Samantha Booth
@samanthajbooth.bsky.social
Deputy editor at Schools Week • mainly investigating SEND and inclusion • Sam is fine • Press Awards specialist journalist of 2025 • @schoolsweek.bsky.social
❗️Exclusive: Radical plans for ministers to scrape real-time data from schools to shape policy moves are in danger of being 'screwed up' by tight deadlines and security gaffes, experts have warned schoolsweek.co.uk/security-woe...
Security woes risk Labour's huge data push, ministers told
Little-known 'data spine' project will see real-time information fed straight to government
schoolsweek.co.uk
A former academy trust boss has been appointed to run a major Abu Dhabi-owned private special school company https://schoolsweek.co.uk/drinkall-former-trust-boss-takes-top-job-at-abu-dhabi-owned-send-school-firm/
Ex-MAT boss made CEO of Abu Dhabi-owned SEND school firm
Julian Drinkall, who left GLF Schools suddenly last year, to lead Witherslack Group
schoolsweek.co.uk
Exclusive: Ministers are looking to private sponsors to make it easier for schools to buy life-saving 'spare' allergy pens, as required under new landmark guidance https://schoolsweek.co.uk/allergy-pens-dfe-looks-at-sponsorship-route-to-help-schools/
Education secretary Lucy Powell has said she will “take forward” changes to the curriculum and exams, claiming current GCSEs are “a lot of pressure” for pupils schoolsweek.co.uk/gcses-cause-...
GCSEs cause 'a lot of pressure' says new education secretary
Lucy Powell will 'take forward some changes to the curriculum and assessment system'
schoolsweek.co.uk
Must watch: Catch my colleague @ukshane.bsky.social, editor at @feweek.bsky.social, give his expert views on Burnham's vocational education plans on BBC Newscast. Link here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIGD...
Good piece in @schoolsweek.bsky.social As predicted, DfE had teething problems when the system went live in June They haven’t publcised the changes anywhere near enough, meaning many pupils aren’t being checked by LAs This has all the makings of a disaster schoolsweek.co.uk/deadline-ext...
Deadline extended for free school meals eligibility checks
Keep providing free meals until the checks are complete, says DfE
schoolsweek.co.uk
'Education Secretary Lucy Powell and Louise Haigh, who is overseeing No 10 North in her role as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, are planning to work there' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Senior ministers and aides set to work from No 10 North
A think tank blueprint for No 10 North recommends a workforce of up to 300 staff within 18 months.
bbc.co.uk
My fun fact of the day is that education ministers Josh MacAlister and @paulwaughmp.bsky.social went to the same school - Oulder Hill Leadership Academy in Rochdale They both visited the school (now part of Star Academies) in June www.facebook.com/reel/9982143...
facebook.com
Breaking: Ex-journalist Paul Waugh has been appointed as an education minister by prime minister Andy Burnham, while Olivia Bailey has left government https://schoolsweek.co.uk/burnham-reshuffle-paul-waugh-becomes-education-minister-as-olivia-bailey-leaves-dfe/
Paul Waugh becomes education minister in cabinet reshuffle
Josh MacAlister remains a minister but Olivia Bailey departs as Andy Burnham finalises his reshuffle
schoolsweek.co.uk
Breaking: The schools minister Georgia Gould has been re-appointed as a Department for Education minister in Andy Burnham’s government, with her exact brief unconfirmed schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-mini...
Schools minister Georgia Gould stays on at DfE in reshuffle
London MP and key Starmer ally will remain a DfE minister, but with her exact role unconfirmed
schoolsweek.co.uk
Our CEO, Julie, on why the disadvantage gap remains a key organising principle for the most urgent priorities in education.
Schools Week@schoolsweek.bsky.social · 2w ago'Burnham can be the prime minister who turns the tide on the disadvantage gap, and Powell the education secretary who delivers it – but only if they begin where the gap does, in the earliest years, and hold firm at every stage that follows' schoolsweek.co.uk/tackling-the...
Good arguments on both sides here... While councils argue inspections won't see an accurate picture of services that will soon cease to exist, Ofsted says its important for families to have councils held accountable
Schools Week@schoolsweek.bsky.social · 2w agoMore than 30 councils could have their SEND services inspected while undergoing local government reorganisation schoolsweek.co.uk/council-send...
Update: Powell says she's 'absolutely thrilled the be appointed education secretary 'For me there’s no more important job for any government than making sure young people have the best education, the best opportunities and the best future they can. Lots to do and I look forward to getting started'
Schools Week@schoolsweek.bsky.social · 2w agoBreaking: Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell has been appointed as education secretary in a reshuffle by new prime minister Andy Burnham schoolsweek.co.uk/lucy-powell-...
Breaking: Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell has been appointed as education secretary in a reshuffle by new prime minister Andy Burnham schoolsweek.co.uk/lucy-powell-...
