Our news and press releases

ASCL leader Geoff Barton today warned that Covid is continuing to cause educational havoc as a survey conducted by the union revealed that more than 90% of headteachers say teaching and learning has been impacted by pupil and staff absence during the autumn term.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Mental Health
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Vaccination

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on UCL research which highlights how the Covid pandemic has shown the extent to which families rely on schools for ‘basic needs’. 

• Health and Wellbeing
• Government
• School meals
• Social Mobility

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on the publication of the Right Choice for Wales Decisions report by Qualifications Wales and the proposals contained within it to reform GCSEs in Wales.

• Curriculum
• Wales
• GCSE
• Qualifications

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on the Education Minister’s written statement announcing an independent review into attendance statistics in Welsh schools.

• Cymru
• Wales
• Data
• Attendance
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, showing that the gap in spending per student between private and state schools has more than doubled over the last decade.

• Funding
• Finance
• Education recovery

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru comments on the 2021 National Education Workforce Survey report.

• Employment
• Cymru
• Wales
• Recruitment and Retention
• Career Progression
• Workload

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the statistics from the Department for Education on attendance in education settings.

• Leadership
• Data
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Risk assessment
• DfE

ASCL has called for extra funding for schools, post-16 education, and special educational needs support in England amounting to at least £5.76 billion over the next three years in our submission to the government’s spending review.

• Funding
• Government
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the exam arrangements and contingency proposals for next summer’s exam series.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the education ‘National Excellence Programme’ being announced in Labour leader Keir Starmer’s speech to the Labour conference. 

• Teaching
• Learning
• Ofsted
• Government
• Education system

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on the rising number of positive coronavirus cases across Wales and its effect on schools.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Cymru
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the statistics from the Department for Education on attendance in education settings.

• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Risk assessment
• Vaccination

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the rollout of Covid vaccinations to 12 to 15-year-olds.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Vaccination

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Nick Gibb’s departure from the role of school standards minister. 

• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the guidance published today for schools on the coronavirus vaccination programme for 12 to 15-year-olds. 

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Vaccination

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the appointment of Nadhim Zahawi as the new Secretary of State for Education

The joint response to the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) report from the ASCL, NAHT, NEU and Voice Community underlines the profession's opposition to the Government's imposition of a pay freeze on teachers and school leaders. There is no justification for the pay freeze, which has been greeted with dismay by teachers and school leaders. They have made an immense contribution to the country's pandemic response, but instead of supporting them the Government continues its attacks on their pay. 

• Pay
• STRB
• Government

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, comments on the decision to offer Covid vaccinations to all children aged between 12 and 15 in Wales.

• Cymru
• Wales
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Vaccination

The Association of School and College Leaders today proposes a potential change to school admissions in England to give priority to places for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• Leadership
• Equalities
• Social Mobility
• Blueprint

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the report from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) and Royal Society on declining diversity in post-16 subject choices.

• Post-16
• Curriculum
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• T Levels
• College

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the recommendation of the chief medical officers to offer Covid-19 vaccinations to 12 to 15-year-olds.

• Health and safety
• Parents
• Key Stage 3
• Key Stage 4
• Coronavirus
• Secondary
• Risk assessment
• Vaccination

Robert Wilson, Regional Officer of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Northern Ireland, comments on plans for the Public Health Agency to take over contact tracing in schools in Northern Ireland from Friday. 

• Pastoral
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Northern Ireland
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report, ‘Addressing Extremism Through the Classroom’, by researchers at the UCL Institute of Education.

• Safeguarding
• Social Media
• Education system

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, commenting on the report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies on home learning experiences during the coronavirus pandemic. 

• Teaching
• Learning
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the decision of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) not to recommend Covid vaccines in general for children aged between 12 and 15. 

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Secondary
• Vaccination

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the publication of research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies showing school spending per pupil in England fell by 9% in real terms between 2009-10 and 2019-20. 

• Funding
• Finance
• Government
• Education recovery
• Education system

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), on the on-going impact of Covid-19 on schools serving predominantly deprived populations. 

• Funding
• Learning
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Mental Health
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

ASCL has joined with a range of education leaders in writing to Gavin Williamson with a proposal for a £5.8 billion education recovery plan following the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Leadership
• Funding
• Finance
• Collaboration
• Resources
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Labour’s ‘back to school report’ showing that the UK has outstripped European countries in the length of school closures. 

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery
• Education system

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on the launch of the Welsh government’s contingency framework for schools. 

• Cymru
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment
• Education recovery

Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the release of a report to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) by the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M), warning of ‘exponential increases’ in coronavirus infections in secondary schools. 

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the launch of the government’s back to school campaign.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the government’s plan to provide schools and colleges with carbon dioxide monitors.

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Tiffnie Harris, Primary Specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Sutton Trust report highlighting that three and four year olds are being ‘locked out’ of crucial early years opportunities. 

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Primary
• Early years
• Social Mobility

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the IFS report which says that a large increase in student numbers means additional spending on sixth forms and colleges has done little to reverse a decade of cuts in funding per student.

• Funding
• Assessment
• Post-16
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• HE
• College
• Apprenticeships
• FE

Education unions, together with Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP, have today written to Gavin Williamson urging the government to take firm action to improve ventilation in schools to reduce further Covid disruption.

• Business Leadership
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment

School and college leaders have called on the Education Secretary to end his ‘fixation’ with banning mobile phones in classrooms in their response to a government consultation on student behaviours.

• Behaviour
• DfE

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the publication of GCSE results.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE
• Secondary

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru comments on the publication of GCSE results in Wales.

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE
• Secondary

Robert Wilson, Regional Officer at ASCL Northern Ireland, comments on the publication of GCSE results in Northern Ireland.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• Northern Ireland
• Secondary

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments ahead of the publication of GCSE results on Thursday 12 August. 

• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE
• Secondary

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments ahead of the publication of GCSE results in Wales on Thursday 12 August.

