New: The Francis review: Good in parts, but with one huge omission educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/the... My initial take on the curriculum and assessment review. Better in the micro than the macro, I think.

We need to look at this as a profession and ask ourselves very seriously what is going on in the education system. #EduSky

Lots of thought-provoking stats in this release from the Institute for Government, not least: "In 2023–24, there were an average of five suspensions in every secondary school class, more than double the highest rate seen pre-pandemic." www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/press-releas...

Teaching grammatical terminology inc fronted adverbials in Key Stage 2. Review: "Responses to our Call for Evidence suggest that this content is advanced and overly theoretical at this key stage, disengages pupils, + does not help them to write well." See also: www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Reading the curriculum and assessment review. Very interesting, and will offer longer thoughts when through. But reflecting on lack of mention, at least at the start, for the copious concerning evidence we have on pupil wellbeing/engagement,+lack of a parent or pupil representation on review panel.

Also on "isolation": "The question for all of us, then, is: do isolation or removal rooms work?": www.teamteach.com/the-problem-...

This is interesting on the isolation/reset/internal exclusion etc debate: "Why I got rid of isolation at my school": www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

Interesting that Bridget Phillipson's first point, in Today prog interview about DfE's response to the Francis review, was in terms of the government now extending the national curriculum to all state-funded schools. Although this wasn't mentioned, this of course includes academies.

Curriculum and assessment review's proposal to reduce GCSE exam time by "at least 10%," which has been translated to a 3 hour cut per pupil, interesting. But seems to fall short of argument of head of OCR exam board last year of 8-10 hour cut. educationuncovered.co.uk/news/cut-the...

Comment on LinkedIn on this piece, from a primary headteacher: "If the curriculum and assessment review is to have meaning, it must look beyond exam tweaks and reimagine what we value. High standards matter, but so does high wellbeing. I hope Becky Francis and the review team have really listened."

New: “Will the Francis curriculum and assessment review provide the radical look at the in-the-round impact of England’s school system on young people that is desperately needed?” Viewable (open access) here: educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/wil... +here: warwickmansell.substack.com/p/will-the-f...

True dat. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

It is quite a contrast with what goes on in many modern workplaces, for sure.

New: Academy trust cuts sanction for children with “inappropriate hairstyles” from three days in isolation to two: educationuncovered.co.uk/news/academy...

The Times reporting that DfE's curriculum and assessment review will make triple science a statutory entitlement for all pupils. Implications perhaps for Eng's most successful Progress 8 school, Michaela, where almost all pupils take double science. www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

Interesting story from @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social of @schoolsweek.bsky.social , but dubious language from DfE: "When responsible bodies acquire a new school..." In the state sector, these bodies aren't "acquring" schools; they're being handed them. schoolsweek.co.uk/strategic-sc...

“Labour truly focusing on within-school improvement, rather than changes in structures, Education Uncovered hears” educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/dia... Interesting take on recent Tim Coulson appearance at DfE school improvement conference, in this new diary column.

"Responsibility, not rhetoric": really interesting post on Tom Bennett, inclusion law and the implications of a DfE advisory position: senddaddiaries.substack.com/p/sdd-guest-...

Confidentiality (gagging) clauses used in "majority" of school staff severance agreements, a lawyer from the firm Browne Jacobson states in this piece: schoolsweek.co.uk/trusts-risk-...

New (open access) piece: “Tom Bennett’s views on school isolation research are ridiculous” Read here: educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/tom... or here: open.substack.com/pub/warwickm...

Updated DfE guidance on severance payments: "Academy trusts must ensure that the use of confidentiality clauses associated with staff severance payments do not prevent an individual's right to make disclosures in the public interest (whistleblowing) under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998."

Guardian front page www.theguardian.com/education/20... and case study www.theguardian.com/education/20... on the use of "isolation" in schools. Great to see this reported on and discussed. Needs more scrutiny.

New: Scores of job cuts lined up by academy trust, whose schools’ “topslice” soared up to six-fold in three years. educationuncovered.co.uk/news/scores-... Arthur Terry Learning Partnership has said that “like many trusts nationally, we are facing financial challenges”.

New: Academy trust which ran into trouble after spending “millions” on iPads for pupils and staff now under fire over plans to close school sixth form educationuncovered.co.uk/news/academy... Detailed read on v controversial move by Arthur Terry Learning Partnership.

New (open access) piece: "Ofsted doesn’t seem to get the picture on competition versus inclusion in England’s schools system" Readable here: educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/ofs... and here: warwickmansell.substack.com/p/ofsted-doe... Think piece on Sir Martyn Oliver's statements this week to MPs.

Multi-academy trusts facing "mounting financial pressures," states new report, issued in collaboration with sector body the CST. impsoftware.co.uk/imp-mat-fina... But why not look at spending on central management, which is much higher than in LA school sector? No mention of management spend here.

