY OF EDINBURGH

15

14 9

124

110

11 1725

6 16

82326

3272224

21

5 13

18

219

20

A

C

E

B

D

FRSC

DORSET

EAST SUSSEX

ESSEX

CHESHIRE

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

SUFFOLK

NORFOLKLEICESTERSHIRE

LINCOLNSHIRENOTTINGHAM-

SHIRE

STAFFORDSHIRE

DERBYSHIRE

KENT

CORNWALL

DEVON

SOMERSET

ISLESOF

SCILLY

CUMBRIA

DURHAM

NORTHUMBERLAND

NORTH YORKSHIRE

LANCASHIRE

No. Local authority Open school count* Open academies**

1 Barnet 122 27

2 Bedfordshire 78 26

3 Bracknell Forest 39 1

4 Brent 81 17

5 Buckinghamshire 235 41

6 Camden 63 4

7 Central Bedfordshire 134 49

8 City of London 1 0

9 Ealing 90 9

10 Enfield 96 13

11 Hammersmith and Fulham 57 18

12 Harrow 62 15

13 Hertfordshire 521 92

14 Hillingdon 98 34

15 Hounslow 75 19

16 Islington 64 8

17 Kensington and Chelsea 35 5

18 Luton 66 11

19 Milton Keynes 108 23

20 Northamptonshire 313 119

21 Oxfordshire 288 76

22 Reading 51 13

23 Slough 46 28

24 West Berkshire 81 8

25 Westminster 57 20

26 Windsor and Maidenhead 63 12

27 Wokingham 66 8

NORTH WEST LONDON AND SOUTH CENTRAL ENGLAND

FEATURED: the new regional schools commissionersNorth West London and South Central England

WE WOULD BE DAFT NOT TO REPLICATE THE SUCCESS OF LONDONMartin PostRegional Schools Commissioner for the

North West London and South Central England region

Martin Post

Regional School Commisstioner based in Hemel

Hempstead

Richard Edwards – elected

Headteacher at Nicholas Hawksmoor

Primary School in Towcester.

Sir Michael Griffiths – elected

Headteacher at Northampton

School for Boys in Northampton

Claire Robins – elected

Headteacher at Sir John

Lawes School in Harpenden

Teresa Tunnadine – elected

Headteacher at The Compton

School in Barnet

Kate Dethridge – appointed

Headteacher at Churchend Academy

in Reading

Dame Alison Peacock - appointed

Wroxham Teaching School in Potters Bar

The board can co-opt an additional two members

A

C

E

B

D

F

Statistics provided by www.Watchsted.com

(@Watchsted), which is owned by Angel Solu-

tions Ltd based on data published by the Depart-

ment For Education in September 2014

20% across england

The board

NORTH

LANCASHIRE AND WEST

YORKSHIRE

NORTH WEST LONDON

AND SOUTH CENTRAL

SOUTH LONDON AND SOUTH EAST

SOUTH WEST

EAST MIDLANDS

AND HUMBER

NORTH EAST LONDON

AND EAST OF ENGLAND

RSC

*Includes all types of state-funded school, including special schools and alternative provision schools.

**Includes all free schools and other academies, including special schools and alternative provision schools.

23%open academies**

PHILIP NYE@PHILIPNYERegional schools

commissioners (RSCs) are the government’s ‘middle tier’, introduced as a new layer between individual academy schools and trusts, and the Department for Education.

Announced in December last year, RSCs have a remit of monitoring the performance of the academies in their area, making recommendations on free school applications and of supporting academisation. Each RSC will be supported by a headteacher board, made up of elected, appointed and co-opted members.

Over the next eight weeks we will be profiling each of the RSC regions.

ACADEMIES WEEK16 @ACADEMIESWEEK 17ACADEMIESWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 1FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014 FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014

MP hails ‘amazing’ floors

Students from a Durham academy have raised nearly £13,000 for charity after organising a host of fundraising

events.North Durham Academy, Stanley, chose

Teenage Cancer Trust as their charity last academic year and this week presented them with a cheque for £12,921.

