Consultation responses

The exams regulator Ofqual already has a general oversight of technical awards (such as Level 2 BTECs and OCR Nationals). This consultation was concerned with greater regulatory powers, such as the ability to specify assessment styles and weighting and, ultimately, to intervene in the allocation of grade boundaries.

• Assessment
• Post-16
• FE
• Accountability
• Data
• Examinations
• Key Stage 3
• Key Stage 4
• BTEC
• T Levels
• Ofqual

The consultation concerns proposals to change the England and Wales Teachers’ Pension Scheme rules to allow independent schools opting out of the scheme to do so more flexibly.  Under current scheme rules, an independent school electing to opt-out of the scheme results in all members becoming deferred.   

• Conditions
• Employment
• Pay
• Pensions
• Independent

The Department for Education consulted on revised statutory guidance for local authorities on home to school travel and transport. The guidance was last updated in 2014. It is important to note that there have been no changes to the law.

• Funding
• Business Leadership
• Finance
• Health and safety
• Resources
• SEND

The September 2019 spending round increased the minimum per pupil levels that schools achieve under the national funding formula (NFF). The policy intention is that these levels will be mandatory in local authority (LA) factors. This means that every local authority will have to use the factor in their local formula in 2020/21.

ASCL welcomes this non-statutory guidance, which provides a broadened response to existing guidance. In our view, this guidance addresses the need for clarity in this area for all schools including mainstream, Alternative Provision and other educational settings.

ASCL response to the Government consultation on financial transparency of LA maintained schools and academy trusts. 

ASCL response to the government consultation on Higher Technical Education.

ASCL response to the consultation on the STRB 29th Reportand the Government's response. 

Response of the Association of School and College Leaders to the consultation on Local Government Pension Scheme: changes to the local valuation cycle and management of employer risk.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this call for evidence. The government’s own statistics  report that the number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has increased by 11% since 2018. Of the 354,000 children and young people with an EHCP, over 39% are receiving SEN provision in a mainstream school and over 16% are in a Further Education establishment.

ASCL welcomes this consultation and agrees entirely with the premise that young people need to develop character and resilience as they grow into adulthood, alongside academic achievements.

ASCL response to the Restricting exit payments in the public sector: consultation on implementation of regulations

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to respond to this important consultation. This builds on our response to Labour’s 2018 consultation on the National Education Service.

The legislation proposed in this consultation document could have a significant impact on some of the most vulnerable children in society. We welcome the government’s desire to ensure all children receive both the education and the protection to which they are entitled.

This consultation response also incorporates the views of the Principals Professional Council (PPC) members. PPC joined forces with ASCL in 2014 and will operate as part of ASCL FE from September 2019. PPC represents principals and senior leaders in Further Education Colleges. All Further Education Providers offer post 16 qualifications and most also offer post 18 and higher-level provision, including Professional Training courses and Higher Education.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to respond on this important issue. The causes of serious crime are complex, but we know that organised gangs are increasingly involving children to carry out their criminal activities. Serious crime is therefore primarily an issue of organised adult crime in which some of our most vulnerable children can sadly become ‘collateral damage’.

ASCL's response to the consultation by the Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills on the 16 to 19 Discretionary Bursary fund

ASCL members value the availability of a range of qualifications, including those where centre-based assessments are a key component, which support particular learners, especially Technical Awards.  So, it seems, does the Department for Education, who recently made the following observation in their ad hoc notice Non-GCSE qualifications in England: key stage 4 entries and absence and exclusions outcomes:

ASCL welcomes the Committee for Education, Sport and Culture’s consultation on the Bailiwick of Guernsey’s Draft Inspection Framework. As an association, we have long argued for intelligent, proportionate accountability. In keeping with our support for Ofsted’s broad direction of travel in England, we believe the proposed framework for Guernsey is right to focus on the quality of education.

ASCL welcomes Ofsted’s consultation on the 2019 education inspection framework. As an association, we have long argued for intelligent, proportionate accountability. The next incarnation of Ofsted’s inspection framework, and particularly the introduction of a ‘quality of education’ judgement in place of an outcomes judgement, is a welcome step towards this goal.