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE
• Secondary

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on results for A levels, AS levels and vocational qualifications published today,

• Post-16
• Examinations
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• College
• FE

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on results for A levels, AS levels and vocational qualifications published in Wales today. 

• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• College
• FE

Robert Wilson, Regional Officer at ASCL Northern Ireland comments on results for A levels, AS levels and vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland published today. 

• Post-16
• Examinations
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• Northern Ireland
• College
• FE

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments ahead of the publication of results for A levels, AS levels and vocational qualifications on Tuesday 10 August. 

• Post-16
• Examinations
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• Ofqual
• HE
• FE

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on the publication of results for A levels, AS levels and vocational qualifications in Wales on Tuesday 10 August.

• Post-16
• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• College
• FE

Anne Murdoch, Senior Adviser, College Leadership, at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on UCAS research showing that 42% of UK 18-year-olds are currently holding an offer to commence a full-time undergraduate degree in autumn 2021, leaving 58% not doing so.

• Careers
• UCAS
• University
• Post-18
• Apprenticeships
• FE

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to reports that all over-16s in Britain are set to be offered coronavirus vaccinations. 

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Vaccination
• Education recovery

Tom Middlehurst, Curriculum and Inspection Specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Pearson Edexcel’s decision to give schools and colleges a rebate of 33% on fees for GCSEs and A-levels.

• Funding
• Finance
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Exam fees

Tom Middlehurst, Curriculum and Inspection Specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the consultation on adaptations to GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2022.

• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the Sutton Trust research ‘A-levels and university access 2021’.

• Assessment
• Post-16
• Parents
• A Levels
• Pupil Premium
• Coronavirus
• University
• Grading
• Qualifications

Twelve organisations that represent and support staff and students in schools, colleges and universities have today written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson urging him not to scrap the vast majority of applied general qualifications such as BTECs. 

• Assessment
• Post-16
• BTEC
• T Levels
• HE
• Post-18
• College
• FE
• Qualifications

Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the government’s announcement that 74% of eligible mainstream secondary schools across England have opted to host a summer school.

• Teaching
• Transitions
• Secondary
• Education recovery
• Summer schools

Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on OCR’s decision to give schools and colleges a rebate of 42% on fees for GCSEs and A-levels. 

• Financial planning
• Finance
• Examinations
• Exam fees

Joint press release by the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), National Association of Headteachers (NAHT), National Education Union (NEU) and Voice Community Section in response to the publication of STRB report on pay. 

• Pay
• Recruitment and Retention
• Career Progression
• STRB

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the report of the school teachers’ pay review body and government decision to freeze pay in 2021/22.

• Pay
• Recruitment and Retention
• STRB
• STPCD
• Planning

Tiffnie Harris, Primary Specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report from EPI and the National Day Nurseries Association showing that four in ten early years settings across England, Wales and Scotland were forced to close during the spring as a result of Covid isolation. 

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the publication of the Social Mobility Commission’s ‘State of the Nation’ report. 

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery
• Social Mobility

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 29 school attendance figures published by the Department for Education today. 

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the government’s decisions over school performance tables in 2021/22. 

• Learning
• Data
• Performance Tables
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) against routine Covid vaccination of children outside of higher risk groups.

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment
• Vaccination

A coalition of education organisations representing most teachers and leaders in England has written to Schools Minister Nick Gibb calling for an immediate halt to a consultation about an overhaul of teacher training because of the danger that it will damage the supply of high-quality teachers to schools.

• Teaching
• Career Progression
• Careers
• Government
• Training

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on AQA’s announcement of a 26% rebate on exam fees.

• Funding
• Budget
• Finance
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Coronavirus

Sara Ford, Deputy Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report from EPI showing that giving teachers a formal entitlement to high-quality training and development would only cost the government an extra £210m in funding a year. 

• Employment
• Funding
• Career Progression
• Professional Development
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 28 school attendance figures published by the Department for Education today. 

• Data
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the National Foundation for Educational Research policy briefing, in which school leaders warn that the current approach to learning recovery is “misconceived and inadequate”. 

• Teaching
• Learning
• Health and Wellbeing
• Mental Health
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the proposed adjustments for exams in 2022. 

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Ofqual

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the EPI study comparing pupil performance among UK nations.

• Teaching
• Curriculum
• Assessment
• Data
• Performance Tables

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru comments on the EPI study comparing pupil performance among UK nations.

• Teaching
• Assessment
• Cymru
• Wales
• Data
• Examinations
• Performance Tables

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on Department for Education research showing that pupils who achieve higher grades at GCSE can expect to earn significantly more over their lifetime.

• Assessment
• Data
• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE
• Secondary
• Qualifications

Robert Wilson, Regional Officer at ASCL Northern Ireland comments on the EPI study comparing pupil performance among UK nations.

• Teaching
• Assessment
• Data
• Examinations
• Performance Tables
• Northern Ireland

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on undergraduate application data from UCAS showing an increase in the number of applicants for universities and colleges.

• A Levels
• Careers
• Coronavirus
• UCAS
• University
• Apprenticeships

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the school funding consultation published by the Department for Education.

• Funding
• Business Leadership
• Financial planning
• Finance
• Resources
• Government
• DfE

Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Week 27 school attendance figures published by the Department for Education today.

• Business Leadership
• Data
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the government’s new rules for Covid management in schools and colleges as part of step 4 of the roadmap for England.

• Leadership
• Learning
• Business Leadership
• Health and safety
• Planning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Risk assessment
• Face coverings
• DfE

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Labour’s call for the government to set out plans for assessments in 2022 by the return to school on 1 September.

• Teaching
• Assessment
• Post-16
• Curriculum
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Planning
• Lesson planning
• BTEC
• Coronavirus
• Secondary
• Risk assessment
• FE

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Prime Minister’s statement on step 4 of the roadmap in England.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Risk assessment

Three education unions have written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson expressing our anger and dismay at the way in which the government is treating school and college leaders.

• ASCL
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the National Audit Office (NAO) report ‘School funding in England’.