Highlighted events included a Wiggy Onesie day where students wore onesies or a wig in exchange for donations. Teenage Cancer Trust is now adopting this as one of

its annual fundraising events.Two Year 12 students, Callum Tonkinson

and Jamie Allen, zip wired from Tyne Bridge to the Gateshead side of Quayside while Bethany Thompson shaved her head, raising £2,285.

Principal David Thornton said: “My own son was a cancer patient last year and received fantastic support from Teenage Cancer Trust. For North Durham Academy to raise such a huge amount of money makes me incredibly proud.”

Andover Rugby Club kicked off a new satellite programme encouraging students to play team

sport at a Hampshire academy last week.Winton Community Academy’s new

rugby hub is an extension of the area’s community sports club, targeting 14-to-25 year olds.

Professional coaches will be used every week to train young people from the school and surrounding areas.

Winton Academy Director of Sport Andy

Cole (pictured above far right), said: “We want to encourage everyone to come along — those who have played before and those who have never played.

“Rugby is a great sport. Apart from the obvious physical and psychological benefits of the game it’s also good for discipline skills and working as a team.”

The hub, which will run every Wednesday afternoon from 3.15 to 4.15, has been financed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight School Partnership.

Young entrepreneurs from primary schools

across the UK this week celebrated their

success with Sir Richard Branson at the Fiver

Challenge Awards Ceremony in London.

The Young Enterprise Fiver Challenge

provides pupils, aged five to 11, with £5

for one month and encourages them to

create their own mini-businesses.

The awards, introduced by former Blue Peter

presenter Liz Barker, got off with a bang as

the Drum Café gave a 30-minute drumming

master-class for the children attending the

ceremony, who played along on provided

bongos.

In an exercise of mass audience

participation, each award was announced with

drumrolls from the crowd as the business-

savvy children were handed their awards by

Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson and Lord

Young of Graffham, the Prime Minister’s

enterprise adviser.

Sir Richard said: “The Fiver Challenge is a

great way to introduce young people to the

idea of enterprise and enable them to develop

key skills like team work, communication and

creativity. They also get to see what can be

achieved from such a small sum of money and

how that small sum can quickly grow.

“We’ve seen some really innovative ideas

here today, and I’m hugely impressed with

what the pupils have achieved.”

Lord Young said: “Enterprise education

is about more than teaching children to be

entrepreneurs. It is about encouraging them to

develop qualities, skills and a positive outlook

that will benefit them in life.”

“Fiver shows primary school children can

be introduced to enterprise education and

enjoy the challenge of setting up mini-

businesses.”

Aimed at primary school children, the Fiver

Challenge was created by education charity,

Young Enterprise and supported by Virgin

Money and the Department for Business,

Innovation and Skills. It attracted more than

30,000 entrants from 450 primary schools.

Throughout June, the children engaged

with their local communities and made some

impressive profits from their business ideas.

Among the winners was Barlows Primary,

Liverpool, for their business, POP. They sold

‘poppies of peace’ in small biodegradable pots

for people to plant in memory of the First

World War and won best group in the age five-

to eight category.

Other winners included Elm Class at Weald

Infant and Nursery, Harrow, North London,

for their ‘school disco’ which won them most

profitable business; and Grasby All Saints CE

Primary, in Lincolnshire, where pupils created

handmade gifts, winning them the best

community engagement award.

Also present was Michael Mercieca, chief

executive of Young Enterprise, who said: “This

is the first year of the Fiver Challenge, and

seeing what these pupils have achieved, with

just £5, is very inspiring. Young Enterprise

empowers young people to develop key skills

such as communication and resilience that

will help them throughout life, and Fiver is the

perfect introduction to that.”

