David Cameron used his recent speech at the Conservative Party Conference to announce that madrasas, Sunday schools, yeshivas and other religious institutions that teach children ‘intensively’ will have to register with the Department for Education and will be subject to inspection. However, there seems to be a complete lack of awareness around the challenges associated with this new policy. Read more
A new wave of super schools of up to 3,000 children and 16 forms of entry are being planned across the country in efforts to counter the shortage of places, a freedom of information request has revealed. At least 17 local authorities are planning to set up secondary schools with 12 or more classes in each year group. Read more
A hotly disputed takeover of a North East school put into special measures by Ofsted could go ahead within days. That is the fear of the founders of Grindon Hall Christian School, in Sunderland, following a letter sent by Schools Minister Lord Nash. It was put into special measures by Ofsted in November with the inspectorate stating at the time its curriculum was not adequately preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. Read more
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has sent an open letter to head teachers, governing boards and suppliers urging them to let parents buy uniforms at the best possible prices. The CMA said it had received complaints from parents concerned about prices and quality as they bought uniforms for the start of the school year in September. The letter says some parents in England had been forced to pay up to £10 extra per item of uniform where schools had appointed exclusive suppliers. Read more
Education secretary Nicky Morgan spoke on Thursday after her department approved a new grammar school in Sevenoaks, Kent, billed as an annexe to Weald of Kent girls’ grammar nine miles away in Tonbridge. The government’s decision is likely to prompt more schools to apply for grammar school status. Watch the video
Parents who take children on holiday in term time have ‘nothing to fear’, according to Jon Platt, from the Isle of Wight, who was taken to court after refusing to pay a £120 fine for taking his six-year-old daughter to Florida in April. The case was thrown out by magistrates. Mr Platt argued the law only requires children to attend school regularly. Isle of Wight Council said it was following government guidance and was reviewing the outcome of the case. Read more