• Funding
• Finance
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, is today writing to the Prime Minister over reports of Downing Street criticism about the management of Covid cases in schools.

• ASCL
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Education Secretary’s launch of a consultation on behaviour and discipline in schools.

• Safeguarding
• Government
• Behaviour

Yesterday afternoon the Department for Education sent an email advising secondary schools and colleges that they may be required to set up on-site Asymptomatic Test Sites from the start of the autumn term. It said: “Schools and colleges may choose to start testing students and pupils no earlier than three days before the start of term, or stagger the return of pupils during the first week of term if they would like to do so.”

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• DfE

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 26 school attendance statistics published by the Department for Education today. 

• Teaching
• Learning
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on Education Minister Jeremy Miles’ statement on Covid-related absences in Welsh schools.

• Learning
• Cymru
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Thank a Teacher Day. 

• Teaching
• Coronavirus

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on WJEC’s announcement that it will rebate schools 42% of exam fees following the cancellation of public exams in 2021 and the Welsh government’s announcement that it would top up the rebate to 50%. 

• Cymru
• Budget
• Finance
• Examinations

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Week 25 school attendance statistics.

• Teaching
• Business Leadership
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report of the House of Commons Education Committee which finds that white working-class pupils have been let down by decades of neglect.

• Pupil Premium
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on latest figures which show an increase in the proportion of children eligible for free school meals. 

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Free school meals

Unions have launched a new campaigning website to put pressure on the government to remove all asbestos from educational buildings.

• Funding
• Health and Wellbeing
• Business Leadership
• Regulations
• Health and safety
• Government
• Risk assessment

Anne Murdoch, college leadership adviser at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report published by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) which calls for urgent apprenticeship reform to improve prospects for disadvantaged young people in the wake of the pandemic. 

• Funding
• Post-16
• Post-18
• Apprenticeships
• FE
• Qualifications

Eleven organisations that represent staff and students in schools, colleges and universities have today issued a joint statement urging the government to rethink plans to remove funding for the majority of applied general qualifications such as BTECs. 

• Employment
• Post-16
• BTEC
• College
• FE
• Qualifications

Nearly two-thirds of headteachers and principals have called for a rebate of 75% or more on exam fees following the cancellation of this summer’s public exams and the responsibility for assessing students in A-levels, GCSEs and other qualifications shifting to schools and colleges.

• Funding
• Finance
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• BTEC
• Qualifications

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Prime Minister’s decision to delay the further easing of coronavirus restrictions.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on Ofsted’s review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Ofsted
• Health and safety
• Safeguarding
• Mental Health
• RSE
• Risk assessment
• Everyone's Invited
• Sexual harassment
• Sexual violence

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Education Policy Institute (EPI) research note which shows that government funding for education recovery for pupils over the whole of the next academic year amounts to only slightly more than the funding that has gone towards the Chancellor’s “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme. 

• Funding
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on guidance from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) on the appeals process for this summer’s A-levels, GCSEs and other qualifications. 

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Appeals
• University
• Qualifications

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the school attendance statistics published by the Department for Education today.

• Data
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Risk assessment

Robert Wilson, Regional Officer at ASCL Northern Ireland, comments on the appointment of Michelle McIlveen to replace Peter Weir as Northern Ireland’s Minister for Education. 

• Government
• Northern Ireland

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on Ofsted’s research review on languages education.

• Teaching
• Curriculum
• Assessment
• Inspection
• Ofsted
• MFL

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on a breakdown from Public Health England (PHE) of outbreaks of Covid variants in schools. 

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the research published this afternoon by the Department for Education on pupil learning loss caused by the pandemic. 

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the government announcement about the post-Covid education recovery plan.

• Funding
• Financial planning
• Finance
• Resources
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to reports that Sir Kevan Collins has offered his resignation as Education Recovery Commissioner.

• Leadership
• Funding
• Resources
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report in The Times of a leaked presentation of the post-Covid education recovery plan.

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Schools and colleges across the country are today (Friday 28 May) showcasing the breadth of creative talent among children and young people in a national festival celebrating the vital role the arts plays in education.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Curriculum
• Festival of School and College Arts

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on statistics on pupil absence in schools in England in the autumn term 2020. 

• Health and Wellbeing
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the reappointment of Amanda Spielman as Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills for a new term of two years. 

• Inspection
• Ofsted
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report of the Public Accounts Committee, which finds that despite being involved in a 2016 cross-government exercise on dealing with a pandemic, the Department for Education (DfE) had ‘no plan’ and was ‘unprepared’ for the challenges of Covid-19.

• Teaching
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Blended learning
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Ofsted’s review of mathematics education.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Curriculum
• Recruitment and Retention
• Ofsted
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Week 21 school attendance statistics.

• Data
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the LGA’s report that a total of £118 million for disadvantaged pupils could be lost from school budgets in England this year due to a government change in how pupil premium funding is calculated.

• Funding
• Budget
• Pupil Premium
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report of the Education Policy Institute (EPI) which finds that after a surge in teacher numbers following the pandemic, the subsequent economic recovery could result in a large proportion of this new intake quitting for other occupations.

• Employment
• Pay
• Recruitment and Retention
• EPI

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the call by the Sutton Trust to put the development and wellbeing of pre-school children at the heart of the education recovery plan.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Mental Health
• Early years
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the briefing note from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) which finds that 30% of Covid-related spending on education in England is due to come from existing budgets.

• Business Leadership
• Financial planning
• Budget
• Finance
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Ofsted’s annual Parents Survey for 2021, in which a large majority of parents (87%) think that their child’s school has handled the pandemic well.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Health and Wellbeing
• Ofsted
• Parents
• Mental Health
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Ofsted’s report ‘Teaching teachers during Covid-19’. 

• Teaching
• Ofsted

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on plans to fund education initiatives in some areas of England as outlined in the government press release ‘Prime Minister hails levelling up in action as government unveils raft of new policies’.