SCHOOL ASSEMBLY Interested in being featured by School Assembly? Email us: news@academiesweek .co.uk

Enterprising winners at Fiver Challenge awards ceremonyAcademy raises £13k for cancer charity

Students’ try new rugby hub

North Durham Academy students present Teenage Cancer Trust representatives with cheque

Frank Dobson MP unveils new school floor with pupils

Andover Rugby Club and Winton Community Academy youngsters

Sir Richard Branson and Lord Young award the most profitable business idea to Weald infant and nursery pupils

Call 01264 729581 Email hello@empra.co.uk Visit empra.co.uk @empra

Tongues will be wagging…Making sure you get seen and talked about in all the right places is crucial. Whether that’s through the material you produce or the stories you tell. And it’s even more important that you have the right support from an organisation that really understands your market...

We are an award winning marketing communications company who have been helping schools and colleges get the best results from all their marketing communications for more than 10 years, whether that’s branding, design, PR, marketing campaigns, websites or social media and all the bits in between.

And because we only work in education we understand the language, issues and pitfalls you face, so we can help steer you in the right direction and make sure you’re seen and talked about in all the right places, for all the right reasons!

Exclusively Education

BILLY CAMDEN@BILLY CAMDEN

FEATURE

A Plymouth primary academy brought history to life as they swapped the classroom for a First World War re-

enactment.Almost 40 children from St George’s

Church of England Primary Academy, in Stonehouse, transformed themselves into land girls, soldiers and nurses to commemorate the centenary of the Great War.

The children visited Saltash Museum and Elliott’s Grocery Store, both iconic time

capsules from the war, giving the pupils a glimpse of life during these times.

They also took in the sights of local landmarks before ending the day at Truly Scrumptious sweet shop for some old fashioned sugary treats.

Jill Braid, the teacher who organised the learning experience, said: “The children had a wonderful day building up a picture of what life in the trenches must have been like for soldiers and were given a glimpse into family life during war-time Britain.”

Isabella and Brady aged nine, from St George’s Church of England Primary Academy in the WW1 trench, Saltash Museum

Plymouth school steps back in time

Pupils at a London primary school took to the ballot box to vote for their favourite design for the floor of a new

classroom block.The election at Eleanor Palmer Primary

School, in Camden, was held in a bid to teach the children about citizenship and democracy.

Local Labour MP Frank Dobson unveiled the new junior block floor, supplied and fitted by Harvey Maria, to mark the start of the new academic year.

Mr Dobson told the pupils: “I think this is a brilliant idea of the teachers to let you have your say.” He went on to hail Eleanor Palmer as “the school with amazing floors”.

ACADEMIES WEEK18 @ACADEMIESWEEK 19ACADEMIESWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 1FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014 FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014

Nick is the founder and former editor of FE Week and author of several books,

including the Hands on Guide to Post-16 Funding, published by Pearson. As

director of planning and performance at Lewisham College for seven years, he

established a successful funding workshop and conference business.

In early 2010 Nick moved to Pearson to launch their think tank, and in 2011 he left to set-

up Lsect Ltd, a training and publishing company.

A newspaper For all schools — not just academies

WHO ARE WE? The Team

The newspaper consists

of sections, which can

also be found online.

They are summarised

to the right and we are

keen for you contribute.

NEWS expert articles profile interview supplements jobsreviews

Academies Week is a new printed and online weekly newspaper for the whole school sector. Building on three successful years publishing

our sister newspaper, FE Week, we have recruited an impressive editorial team (see opposite). The ambition is to quickly become the “must read” for everyone interested in school policies, finances and related research.

Each edition will have 20 or more pages packed full of news, in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, book and research reviews as well as job advertisements. We will also be publishing regular event or topic related supplements. Get in touch with your suggestions.

Who is Academies Week for?The Academies Week newspaper and online content is aimed at teachers with a broad interest in education policy and finance, as well as aspiring, middle/senior managers, leaders and governors across the whole school sector in England.

What areas of education are we interested in?Education-related news and analysis that will be relevant to the early years, primary and secondary school sectors, including specialist school provision up to the age of 19, such as studio schools and university technical colleges.