Lucy Powell appointed as education secretary
Labour's deputy leader replaces Bridget Phillipson at the Department for Education
schoolsweek.co.uk
We had the privilege of recording @educationfest.bsky.social last week with the mighty guests @missmc.bsky.social and @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social . Thanks for the opportunity @shanemann.bsky.social @schoolsweek.bsky.social . Please listen in! twoheadspodcast.podbean.com
Two Heads Podcast | Two Heads
Headteachers Jonathan Rice & Sarah Shirras discuss the week’s news in: Education ○ Leadership ○ Politics
twoheadspodcast.podbean.com
Yes I’ve been having similar thoughts - Taylor Swift gigs are more important to me than a football match (even if it’s the World Cup!) yet can’t see kids being given a day off for that 3.5hr concert…
Ben Newmark@bennewmark.bsky.social · last mo.Keir Starmer is absolutely right to be firm on why it's not acceptable for kids to bunk school on Monday because I'd late football on Sunday. And well meaning schools allowing later starts are misguided. If we do this then why not a late concert for a kid who doesn't like football?
Ofqual has rebuked exam board Pearson for preventable failures in an Edexcel A-level maths exams sat by tens of thousands of pupils last summer https://schoolsweek.co.uk/pearson-rebuked-over-preventable-failures-in-edexcel-a-level-maths-paper/
Pearson rebuked over A-level maths paper failures
Chief regulator uses powers to call out breach that caused anxiety and stress to students last year
schoolsweek.co.uk
Thousands of teachers and sector leaders will gather at Wellington College today for the 16th Festival of Education Follow our live blog for all the important updates... https://schoolsweek.co.uk/festival-of-education-live-updates-from-day-one/
Festival of Education: Live updates from day one
Schools Week brings you the latest from Wellington College
schoolsweek.co.uk
Breaking: Teacher pay will rise by 3.5 per cent from September, but schools will be expected to fund almost a third of the cost https://schoolsweek.co.uk/teacher-pay-to-rise-3-5-from-september-2026-but-its-not-fully-funded/
Teacher pay to rise 3.5%, but it's not fully-funded
Government also confirms plans to raise pay by a further 3% in 2027 as part of multi-year settlement
schoolsweek.co.uk
Great to see @lydiach.bsky.social CEO pay scoop feature in London Playbook @politico.eu this morning www.politico.eu/newsletter/l...
'We have to stop asking children to prove they are unwell enough to deserve help and instead ask how we can help them to thrive' https://schoolsweek.co.uk/new-pm-must-tackle-long-waits-for-childrens-mental-health-help/
Mental health: New PM must tackle long waits children
Colossal challenge ahead as shocking data reveals more than 1m children have active referrals for support
schoolsweek.co.uk
📝 Twelve building companies are being investigated by the UK competition watchdog over suspected 'bid-rigging' on contracts for school repairs https://schoolsweek.co.uk/12-firms-investigated-over-suspected-school-repairs-bid-rigging/
12 firms investigated over suspected repairs ‘bid-rigging’
Competition watchdog offers first indication of the scale of its investigation into CIF applications
schoolsweek.co.uk
Exclusive: Academy bosses’ pay should follow 'rules' that are 'in line' with other parts of the public sector like the NHS, the schools minister has said, as government prepares to announce curbs on CEO salaries https://schoolsweek.co.uk/government-plans-nhs-style-rules-for-academy-ceo-pay/
Academy trust CEO pay 'should follow rules in line with NHS'
Schools minister Georgia Gould has suggested trust CEO pay should follow 'rules' that are 'in line' with other parts of the public sector like the NHS
schoolsweek.co.uk
Big scoop from @lydiach.bsky.social this evening. Academy bosses’ pay should follow 'rules' that are 'in line' with other parts of the public sector like the NHS, the schools minister has said, as government prepares to announce curbs on CEO salaries schoolsweek.co.uk/government-p...
Academy trust CEO pay 'should follow rules in line with NHS'
Schools minister Georgia Gould has suggested trust CEO pay should follow 'rules' that are 'in line' with other parts of the public sector like the NHS
schoolsweek.co.uk
❗Exclusive: Almost a fifth of children missed lessons this week as temperatures soared to record highs – with attendance rates plummeting even further in some areas schoolsweek.co.uk/revealed-att...
Revealed: Attendance rates plummet as temperature soars
18 per cent of children missed classes this week, as closures hit nearly 40 per cent of schools in one area
schoolsweek.co.uk
Long-awaited (non-statutory) government guidance on how to set up and run inclusion bases has been published...
Schools Week@schoolsweek.bsky.social · last mo.Inclusion bases should be operated by a qualified teacher and must never be used as a form of punishment, according to new government guidance schoolsweek.co.uk/inclusion-ba...
Terrific piece from @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social about Andy Burnham, who she’s been covering for a decade. www.ft.com/content/9949...
The decade that made Andy Burnham
What 10 years covering the Manchester mayor’s many reinventions taught me about the man who wants to lead Britain
ft.com