• Leadership
• Funding
• Business Leadership
• Finance
• Resources
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 20 school attendance statistics. 

• Health and safety
• Parents
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) setting out a £13.5 billion education recovery package.

• Funding
• Government
• Coronavirus
• EPI
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report from Ofsted that some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in mainstream schools are not getting enough help to support their learning and development. 

• Funding
• Learning
• Pastoral
• Health and Wellbeing
• Ofsted
• SEND

The Association of School and College Leaders has backed a major overhaul of the university admissions system to end the current ‘pantomime’ around offers and admissions.

• Post-16
• A Levels
• University
• Post-18
• Qualifications

More than three-quarters of school and college leaders believe the Welsh examining board should receive minimal fees this summer for the reduced workload it has taken on as a result of the cancellation of public exams, a survey by ASCL Cymru has found.

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Examinations

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 19 school attendance figures. 

• Health and safety
• Parents
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the government’s announcement in the Queen’s Speech of a Lifetime Skills Guarantee.

• Funding
• Learning
• Government
• College
• FE
• Qualifications

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the government’s announcement of more than £17 million to build on mental health support available in education settings.

• Funding
• Health and Wellbeing
• Mental Health
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Prime Minister’s announcement about face masks in secondary schools and colleges.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to reports that the government is planning to lift the requirement to wear face masks in secondary school and college classrooms. 

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Face coverings

Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Week 18 school attendance statistics published by the Department for Education today.

• Leadership
• Data
• Health and safety
• Parents
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Ofqual’s decision that students who receive a teacher assessed grade this summer will be eligible to take exams in the autumn. 

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Ofqual
• Coronavirus
• Grading

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to research published by the Sutton Trust which finds that over a third of heads are using Pupil Premium funding to plug general gaps in their school’s budget.

• Funding
• Budget
• Pupil Premium
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson’s speech to the Confederation of School Trusts and his comments on the government’s vision for MAT growth and on behaviour and discipline.

• MAT
• Trusts
• Government
• Behaviour

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Education Policy Institute’s study showing that providing teachers with a right to high-quality training and development would boost pupil attainment.

• Funding
• Teaching
• Professional Development
• EPI

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the latest school attendance statistics.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Most schools will be placing an emphasis on using exam-style papers this summer to assess students for GCSEs, A-levels and other qualifications following the government’s decision to cancel public exams, a survey by the Association of School and College Leaders has found.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Government
• Grading

Kevin Gilmartin, Post 16 Specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the publication of the UCAS report ‘Reimagining UK Admissions’, outlining the UCAS position on admissions reform.

• Post-16
• UCAS
• HE
• University
• Post-18
• College
• FE

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Education Policy Institute’s analysis showing that a multi-year funding package of £10bn-£15bn is needed for education recovery.

• Funding
• Government
• EPI
• Education recovery

Nine education organisations are planning a festival on Friday 28 May 2021 to celebrate the vital role of the arts in our schools and colleges, and the fantastic work done by children and young people.

• Festival of School and College Arts

Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on National Offer Day.

• Funding
• Accountability
• Transitions
• Parents
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the announcement that secondary school pupils will need to continue wearing face coverings in lessons.

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Secondary
• Face coverings

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the recommendations for education in the report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities.

• Leadership
• Funding
• Equalities
• Diversity
• Community

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the launch of a review into sexual abuse in schools.

• Pastoral
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Safeguarding
• Parents
• PSHE
• RSE

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on government guidance on summer schools.

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Education recovery

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the experiences of sexual violence and abuse reported on the Everyone’s Invited website.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Safeguarding

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on lighter-touch Ofsted inspections in the summer term. 

• Inspection
• Ofsted
• School Improvement

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on guidance from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) on the grading of A levels and GCSEs in lieu of exams this summer.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Marking
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on UCAS research about student degree choices and access to information and advice in school.

• Post-16
• Careers
• Government
• UCAS
• University
• Post-18
• Apprenticeships

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Local Government Association’s report, ‘Better connected: How local education and children’s services in England have responded to the coronavirus pandemic’.

• Funding
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the latest school attendance statistics.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) report on the teacher labour market in England.

• Conditions
• Employment
• Pay
• Recruitment and Retention
• Career Progression

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Education Policy Institute (EPI) report 'Identifying pupils with special educational needs and disabilities'.

• Funding
• SEND
• EPI

Geoff Barton will serve a second term as General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders after being re-elected unopposed. 

• ASCL

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on UCL research on school accountability and teacher stress.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Accountability
• Ofsted
• Performance Tables

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the National Audit Office (NAO) report 'Support for children's education during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic'.

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Health and Wellbeing
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the latest school attendance statistics.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Parents
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Robert Wilson, Regional Officer at ASCL Northern Ireland, comments on the phased reopening of schools and plans for older pupils to receive lateral flow tests in Northern Ireland from Monday 22 March.

• Post-16
• Health and safety
• Government
• Northern Ireland
• Coronavirus
• College

ASCL General Secretary Geoff Barton's keynote to ASCL Annual Conference 2021.

• Leadership
• ASCL
• Funding
• Teaching
• Curriculum
• Assessment
• Recruitment and Retention
• CPD
• Mental Health
• Diversity
• Government

ASCL President Richard Sheriff's keynote to ASCL Annual Conference 2021. 

• Leadership
• Professional Development
• CPD

Early indications suggest the first day of the full reopening of schools in England has gone well with many schools reporting high take-up of Covid tests and pupils generally following policies on wearing face coverings in secondary classrooms.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Face coverings

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the full return of pupils to England’s schools and colleges from tomorrow.

• Leadership
• Teaching
• Learning
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus

According to a survey by the Association of School and College Leaders, the most common problem headteachers have faced in providing Covid tests to pupils for the full reopening of schools is obtaining parental consent.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on the plan for Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils to return to schools in Wales for ‘wellbeing catch-up sessions’.

• Cymru
• Wales
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Mental Health
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on today’s Budget announcement.