How can I get involved?There are several ways and we would encourage you to do so. This can range from suggesting news stories, interviews and events for us to attend through to sharing press releases and writing opinion pieces.

How much does a subscription cost?Use the promotional code on the back page to pay just £25 for the year (a 50 per cent saving on the full price).

Can I advertise products and jobs?Yes. Email advertising@academiesweek.co.uk for more information.

On what day do you publish each week?Subscribers receive their newspaper on a Friday. See our website for advertising deadlines.

Can I register for free news updates?Yes. Simply visit the website and register via the subscribe button.

Email any further questions or comments you have to news@academiesweek.co.uk or phone 020 8123 4778.

Deputy EDITORLAURA MCINERNEYT: 020 3051 4284 M: 07764 752 843@miss_mcinerneylaura.mcinerney@academiesweek.co.uk

SENIOR reporterPHILIP NYET: 020 3051 4288 M: 07814 222 177@philipnyephilip.nye@academiesweek.co.uk

EDITOR

Sophie comes from a background in regional newspapers, having worked for the past

five years as a reporter on both daily and weekly papers, including the Northampton

Herald & Post and Luton on Sunday.

Most recently Sophie was the only specialist education reporter at the Oxford Mail, a large

regional daily.

Her crowning moment – so far – was being named as Journalist Newcomer of the Year in

the East of England EDF Awards.

Billy recently completed a degree in journalism at Anglia Ruskin University alongside

his NCTJ Diploma at Harlow College. He spent two weeks as an intern at FE Week in

February 2014, which led to the role at Academies Week.

Billy is a diehard Arsenal fan and lives with his parents, four brothers and one sister in

Romford, Essex.

Laura McInerney taught in East London for six years, starting out as a TeachFirst

participant and finally as an Advanced Skills Teacher. After writing a book in 2011, The

6 Predictable Failures of Free Schools…and How To Avoid Them, she spent the next

two years in the US studying education policy on a Fulbright Scholarship.

During this time Laura regularly wrote features for LKMCo, TES and the New Statesman

and she stills writes a monthly Guardian column.

Philip has a particular interest in data-led reporting, as well as a strong interest in

finance. He has written for a number of publications, including The Times, The

Financial Times and the Hackney Citizen, and co-founded specialist education news

website EverythingFreeSchools.

He previously spent close to three years at the National Audit Office, scrutinising the

finances of government bodies and contributing to value-for-money studies.

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ACADEMIES WEEK20 @ACADEMIESWEEK 21ACADEMIESWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 1FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014 FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014

jobs

THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a unique and iconic State Boarding School located in Dover, Kent which is an Academy sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. Commitment, dynamism and capacity to deliver will be rewarded with a highly competitive remuneration package including a salary range L41-45. Governors will be pleased to receive applications from candidates who can demonstrate they are:

• an established leader with a proven track record of success in school improvement• a visionary educator who can lead the school forward in areas of teaching and learning,

military ethos, chapel, the international dimension, character building and pastoral care and support in a full boarding environment

• able to continue the development of close supportive relationships with all our stakeholders• able to market and fully utilise the £24.9million investment in buildings completed Autumn 2014

An application form and further details can be located on the School’s website www.doyrms.com. CVs will not be accepted. If you wish to arrange a visit please contact Trudy Elkins, 01304 245029

Closing Date: 26 September 2014Interviews: 8/9 October 2014

Appointment of PRINCIPALSeptember 2015

The Duke of York’s Royal Military School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Candidates must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