They can still leave the legal implementation of admissions policy with Adjudicator but still look at impact, who attends the school, who leaves and why. Not doing so is a choice

New: Schools are rejecting children because of their additional needs, says select committee chair. But reaction from Ofsted suggests no focus on individual school accountability educationuncovered.co.uk/news/schools...

Association of School and College Leaders says it is exploring legal action over Ofsted's new inspection framework. Puts different complexion on things from that we were hearing from Ofsted at today's select committee session.

The most important levers would be 1. reform of accountability measures. Weight something like P8 by how far a schools GCSE entry cohort reflect the demographics of the community including SEND 2. make it part of funding agreements

Would be unsurprised if this were the case. But will there be any crackdown on this? Ofsted has highlighted new framework's moves on "inclusion," but HMCI seems not to be suggesting any great focus on this from the inspectorate.

Wow: Helen Hayes, committee chair, says: "All of us, as constituency MPs, see children not being offered places at schools of their choice, because of their additional needs." That's a massive criticism of the schools system.

MP says that when committee went to Ontario in Canada, she was struck by finding headteacher almost in tears as she described how had to expel one child. "Expulsion does not happen there, not part of their culture. And yet here, it's seen that suspension, exclusion has to be part of the response."

Hoping to do some posts on Ed Comm's session with Ofsted just now.

New: “Absurd” demands being placed on Ofsted inspectors by new inspection framework, new analysis suggests educationuncovered.co.uk/news/absurd-... Former senior inspectors calculate inspection teams being asked to make more than 300 judgements on typical primary school.

We worth a read “I can wholeheartedly recommend this book (…) for those working in education who have been exasperated by Gibb and his buddies for the past 15 years, it will be tragically vindicating to read how little of substance exists behind the man and his reforms.” 👏🏼 @joehanley.bsky.social

"It provides an unparalleled insider account of how the English education system has ended up in such a mess."Very interesting counter-balance by @joehanley.bsky.social to hagiography around Nick Gibb and Cons ed policymaking, urging you to read Mr Gibb's book. yorkshirebylines.co.uk/news/educati...

The headline here is not exactly shocking. Content of piece, not least around implications of a range of important indicators suggesting need for system rethink, is v interesting, though, and one of many important contributions from Jonny Uttley: www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Re-reading the curriculum and assessment review's interim report, ready for final report's publication soon. Int that, while interim report states that 2011-13 curriculum review "aimed to create a curriculum that was 'knowledge-rich'", the term "knowledge-rich" didn't feature in 2011 framing doc.

New: Union reaches 25th day of strikes over impact of closure of alternative provision facility in East London educationuncovered.co.uk/news/union-r... NEU has been raising concerns about impact of amalgamating two centres in Tower Hamlets, East London.

New: Disadvantage gap for access to some subjects outside the EBacc core has grown dramatically in past 10 years, new data analysis shows educationuncovered.co.uk/news/disadva...

New analysis by (the excellent) @fftedudatalab.bsky.social shows number of schools with no KS4 qual entries in Design+Tech, ICT, RS and music all at least doubling,2015-24. Will feed into debate re narrowing curriculum, ahead of curriculum review report: ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2025/10/what...

Time back NCC designed a curriculum checking in with subject associations. It was about selecting what was beneficial to learning the subject. After which SEAC designed instruments to assess a sample of the intended curriculum. A separation of powers to ensure curriculum not reduced the testable.

Am a bit surprised this has not generated more interest. Quite rare to see a DfE document setting out details of national curriculum development process, as it will happen after Prof Becky Francis's review and DfE response, expected next week.

Very interesting comments under this piece now, including one stating: "If the NC [review] report does not include full exploration of, and citation of, robust critiques of current policies then people will question its independence."

Exclusive, I think: DfE seeks consultants for £500-a-day work to rewrite England’s national curriculum educationuncovered.co.uk/news/dfe-see... But would-be drafters of detailed programmes of study warned: you must not use AI.

Strange DfE decision to cut funding for the International Baccalaureate: www.tes.com/magazine/new... Relatively cheap way of offering some extra diversity/options within the state sector? "Our common sense reforms..." Hmm.

New: Warning about pressures on senior staff at Gorse Academy Trust, after leak of management presentation educationuncovered.co.uk/news/warning... “Leadership board meeting” saw SLT told managers need to “work very hard” in pursuit of “GORSE Code”.

New: ResearchED: where does the money go? educationuncovered.co.uk/news/researc... Long-read analysis of the economics of the prominent education organisation’s annual conference.

New: Labour’s curriculum and assessment review: too cautious by design? educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/lab... (Open access) think piece on the review, whose final report is expected in a couple of weeks. Read here educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/lab... or here open.substack.com/pub/warwickm...