• Financial planning
• Budget
• Finance
• Resources
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Wednesday’s Budget and the priorities for education.

• Funding
• Budget
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the latest statistics on school attendance.

• Leadership
• Teaching
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the interim advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) over phase 2 of the Covid vaccine programme.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Vaccination

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the government’s plans for awarding grades this summer following the cancellation of exams.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Appeals
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Grading

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the education recovery package announced by the government.

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Prime Minister’s statement on the full reopening of schools.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on the proposed full reopening of primary schools and the return of exam-age secondary pupils in Wales on February March 15.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Cymru
• Health and safety
• Examinations
• Secondary

Nine education organisations have joined together to issue a statement on the wider opening of schools and colleges in England. This statement is issued ahead of the Prime Minister’s expected announcement on Monday. The signatories are the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), GMB, National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), NASUWT, National Education Union (NEU), National Governance Association (NGA), Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA), Unison, and Unite.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Safeguarding
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) about the catch-up plans for the four UK nations. 

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Coronavirus
• EPI
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the UCAS undergraduate application analysis.

• Post-16
• Careers
• UCAS
• University
• Post-18
• College

Robert Wilson, Regional Officer at ASCL Northern Ireland, comments on the proposed phased reopening of schools in Northern Ireland from Monday 8 March.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Health and safety
• Northern Ireland
• Coronavirus

Organisations representing the overwhelming majority of teachers and school leaders in England have united in opposing the Government’s pay freeze.

• Pay
• Recruitment and Retention
• STRB
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the government letter about avoiding the use of school buildings for polls on 6 May. 

• Business Leadership
• Planning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to ongoing speculation about extending the school day and summer term.

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Children’s Commissioner’s report on gang involvement and youth violence.

• Leadership
• Pastoral
• Health and safety
• Safeguarding
• Community

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru comments on the return to primary schools of the youngest pupils in Wales on 22 February.

• Cymru
• Wales
• Primary
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment

A set of principles to ensure that students are assessed fairly following the cancellation of exams in England has been drawn up by six education unions and professional associations.

• Assessment
• Post-16
• Governors and Trustees
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• T Levels
• Ofqual
• Coronavirus
• Secondary

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to the report of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee on the national food voucher scheme.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Business Leadership
• Resources
• Procurement
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Free school meals

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the first wave of the school rebuilding programme.

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

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on figures from UCAS about a shift towards technology-based degrees

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the latest school attendance statistics.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Parents
• Planning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment

Robert Wilson, Regional Officer for ASCL Northern Ireland comments on the announcement of changes to the qualification system for summer 2021.

• Assessment
• Post-16
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• Northern Ireland
• Coronavirus
• Secondary

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies on the cost of lost schooling.

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Financial planning
• Finance
• Government

The Association of School and College Leaders today warns that plans for assessing GCSEs and A-levels in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic must not become exams by another name.

• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Ofqual
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Grading

Robert Wilson, Regional Officer for ASCL Northern Ireland, comments on the announcement that schools in Northern Ireland will not reopen before March 5.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Government
• Northern Ireland
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on the announcement that the youngest pupils may return to primary schools in Wales following the February half-term holiday.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Wales
• Primary
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Education Policy Institute’s proposals on exams and grading in 2021.

• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Coronavirus
• Grading

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the Education Endowment Foundation study on the impact on KS1 pupils of disruption caused by the Covid pandemic.

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Key Stage 1
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report by the Education Policy Institute and The Prince’s Trust on the mental health and wellbeing of Generation Z.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Social Media
• Mental Health
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the report of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee on the financial sustainability of colleges.

• Funding
• Post-16
• Finance
• Government
• College

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the announcement that the full reopening of schools is planned to begin from 8 March.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Parents
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the question of the full reopening of schools, and research published by Ofsted on remote education.

• Teaching
• Ofsted
• Health and safety
• Parents
• Planning
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Education Policy Institute’s research about Covid-related teacher and pupil absences in the autumn term.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Sutton Trust’s report, ‘Learning in Lockdown’.

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Digital
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the government’s Skills for Jobs White Paper.

• Funding
• Post-16
• Career Progression
• Government
• University
• Post-18

Eithne Hughes, Director of ASCL Cymru, comments on the announcement of changes to the qualification system for summer 2021. 

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the decision on the use of lateral flow tests in schools and colleges.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Safeguarding
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on government statistics on school attendance and delivery of laptops.

• Leadership
• Funding
• Resources
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Digital
• Attendance
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to Ofqual’s consultation on arrangements for assessing GCSEs, A-levels and other qualifications in summer 2021.

• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Ofqual

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Education Secretary’s letter to Ofqual setting out further detail on the arrangements for replacing exams. 

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Ofqual
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on funding announced to support T-levels.

• Funding
• Post-16
• T Levels
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the government’s announcement of extra laptops to support disadvantaged pupils to learn at home.

• Funding
• Resources
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Digital
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Ofsted’s press release about remote education.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Inspection
• Ofsted
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the Education Secretary’s statement today about arrangements for GCSEs, A-levels, and other qualifications following the decision to cancel this summer’s exams.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• BTEC
• Ofqual
• Government
• Coronavirus

Robert Wilson, Regional Officer of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Northern Ireland, comments on the decision to cancel GCSE, A-level and AS exams in Northern Ireland this year.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru comments on the decision of the Welsh Government to move schools and colleges to remote learning until 18 January. 

• Leadership
• Teaching
• Cymru
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to the Prime Minister’s announcement about the spring term in England.

• Leadership
• Teaching
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the situation regarding plans for the start of the spring term. 

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment

An emergency meeting of ASCL’s executive committee held this afternoon agreed to call on the government to move all schools and colleges in England to remote education for at least the first two weeks of the spring term in the light of rising Covid infections and the impact of the new variant of the virus.

• Teaching
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to the Education Secretary’s announcement today on arrangements for the spring term in England. 