PrincipalHighly attractive + family private healthcareTamworthRequired for January 201511 - 16, NOR 900Established in 1989, the Landau Forte Charitable Trust operates six primary, secondary andsixth form academies across the Midlands. The aim is to create a Trust of outstanding schoolsthat can provide students with the opportunities to realise their full potential.In support of this vision, the Trust is seeking to appoint a new Principal to lead the ongoingimprovement journey at Landau Forte Academy Amington in Tamworth.It is an exciting time to join us as our new Principal; in recent years, the Trust has incorporatednew academies, overseen capital build projects and now with a new Chief Executive in place,is undertaking a programme of considerable investment across the trust to accelerateoutcomes for all. As the new leader of Landau Forte Academy Amington, you will play a criticalrole in this journey.Like any opportunity of this scope, this role has the potential to be challenging yet hugelyrewarding with limitless opportunities. You will be supported by sector leading resources, anexceptional building and a staff team that are prepared and equipped to face new heights.A high profile role within the sector, the role demands a strategic thinker, charismatic leaderand skilled communicator who is able to nurture and develop a dedicated team. Undoubtedlythis is a unique skill set that will have a profound impact when combined with our shared beliefin the power of education to change lives for the better.To learn more about this career defining role and to apply, please visitwww.JoinLandauForte.co.uk For an informal and confidential conversation, pleasecall Phil Watt or Alex Mills at Navigate on 0844 800 5300.Closing date: Wednesday 1st October 2014.Longlist interview dates: 6th & 7th October 2014.Final panel interview w/c 13th October 2014.Landau Forte Charitable Trust is an equal opportunitiesemployer and is committed to safeguarding andpromoting the welfare of children and young people.An enhanced DBS check will be required for this post.

PRIORY SCHOOL ACADEMY TRUST, SUFFOLK

Deputy Headteacher £52,652 - £58,095*

From January 2015, a rare and exciting opportunity to help shape and lead SEN provision in West Suffolk. This post would suit a committed teacher with excellent professional boundaries who is keen to think holistically about the needs of pupils and creatively about how the school curriculum and ethos can meet those needs.

Following the retirement of our longstanding deputy, this is an enticing chance to join the school at a time of growth and development.

The Priory School is a Special Academy for pupils with Moderate Learning Difficulties with 130 pupils from 8-18 years and 23 residential beds. Following the retirement of our longstanding deputy, this is an enticing chanceto join the school at a time of growth and development.

You will need to demonstrate • outstanding teaching and leadership skills• understanding and experience of SEND including the Children’s and Families Act 2014 _ the attitude and personal qualities required to motivate and increase performance and have an impact on the progress of

our students• experience of successfully leading whole school initiatives, a track record of effective innovation; the ability to work well both as part of a team and as a team leader, together with a robust understanding of effective

assessment and planning _ ability to work collaboratively with other members of academy staff• the resolve to make a real difference to the lives of our students.*(subject to review in the Autumn term) + £6,078 Residential Allowance if appropriate.

Visits to the school are encouraged. To arrange a visit, please contact the school on (01284) 761934 or email: office@priory.suffolk.sch.ukTo download an application form for this vacancy, please visit our website:www.priory.suffolk.sch.uk/index.php/join-our-team/64-deputy-head-for-jan-2015Completed applications to be returned to the school.

Closing date: Midday, 3 October 2014. Interviews: w/c 13 October 2014.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.

‘Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils’ understanding of how to keep safe is excellent.’Ofsted July 2013

OUTSTANDING

HEADTEACHER

ARK Tindal is a successful primary school in Birmingham. Along with the other ARK schools in the area, ARK Tindal aims to provide an outstanding education for all pupils, regardless of background or ability. Now the school is looking for a Headteacher to steer it to outstanding.

So much has been achieved since ARK Tindal joined ARK Schools in 2012. The current Head has done an excellent job; she will now become Assistant Director supporting all ARK primaries in Birmingham to deliver an outstanding education for our students.

For you, this means there couldn’t be a more exciting time to join us. ARK Tindal is a good school which is constantly improving. It is part of a close knit group of academies that offer great support. Alongside this, you’ll benefit from the guidance of experts from ARK Schools, one of the country’s top-performing school groups. You will have the chance to drive a school forward, while being supported every step of the way by an inspirational Assistant Director– a perfect opportunity for an ambitious senior leader.