Overall, this consultation is a welcome reflection of the Secretary of State’s positive ambition to reduce the toxicity of the current high-stakes accountability system. In particular, ASCL welcomes the recognition in the consultation that schools have experienced a lack of clarity arising from different organisations holding them to account, sometimes in contradictory ways.

Before addressing the detailed proposals in the Bill, we would like to make a general point about the rushed nature of this consultation process. Isle of Man government policy on consultations would indicate that the statutory period is six to twelve weeks, and that for major changes the consultation period should be towards the upper end of that range.

ASCL members agree with the proposal to hold meetings instead of formal hearings in all cases that are not filtered out at the triage and review stages and which cannot be decided on the papers. It is important that our members have the opportunity to articulate a grievance face-to-face with Ofqual, and in a timely manner. Unnecessary delay can contribute to stress and anxiety, and we support the proposal to speed up the process, recognising that this is also a resource-efficient solution.

ASCL welcomes Ofsted’s consultation on the 2019 education inspection framework. The decision to publish not only the draft framework but also the draft handbook and underlying research suggests that Ofsted is taking a genuinely consultative approach to the significant changes it proposes.

ASCL/PPC welcomes the Government’s consultation on T Levels funding. We are pleased that the Government is consulting on such an important issue. We also acknowledge that the methodology proposed has been the subject of much consideration within the available funds for these new qualifications.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this consultation. We hope our responses provide a helpful overview of the practices and needs we observe in schools and colleges around the country.

ASCL believe that a successful education system is fundamental to the performance, growth and productivity of any country. Expenditure on the education system should not be regarded as a cost but as an investment to secure the delivery of a world class education system.

ASCL broadly agrees with the principles behind the review, particularly those of raising the esteem of technical qualifications, removing poor quality provision and simplifying the system for stakeholders such as employers and parents.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to make a written response to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) following the letter from the Secretary of State dated 21 November 2018 which addresses the arrangements for the 2019 pay award.

ASCL Cymru response to the consultation on school funding in Wales

ASCL Cymru response to the consultation on the Welsh Government’s progress in developing the new Curriculum for Wales

ASCL Cymru response to the consultation on the EWC Code of Professional Conduct and Practice 

ASCL response to the consultation into future assessment arrangements for GCSE computer science. 

ASCL welcomes the historic decision to make relationships education in primary schools, RSE in secondary schools, and health education in both phases statutory.

ASCL recognises the financial issues that the country is facing and the need for HM Treasury to prioritise spending allocations. However, we are equally aware of the critical importance of our education system to the country’s long-term prosperity.

This submission identifies the predicament that education in Northern Ireland is currently facing.

ASCL welcomes Ofqual’s call for evidence into how qualification purchasers decide which qualifications to buy, in particular how easy they find it to compare their cost.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to make a written response to the Government’s proposals following the STRB’s recommendations to the 28th Remit.

ASCL/PPC welcomes the consultation on Ofqual’s approach to regulating technical qualifications.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to respond to this important consultation.

The vast majority of ASCL Cymru’s members are school leaders, and therefore our response focuses to a significant extent on the impact of these proposals on school sixth forms.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence on this important subject.

Priorities must be led by the needs of the child and will depend on the specific requirements and complexity of the individual case. The ability to deliver on these priorities will depend on finances and the support available at the school and locally.

Response from ASCL Cymru to the Green paper: Strengthening local government - delivering for people.

ASCL believes SEND should be at the heart of school leadership. It is not just the preserve of the SENCO. We encourage all schools to be inclusive and to take a whole school approach to inclusion and SEND, believing that every teacher is a teacher of SEND and every leader is a leader of SEND. 

Response to the consultation on the new model to determine teachers' pay and conditions of service from ASCL Cymru.

ASCL welcomes the more detailed guidance and its generally helpful and explicit approach. However, there are concerns that at times it is so directional and specifically linked to inspection and DfE registration requirements that there is a danger of it becoming regulation instead of ‘advice’. There is a fine balance to be struck between the laudable aim of ensuing high standards in all in schools and not removing the independence of non-maintained schools. 

Response to the Education Select Committee: ASCL welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this important inquiry.

Response to the Education Select Committee: It is difficult to over-estimate the importance of Early Years education in determining life chances and promoting social justice.

ASCL Cymru has been fully supportive of the Welsh Government’s principle of providing a specific funding stream to address the issues around poor school building stock, and welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this inquiry.