• Funding
• Post-16
• Health and Wellbeing
• Primary
• Health and safety
• Government
• Early years
• Coronavirus
• Secondary
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the government guidance published today on rapid Covid tests in schools and colleges. 

• Health and safety
• Planning
• Resources
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Education Policy Institute (EPI) report, ‘Assessing Covid-19 cost pressures on England’s schools’.

• Funding
• Business Leadership
• Finance
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• EPI

Education unions and associations have today joined together in advising secondary schools and colleges that they are not required to begin mass Covid testing from the start of the spring term.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on government plans for secondary schools in January.

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Secondary
• Remote learning

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, comments on the arrangements set out today for assessing GCSEs, AS levels, and A levels in Wales in 2021.

• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Coronavirus

Three education unions – ASCL, NAHT and NEU – are today making a statement on the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) and the remit given to it yesterday by Gavin Williamson.

• Pay
• Teaching
• STRB
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Ofsted’s latest briefing on its autumn visits.

• Ofsted
• Finance
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to today’s announcement by Greenwich council over end-of-term arrangements.

• Teaching
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on government plans to roll-out rapid Covid lateral flow tests in schools and colleges.

• Funding
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Robert Wilson, Northern Ireland regional officer at the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to plans announced in Northern Ireland today for exams in 2021.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Northern Ireland
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the situation regarding Covid infection rates and the final week of the school term.

• Teaching
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Remote learning

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, comments on the Welsh government’s decision to move to online learning in secondary schools and colleges in Wales from Monday 14 December. 

• Cymru
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Secondary
• Remote learning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on plans for Covid testing of secondary school-aged children in parts of London, Essex, and Kent. 

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Risk assessment

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the publication of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019.

• Funding
• Learning
• Curriculum
• Recruitment and Retention

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 49 school attendance statistics. 

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on news that schools will be allowed to take an inset day on Friday 18 December. 

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Planning
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the government’s announcement on GCSEs and A-levels in 2021.

• Inspection
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Performance Tables
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the National Foundation for Educational Research report ‘The implications of Covid-19 on the school funding landscape’.

• Funding
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the National Audit Office report into the free school meals voucher scheme.

• Funding
• Pastoral
• Government
• Free school meals

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Week 48 school attendance statistics.

• Learning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman’s comments, in launching her annual report, on the plight of vulnerable children.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the call by Independent SAGE for urgent action to address escalating Covid infection rates in schools.

• Learning
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the additional funding to support the costs of staff absences in schools and colleges.

• Funding
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Chancellor’s spending review announcement.

• Pay
• Funding
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 47 school attendance statistics published today by the Department for Education.

• Teaching
• Learning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to reports that public sector workers, including teachers, face a pay freeze next year.

• Pay
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 46 attendance statistics from the Department for Education. 

• Teaching
• Learning
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the recommendations of Universities UK’s Fair Admissions Review.

• A Levels
• University

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the paper published today by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies on children and Covid transmission.

• Learning
• Health and safety
• Mental Health
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the Education Secretary’s plan to review the university admissions system.

• Post-16
• Government
• University
• Post-18

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the letter setting out the Education Select Committee’s findings over what went wrong with the awarding of GCSE and A-level grades this summer.

• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Ofqual
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on Ofsted’s second report into the impact of the Covid pandemic.

• Funding
• Teaching
• Learning
• Ofsted
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, comments on the arrangements for GCSEs, AS and A levels in Wales in 2021.

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 45 attendance statistics for schools in England.

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Education Policy Institute’s recommendations for GCSEs and A-levels in England in 2021.

• Assessment
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Planning
• Ofqual
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the announcement of a £170m Covid Winter Grant Scheme and the expansion of the Holiday Activities and Food Programme in 2021.

• Funding
• Pastoral
• Health and Wellbeing
• Government
• Free school meals

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the lockdown guidance for schools issued today by the Department for Education.

• Health and safety
• Safeguarding
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the IFS analysis of funding for further education and sixth forms in its annual report on education spending in England.

• Funding
• Post-16
• Government

Geoff Barton, ASCL General Secretary responds to the Prime Minister’s announcement that schools will remain open in a second national lockdown in England.

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to research from the Sutton Trust showing most university applicants favour a move to post qualification applications.

• Post-16
• A Levels
• Coronavirus
• University
• Post-18

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the report from the Education Policy Institute ‘School attendance rates across the UK since full reopening’.

• Health and safety
• Examinations
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, and Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comment on the recommendations from Qualification Wales over next summer’s GCSEs, AS and A levels in Wales. 

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 43 school attendance statistics published by the Department for Education today.

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the government’s continued refusal to extend free school meal provision over the half-term holiday.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Kevin Gilmartin, Post-16 and Colleges Specialist from the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the government’s announcement on the next stage of the overhaul of post-16 qualifications.

• Post-16
• A Levels
• BTEC
• T Levels
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the defeat of a Commons motion to extend free school meal provision into holiday periods until Easter 2021.

• Health and Wellbeing
• Government

Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Week 42 school attendance figures published today by the Department for Education.

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Attendance

Jim Retallick, National Officer at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, comments on the arrangements for schools during the planned two-week ‘firebreak’ lockdown in Wales.

• Cymru
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

ASCL response to Ofqual's reply to our proposal to address some remaining injustices around centre-assessed grading. 

• Assessment
• Post-16
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• Ofqual
• Coronavirus

Four education unions – ASCL, NAHT, NEU and Voice – have today written to education secretary Gavin Williamson regarding the Government’s response to the recommendations of the 30th report of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB). The deadline for submissions is today.  

• Conditions
• Employment
• Pay
• Funding
• Recruitment and Retention
• Finance
• Government

ASCL leader Geoff Barton today warned that the work of schools and colleges in reopening to all students is being undermined by widespread problems in accessing Covid-19 tests.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on Ofqual’s evidence to the House of Commons Education Select Committee regarding the awarding of grades this summer. 

• ASCL
• Assessment
• Post-16
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• Ofqual
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on Ofsted’s plans to visit schools and colleges in the autumn term.