The journey ahead will be as challenging as the one which brought us here, but we have seen what we can achieve through our hard work. This is why you will be a determined and resilient leader with a record of raising standards in a challenging environment, a commitment to high achievement and a flair for developing talent.

We’d love you to come and visit us. To arrange this, or for an informal conversation, contact Corrina O’Beirne, Head of Principal Recruitment, on 0203 116 0800 or Corrina.O’Beirne@arkonline.org.

The closing date for applications is 11am Friday 10 October. Interviews will be on 16 and 23 October.

ARK TINDAL PRIMARY ACADEMY

We value diversity and are committed to safeguarding and promoting child welfare. The successful candidate will be subject to DBS and any other relevant employment checks.

arktindalprimary.org/vacanciesTo advertise call us on: 020 81234 778

basic listing - £95featured online only £250

50% OFFYOUR FIRST PRINT

ADVERT WITH ACADEMIES WEEK until 31.1014

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ACADEMIES WEEK22 @ACADEMIESWEEK 23ACADEMIESWEEK.CO.UK EDITION 1FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014 FRIDAY, SEP 19, 2014

HEADTEACHER September 2015

More House School is at the forefront of education in the UK for boys with Specific Learning Difficulties. An OFSTED rated “Outstanding” school providing a specialised learning environment for 450 boys from Year 4 to Year 13.

The Governors of More House School, are seeking an enthusiastic and visionary Head teacher for September 2015 when Barry Huggett OBE moves to become CEO of More House Enterprises.

Over the last 75 years, the school, a Catholic Foundation, has grown in both numbers and expertise, supporting boys aged 8-18, who, in spite of difficulties with language, literacy or social communication, achieve success at GCSE and A Level with many going on to University.

A competitive salary, four bedroomed home on site for Head teacher’s use are offered and up to six weeks holiday is included.

For an application pack, please contact the Headmaster’s PA, Mrs Secker-Barker on:

headmasterspa@morehouseschool.co.uk or T: 01252 792303.

Closing date for applications is: 5pm Monday 29th September 2014 with interviews expected to be hold over 3 days from Monday 20th October 2014.

More House School is firmly committed to safeguarding children. Registered Charity No: 311872 | Moons Hill, Farnham,Surrey, GU10 3AP

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09 September 2014 14:44:50

HINDE HOUSE MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST, SHEFFIELD

SEEKING TWO INSPIRATIONAL HEADTEACHERS

Hinde House Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) is a dynamic and developing partnership between Hinde House 3-16 School, Concord Junior School and Wincobank Nursery and Infants School. Our Trust is currently responsible for approximately 1700 pupils and over 200 staff across 4 sites in Sheffield.

We are determined to provide all our pupils with an outstanding education that will provide the best platform for their successful futures through shared values and local accountability. As a trust, we plan to grow Hinde House MAT in both size and influence - to become a beacon of learning across the City of Sheffield and beyond.

Concord Junior School and Wincobank Nursery and Infants School are both vibrant and lively schools, closely connected to our local community. Across both schools we celebrate many cultures, languages and traditions and take inspiration from our diverse community.

As the trust develops, we are looking to appoint two exceptionally talented leaders to build on our successes and help each school grow to become individually successful and as a collective, truly inspirational. In both schools you will find passionate and committed staff, engaged and supportive parents, and pupils who behave well and are eager to achieve.

Each school faces particular challenges and both are on significant improvement journeys which require ongoing support to reach the standards our community rightly expect. As a trust, we are committed to improving our teaching and learning at every level and therefore the attainment and progress of all pupils; we need leaders who will guide each school forward, shaping and implementing a sustainable and aspirational plan which is reflective of our ambition as a Trust.

Hinde House MAT is at the beginning of an exciting journey and these two appointments will be crucial in making our vision a reality. In joining the Trust, you will have the unique opportunity to take an autonomous leadership role within a new and evolving MAT – creating a lasting and positive legacy in Sheffield.

