Cerys Turner

@cerysturner.bsky.social

News reporter at Tes. Covering Ofsted, curriculum, teacher training, AI and more. ✍🏻 The Times, Big Issue, Metro (Pronounced like the Welsh singer, not the colour) https://www.tes.com/magazine/author/cerys-turner

I analysed almost 500 inspections to see if schools with disadvantaged intakes are performing worse on pupil outcomes. The findings show that it's disproportionate. Heads say it's demoralising as they urge Ofsted not to confuse achievement & attainment.

Disadvantaged schools more likely to be graded down on achievement

Heads in deprived areas warn that grades awarded by Ofsted for its new achievement category are ‘demoralising’ and fail to take their challenging circumstances into account

tes.com

Could ditching smart uniforms help schools to be more inclusive - both to pupils with SEND and those from lower income families? Or does a strict dress code help to raise standards, define school culture and avoid “fashion pressures” as one leader puts it?

Tes magazine@tesmagazine.bsky.social · 5mo ago

While most secondary schools require students to wear blazers, nearly half of teachers would prefer young people to wear ‘joggers and a polo’ or no uniform, exclusive polling reveals

NEW: Wes Streeting & Bridget Phillipson have written to LAs to warn them that those who fail on SEND could have services removed. It's not landed well with councils, with one senior official warning it has "everybody’s backs up". Excl @johngroberts.bsky.social 👇 www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Deliver on SEND or lose services, ministers warn councils

SEND reform plans are needed by June - and government will withdraw services from failing authorities, local officers have been warned

tes.com

Great analysis from @jabedahmed.bsky.social on DfE cost projections, compared to what schools are actually experiencing in reality. For the past three years, the DfE has underestimated the actual cost pressures mainstream schools are facing... by a fair amount. tes.com/magazine/new...

DfE estimates of schools’ costs ‘disingenuous’

Leaders say the government’s claim that schools can afford teacher pay rises ignores their growing costs, including the prospect of energy price hikes due to the Middle East conflict

tes.com

The shadow education secretary writes for Tes about her concerns over SEND reforms: - Risks piling on more pressure on to state schools - Inclusive mainstream funding only equals £24k per school, per year - Additional money doesn’t fill the £6bn black hole www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

‘The SEND reforms are not a recipe for inclusion, but for disaster’

A lack of clarity and not enough funding will endanger well-intentioned reforms, argues shadow education secretary Laura Trott

tes.com

Suella Braverman is Reform UK’s new education and equalities spokesperson. She says that she would “restore” authority to teachers, and would “absolutely ban” all social and gender transitioning in schools.

Crucial guidance for schools on supporting children with medical conditions is now delayed until spring. It was due to be published last autumn as the govt was urged to “clarify roles and responsibilities” for both healthcare professionals & schools. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Schools face wait for ‘urgently needed’ medical guidance

Minister says new guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions won’t be published until the spring after MPs warn of young people being left ‘exposed’

tes.com

💷32 multi-academy trust CEOs earned at least £200k in 24/25, with salaries exceeding that of the prime minister. A quarter also had a bigger percentage pay rise than teachers, @Jabedahmed.bsky.social reveals in Tes' annual analysis of salaries of chief executives:

Revealed: What CEOs are paid at the biggest MATs

Tes’ annual review of the salaries of chief executives at the largest multi-academy trusts reveals that a quarter of them had a bigger percentage pay rise than teachers

tes.com

The DfE has finally published long-awaited guidance for schools on gender questioning children: - Social transition requests should be treated with caution, esp from primary pupils. - Separate toilets will be mandatory for boys and girls aged 8 and over. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Social transition requests should be treated with ‘caution’, DfE says

The government will embed gender guidance for schools within Keeping Children Safe in Education, including guidelines to ensure that single-sex spaces are protected

tes.com

💷32 multi-academy trust CEOs earned at least £200k in 24/25, with salaries exceeding that of the prime minister. A quarter also had a bigger percentage pay rise than teachers, @Jabedahmed.bsky.social reveals in Tes' annual analysis of salaries of chief executives:

Revealed: What CEOs are paid at the biggest MATs

Tes’ annual review of the salaries of chief executives at the largest multi-academy trusts reveals that a quarter of them had a bigger percentage pay rise than teachers

tes.com

The DfE has finally published long-awaited guidance for schools on gender questioning children: - Social transition requests should be treated with caution, esp from primary pupils. - Separate toilets will be mandatory for boys and girls aged 8 and over. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Social transition requests should be treated with ‘caution’, DfE says

The government will embed gender guidance for schools within Keeping Children Safe in Education, including guidelines to ensure that single-sex spaces are protected

tes.com

Analysis from 200 + inspection reports published by Ofsted under a new framework has revealed concerns about the proportion of schools being graded as needs attention on achievement and on disparities between primary and secondary schools in other areas. Full story here www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Ofsted ‘needs to urgently review’ inspections over grade disparity

Headteachers’ union experts raise concern about difference between primary and secondary ratings and watchdog’s approach to grading achievement

tes.com

🔴 Exclusive: Corporate donations British parties tripled over last three elections But here's key thing: almost none is from FTSE500/listed companies It's almost all companies controlled by super-wealthy individuals, or small, opaque firms New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-c...

Revealed: Corporate donations to British politics have tripled

Influential Labour committee chairs call on government to clean up politics as our new analysis finds record £42 million in company donations ahead of last election

democracyforsale.substack.com

DfE expects every secondary school to have an inclusion base as part of its ten year estates plan. These will comprise of support bases set up by trusts and schools and specialist bases commissioned by councils. @tesmagazine.bsky.social story here : www.tes.com/magazine/new...

DfE expects every secondary school to have an inclusion base

The government’s 10-year estates plan includes the goal for all secondaries to have dedicated spaces that bridge the gap between mainstream and specialist provision

tes.com

NEW: The govt is writing off 90% of council SEND deficits up to this year. Buried in the local govt financial settlement, it means existing deficits could be cut by £300 million by 2027/28.