ASCL/PPC welcomes the Government’s approach to ensuring consistency in the way that awarding bodies assess Functional Skills. This is helpful for both English and maths Functional Skills.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to this timely and important review.

ASCL and The Self-Esteem Team (SET) response to the Lords Select Committee on Communications.  

ASCL welcomes the review of post-18 education and funding with the aim of ensuring a system that is joined up and supported by a funding system that works for students and taxpayers.

ASCL believes that the involvement of practising teachers in the drafting, production and moderation of external exam questions and papers results in significant benefits to the education system in England by improving the quality of assessment.

ASCL and The Self-Esteem Team have joined up to consider this hugely relevant issue of crucial importance to us all from both a school leader and a young person’s point of view.

The association welcomes the green paper as an important step forward in tackling an issue which is a major and increasing concern to school and college leaders.

The association welcomes the green paper as an important step forward in tackling an issue which is a major and increasing concern to school and college leaders.

ASCL welcomes Ofqual’s consultation regarding advanced extension awards and its proposal to maintain comparability with previous qualifications and retain this suite of qualifications within the choice offered to students.

ASCL appreciates the updating of KCSiE and we particularly welcome the new advice covering sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges.

Following the submission of evidence provided by the statutory consultees with regard to the 28rd remit of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), we wish to thank the organisations involved for the considerable thought and wisdom demonstrated in their responses.

ASCL supports the provisions in the Children and Social Work Act 2017 to make the new subjects of Relationships Education (RE) for primary age pupils and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for secondary age students mandatory. We agree that RSE/RE should be an identifiable part of a Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) curriculum, with planned, timetabled lessons across all the Key Stages.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation as we can see the value of accelerated degrees for certain people in specific circumstances. We do however expect that the vast majority of young people who go through our school and college system will progress through the three year route to a first degree.

A response from ASCL.

The association welcomes the green paper as an important step forward in tackling an issue which is a major and increasing concern to school and college leaders.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to make a written response to the STRB following the letter from the Secretary of State dated 7 December 2017 which addresses the arrangements for the 2018 pay award.

ASCL welcomes this consultation; we agree that there is a need for clear guidance in this area for schools and colleges.

ASCL welcomes the review of eligibility criteria for free early years entitlement for two-year-olds.

ASCL welcomes the review of eligibility criteria for free school meals (FSM) and early years pupil premium.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to this consultation. We have collected information from a range of members and discussed this matter at our recent national committee meeting to inform this response.

Response to Ofqual

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to this timely and important inquiry. We have collected information from a range of members and discussed this matter at our recent national committee meeting to inform this response.

ASCL believes that the involvement of practising teachers in the drafting, production and moderation of exam questions and papers results in significant benefits to the education system in England and the quality of assessment in particular.

ASCL submitted evidence to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) on the ‘Partial review of the shortage occupation list’ on 12 September 2017. The evidence submitted at that time is still highly relevant and ASCL is grateful for the opportunity to be able to add to our evidence as part of this review.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to comment on the proposals on the Certification Officer’s levy.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence on value for money in Higher Education (HE).

A response from ASCL Cymru.

A response from the Association of School and College Leaders.

A consultation response from ASCL Cymru

The timescale for the introduction of the new Professional Standards is, at least superficially, reasonable. However, this is set against a background of schools having to cope with a period of transition and unprecedented change to curriculum and assessment reform.

ASCL is well aware of the financial issues that the country is facing and the need for HM Treasury to prioritise spending allocations. We are equally aware of the critical importance of our education system to this country’s long term prosperity.

ASCL welcomes the commitment to improving inspection, particularly regarding the conversion of short inspections to full inspections.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to respond to the consultation, aimed at increasing understanding of ordinary working families and the link to the educational outcomes of the children and young people in those families.

In partnership with five other teacher unions, we have today submitted our response to the consultation on the STRB’s recommendations on the teachers’ pay award.  

ASCL welcomes the recommendations of the Rochford Review. They appear to have coherence with the SEND Code of Practice.

The way in which primary children are assessed, and primary schools are held to account, is deeply flawed. There are widespread concerns in schools about the accuracy and appropriateness of the national statutory assessments, the impact of these on both children’s and teachers’ wellbeing, and the unintended consequences of the current approach.