For an informal, confidential discussion, please contact Phil Watt at Navigate on 0844 800 5300. To find out how to apply, please visit www.JoinHindeHouse.co.uk

Closing Date: 6th October 2014 Hinde House Multi-Academy-Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Offers of employment will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Headteacher Wincobank Nursery and Infants School (3-7 NOR 245)

Headteacher Concord Junior School (7-11 NOR 230)

Salary: highly attractive + sector-leading CPD opportunities

Required for January 2015

HEADTEACHERFULL TIMEHeadteacher: Lordswood Boys’ SchoolThe Lordswood Academies Trust is seeking to appoint a dynamic and inspirational leader, with a proven track record in raising levels of achievement. The post offers an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to hone their leadership skills and to make a significant impact, working with the Executive Headteacher to drive forward improvement strategies for the school to ensure that all students achieve their fullest potential and support the school on its journey of improvement towards becoming a centre of educational excellence.

You will:• Be passionate about teaching and learning and ensuring that all students achieve their fullest

potential• Be capable of motivating and developing colleagues • Uncompromising in realising the Trust’s ambition for the school and in challenging

underperformance

We can offer:• A friendly and cohesive student community • A hardworking and committed team of staff• A supportive and ambitious Trust• A superb career opportunity for a committed and forward thinking individual to make a

difference

Lordswood Boys’ School became a converter academy in January 2013, joining the Lordswood Academy Trust established by Lordswood Girls’ School in 2011. The Lordswood Sixth Form Centre is open to students from both schools.

We would warmly recommend that prospective candidates contact the school to arrange a visit.If you are interested in this exceptional opportunity, then please contact Ruth Simpson (PA to Head Teacher and the Senior Leadership Team) for further details or to arrange an informal visit on 0121 464 2837, or by emailing r.simpson@lordswoodtrust.co.uk.

The closing date for applications is 26th September 2014 and interviews will be held week commencing 6th October 2014.

Lordswood Boys’ School & Sixth Form Centre

Hagley Road, Birmingham B17 8BJ

Tel: 0121 464 2837 | Fax: 0121 464 2746

E-mail: enquiry@lordswoodtrust.co.uk

Executive Head Teacher: Jane Götschel

Associate Head Teacher: Michael Carty

Dates: Apply by 23/09/2014 Salary: ISR L28 - 33 in first year leading to L38 once school is at full capacity Location: Reading, Berkshire Contract type: Full Time Contract term: Permanent

Extraordinary Headteacher, Reading, Berkshire

A Unique Experience for an Extraordinary Headteacher: Reading, Berkshire

Have you ever thought that Education is far more than just churning out children with qualifications? Do you believe in working in partnership with families and the local community to enable children to exceed their expectations? Do you believe each child’s journey of discovery should include learning life and academic skills in equal measure, preparing children to thrive in our global society? The Wren School does.

The Wren School Academy Trust is looking for an extraordinary Head Teacher for The Wren School - a new six form entry Free School opening in West Reading in September 2015. We’re in the process of securing a great site where we can create a happy and thriving school that will facilitate the growth and development of the community and we’re searching for an exceptional person who will share our vision in building the school, quite literally, from the ground up.

With at least three years’ senior management experience - most likely as a Head or Deputy Head

Teacher - you will have an excellent track record in delivering high quality education and standards, governance and financial management. An innovative thinker and determined problem-solver, you may have demonstrated your hunger for learning by studying at Masters or Doctorate level. Leading from the front you will be an outstanding teacher in your chosen field. A good working knowledge of the IB would also be useful, although not essential

To find out more about this exciting opportunity please visit our website www.wrenschool.org for more details.

Closing date for applications is Tuesday 23rd September by 12.00 noon.

Shortlisted applicants will be visited in their current school during the week commencing 29th September 2014.

Interviews will be held on Friday 17 October 2014.

PD RecruitmentWREN10 Brownlow RoadReading RG1 6NP

Email: hr@wrenschool.orgTelephone: 07855 273435

Applications should be sent to:

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