• Accountability
• Inspection
• Ofsted

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the statement by the Secretary of State for Education on qualification results and school openings for the autumn term.

• Leadership
• Funding
• Assessment
• Finance
• Examinations
• Resources
• Ofqual
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on Labour’s call to push back the date of next year’s GCSE and A level exams in England. 

• Assessment
• Post-16
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• Ofqual
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leader comments on government guidance published tonight on contingency planning for schools.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Planning
• Resources
• Government
• Coronavirus

Our statement on this year's exam grading process.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• BTEC
• Ofqual
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on news that Department for Education permanent secretary Jonathan Slater will step down on 1 September. 

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Government
• Coronavirus

Letter from ASCL to Sally Collier, Chief Regulator and Chair, Ofqual on the injustice some students may have suffered as a result of the decision to revert to the higher of either centre-assessed grades (CAGs) or calculated results for most qualifications this year.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Ofqual
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders following the decision in Scotland over face coverings in schools.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Planning
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the announcement that Sally Collier is standing down as chief regulator of Ofqual.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Ofqual
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to the new policy on face coverings in secondary schools and colleges in England.

• Leadership
• Health and safety
• Planning
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the GCSE results awarded to students today. 

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE
• Ofqual
• Government
• Coronavirus
• Secondary

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru comments on GCSE results issued in Wales today.

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE
• Government
• Coronavirus

Robert Wilson, Northern Ireland regional officer of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on GCSE results awarded in Northern Ireland today. 

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• Government
• Northern Ireland
• Coronavirus

Letter from ASCL to Peter Weir MLA, Minister of Education, formally requesting the Department of Education commissions an independent review as a matter of urgency into the process for awarding grades in GCSE, AS levels, and A levels in Northern Ireland in summer, 2020. 

• Assessment
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Northern Ireland
• Coronavirus

Letter from ASCL to Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education, formally requesting the Department for Education commissions an independent review as a matter of urgency into the process for awarding grades in GCSE, AS levels, A levels and Vocational and Technical qualifications in summer, 2020. 

• Assessment
• Post-16
• Examinations
• Appeals
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• T Levels
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on GCSE results day tomorrow. 

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Appeals
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE
• Ofqual

The Association of School and College Leaders will be formally writing to the Secretary of State for Education to request an immediate independent review into the grading fiasco.

• Assessment
• Post-16
• Examinations
• Appeals
• Key Stage 4
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Ofqual
• Government

Robert Wilson, Northern Ireland Regional Officer, of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Northern Ireland Department of Education’s decision over changes to the awarding of grades for GCSEs, AS and A levels. 

• Assessment
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Government
• Northern Ireland

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru comments on the Welsh government’s decision to revert to teacher-assessed grades in A-levels and GCSEs, instead of grades which have been moderated down. 

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on Ofqual’s decision to revert to teacher-assessed grades in A-levels and GCSEs, instead of grades which have been moderated down.

• Assessment
• Post-16
• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Ofqual
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to Ofqual’s criteria on using mock results in GCSE and A-level appeals.

• Examinations
• Appeals
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Ofqual
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on today’s A level results in England.

• Assessment
• Post-16
• Data
• Examinations
• Appeals
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Ofqual
• Government
• Coronavirus

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru comments on today’s AS and A-level results in Wales.

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• Appeals
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Government
• Coronavirus

Julia Harnden, funding specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the analysis from the Education Policy Institute on the school funding allocations for 2021-22. 

• Funding
• Finance
• Planning
• Resources
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the proposed teacher pay award for 2020/21.

• Conditions
• Pay
• Funding
• Pensions
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the announcement of the school funding settlement for 2021

• Funding
• Coronavirus

ASCL says proposed changes to next summer’s GCSEs and A levels fail to fully recognise the disruption to students of the coronavirus pandemic and amount to no more than tinkering at the edges.

• Post-16
• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE
• A Levels
• AS Levels
• Ofqual
• Coronavirus

Joint statement by the Joint Trade Unions (ASCL, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU) following the meeting on 14 July 2020 with representatives of the Isle of Man Government to resume pay dispute negotiations paused on 17 March due to the Covid crisis. 

• Conditions
• Employment
• Pay
• Government
• Isle of Man

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the relaxation of the 2m distancing rule.

• Regulations
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the government’s announcement of a one billion pound Covid catch-up plan for children.

• Funding
• Finance
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson’s comments about schools reopening to all pupils in September. 

• Leadership
• Learning
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

ASCL comment on today’s government confirmation of the wider opening of schools from Monday.

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on today’s announcement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the wider opening of schools and colleges.

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the publication of scientific evidence underpinning the government’s approach to the wider opening of schools and colleges.

• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Prime Minister’s speech and the phased reopening of schools.  

• Leadership
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Government
• Coronavirus

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru comments on Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams’ statement that the situation for schools in Wales will not change on 1 June. 

• Cymru
• Wales
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Planning
• Government
• Coronavirus

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru responds to the comments of Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show today about the potential reopening of schools in Wales at the beginning of June.

• Leadership
• Cymru
• Wales
• Health and Wellbeing
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson’s announcement about a new package to support online learning during the coronavirus emergency

• Teaching
• Learning
• Curriculum
• Parents
• Lesson planning
• Government
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Sutton Trust poll showing that only two-fifths of parents feel confident about teaching their children at home.

• Parents
• Coronavirus

Duncan Baldwin, Deputy Director of Policy, at the Association of School and College Leaders comments on guidance from Ofqual about the grading of vocational qualifications following the closure of schools and colleges. 

• Post-16
• Examinations
• BTEC
• T Levels
• Ofqual
• Coronavirus

Julia Harnden, Funding Specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the extra support for schools announced by the government.  

• Funding
• Business Leadership
• Financial planning
• Finance
• Income
• Resources
• Coronavirus

Eithne Hughes of the Association of School and College Leaders, Wales comments on the plan published today by Qualifications Wales for grading A-levels and GCSEs this summer.