ASCL welcomes this attempt to remove ambiguities in the guidance and make it more explicit. This is important in a complex (perhaps overly-complex) regulatory framework surrounding what are often highly-charged and contested decisions.

ASCL is pleased to be able to contribute to the consultation in particular to the section within the Green Paper on “Developing skills”.

ASCL understands the reasons behind the proposal to apply three skills in combination - listening, reading and writing - and appreciates the difficulty in assessing the spoken element in these languages.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this consultation. We have been campaigning for a national distribution formula for over two decades and welcome these proposals in principle.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the second stage of the high needs funding consultation.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to be consulted on the changes to GCSE drama and A level drama and theatre.

ASCL is supportive of the increased focus on increasing the availability and quality of apprenticeships and also supports the government’s ambition to raise the status of vocational and technical education.

A response from ASCL.

ASCL welcomes this inquiry. ‘Future in Mind’ rightly recommended a renewed focus on the role of education in addressing the mental health needs of children and young people. We fully agree that schools and colleges play a vital role and should continue to do so.

A response from ASCL Northern Ireland.

ASCL understands the reasons behind the proposal to apply three skills - listening, reading and writing - in combination and appreciates the difficulty in assessing the spoken element in these languages.

Response to Education Committee: The House of Commons Education Committee has published the written evidence received as part of its current inquiry into primary assessment.

ASCL welcomes this Government’s ambition to create an education system that extends opportunity to everyone.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to make a written response to the STRB following the letter from the Secretary of State dated 25 October 2016 which addresses the arrangements for the 2017 pay award.

Response to Public Bill Committee

Proposal to Education Directorate, Welsh Government from ASCL Cymru

Response to Home Office and DfE

ASCL strongly welcomes this review by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) of the place of teachers on the Shortage Occupation List.

Response from ASCL Cymru

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to comment on this matter, but it has to be said that the consultation has not been properly handled; these complex and highly significant proposals were issued in July with a deadline only four weeks ahead, a period almost entirely within the typical college summer vacation.

ASCL welcomes this consultation as we understand that the current childcare disqualification arrangements have led to a significant number of staff in school and other non-domestic registered settings being suspended for issues completely unrelated to child safety.

Response to Ofqual

ASCL welcomes this inquiry.

ASCL welcomes government’s commitment to a school-led, self-improving system.

ASCL expertise and interest is in the education service, and these remarks refer only to that part of the public service. In that context ASCL has very great concerns about these proposals, which appear to be both mean-spirited and liable to damage the public service.

ASCL welcomes the Education Select Committee’s inquiry into the performance, accountability, and governance of Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs).

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the schools national funding formula consultation.

ASCL welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the high needs funding consultation.

ASCL welcomes this timely inquiry.

ASCL welcomes this review, and strongly supports the concept of Functional Skills qualifications.

ASCL welcomes the launch of the Children’s Mental Health Commission and this call for evidence. We support the key objectives of the Commission’s work.

Response to Ofqual

Joint Educational Select Committee and Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry.

ASCL members believe that we need to have an awarding body regulator which has the confidence of the profession.

We want a system in which all children and young people achieve. We believe we can have a great education system that delivers quality and equality for all learners.

Response to Ofqual

ASCL is supportive of the government’s intention to increase the number of apprentices. But there are a great many concerns about these proposals, which present as poorly thought-out and likely to have many unintended consequences.

Response from ASCL Northern Ireland

ASCL has been warning for some time that a crisis in teacher supply was imminent, a crisis that has now arrived. Clearly, there are issues of retention as well as recruitment but for some time too few new teachers have been trained, especially teachers of some shortage subjects.

ASCL welcomes this consultation on final legacy entries to GCSEs, AS and A levels as there are a variety of reasons why the opportunities for resits presented in this consultation will be in the best interests of the pupils.

ASCL strongly believes that a school’s curriculum should be determined by school leaders and governors and we welcome the autonomy given to schools to do this. ASCL makes a number of key recommendations in response to this consultation.

ASCL welcomes the commitment to gather evidence to show that performance at Key stage 4 has genuinely improved (or declined) across the cohort.

A response from ASCL.

Response from ASCL.

A response from ASCL