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• GCSE
• A Levels
• Coronavirus

Today three education unions, NEU, ASCL and NAHT have issued joint advice to their members relating to Coronavirus

• Safeguarding
• Mental Health
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on government guidance about sectors prioritised for educational provision during the coronavirus crisis.

• Leadership
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Parents
• Planning
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to the government announcement about how grades will be awarded following the decision to cancel all exams. 

• Assessment
• Key Stage 2
• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE
• AS Levels
• BTEC
• Ofqual
• Coronavirus

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to today’s announcement that routine Ofsted inspections will be suspended in response to coronavirus.

• Accountability
• Inspection
• Ofsted
• Government

Three-quarters of school and college leaders believe Ofsted’s new approach to inspections is an improvement on previous frameworks, according to an ASCL survey.

• Accountability
• Ofsted

Eighty six per cent of school and college leaders have called for GCSEs to be reformed or scrapped in a survey carried out by ASCL.

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Key Stage 3
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to today’s Budget statement.

• Funding
• Post-16
• Budget
• Government

Kevin Gilmartin, post-16 and colleges specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) comments on the Education Policy Institute (EPI) report, ‘An international comparison of technical education funding systems’.

• Funding
• Curriculum
• Post-16

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the Education Policy Institute report ‘Teacher shortages in England’.

• Pay
• Funding
• Recruitment and Retention

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on national offer day for secondary school places on Monday 2 March.

• Parents

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Sutton Trust’s report about making school admissions fairer.

• Post-16
• Primary
• Parents

ASCL has warned that some 2,900 schools and colleges would be treated unfairly under government plans to remove the ‘outstanding exemption’.

• Accountability
• Inspection
• Ofsted

Stephen Rollett, Curriculum and Inspection Specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to comments made by Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman.

• Funding
• Accountability
• Inspection
• Ofsted

Four education unions - The National Education Union (NEU), National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), Voice, and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) - are warning that government pay proposals would short-change most classroom teachers and all senior leaders. 

ASCL today warns that almost all of the extra £7.1 billion pledged for schools over the next three years will be eaten up by government spending commitments and increased costs.

• Funding
• Financial planning
• Budget
• Finance
• Government

Duncan Baldwin, Deputy Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the publication of revised Key Stage 4 performance tables. 

• Accountability
• Inspection
• Key Stage 4
• Performance Tables
• Progress 8

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the report of the Children’s Commissioner ‘The state of children’s mental health services’.

• Pastoral
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health and safety
• Mental Health
• SEND

Members of the Association of School and College Leaders on the Isle of Man will withdraw their cooperation from a range of duties from today after recently voting for industrial action.

• Conditions
• Pay
• Isle of Man

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the report by the National Foundation for Educational Research about teacher autonomy.

• Leadership
• Teaching
• Career Progression
• Professional Development
• CPD

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru comments on the publication of the revised Curriculum for Wales guidance. 

• Leadership
• Learning
• Curriculum
• Cymru
• Wales
• Curriculum

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the report from the Education and Skills Funding Agency on the school resource management adviser (SRMA) pilot programme.

• Funding
• Business Leadership
• Financial planning
• Budget
• Finance
• Resources

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has today called for an uplift to all teacher pay scales over the next three years in line with the government’s proposal to increase starting salaries to £30,000 by 2022/23.

• Employment
• Pay
• Funding
• Recruitment and Retention
• Financial planning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the report by the Education Policy Institute Access to child and adolescent mental health services in 2019.

• Funding
• Pastoral
• Health and Wellbeing
• Resources
• Mental Health
• SEND

Duncan Baldwin, Deputy Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the government announcement that it is launching a consultation on the removal of the outstanding exemption.

• Post-16
• Primary
• Accountability
• Inspection
• Ofsted
• Key Stage 3
• Key Stage 4

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the education briefing accompanying the Queen’s Speech.

• Funding
• Post-16
• Financial planning
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on UCAS statistics which show that ‘conditional unconditional’ offers continue to rise.

• Assessment
• Post-16
• A Levels

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the reappointment of Gavin Williamson as Education Secretary.

• Leadership
• Government

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has written to all Northern Ireland’s main political party leaders reminding them of the “bleak financial situation” in schools in Northern Ireland, and as the talks at Stormont resume with a view to re-establishing the Executive.

• Leadership
• Funding
• Resources
• Mental Health
• Government
• Northern Ireland

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders responds to the new report on T levels from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).

• Funding
• Teaching
• Post-16
• Examinations
• BTEC
• T Levels

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the analysis by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) of the political parties’ education plans. 

• Leadership
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on research by the Sutton Trust on the impact of GCSE reforms.  

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Key Stage 4
• GCSE

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on Labour’s plans for education being announced today.

• Leadership
• Funding
• Recruitment and Retention
• Financial planning
• Finance
• School Improvement
• Resources

Joint press release by the School Cuts coalition: School Cuts website updated to reflect what manifestos mean for every school in England

• Funding
• Financial planning
• Budget
• Finance
• Government

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the UK results in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

• Assessment
• Examinations
• Mental Health

Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, comments on the results in Wales in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

• Assessment
• Cymru
• Wales
• Examinations
• International
• Performance Tables

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Conservative Party’s plans to give Ofsted greater powers and more funding.

At the ASCL Northern Ireland Annual Conference on 29 November 2019, ASCL Northern Ireland President Amanda McNamee paid tribute to the resilience of school leaders in challenging and demanding times.  

• Membership
• CPD
• Northern Ireland

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders comments on the letter from headteachers supporting the Worth Less? campaign to all prospective parliamentary candidates.

• Leadership
• Funding
• Financial planning
• Budget
• Finance
• Parents

A coalition of education unions has today welcomed Labour’s manifesto commitment to reverse all cuts to school budgets and to make a once-in-a-generation investment in education.    The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and the National Education Union (NEU) are all non-politically affiliated unions and believe we are speaking for the profession in welcoming these proposals.

• Funding
• Post-16
• Primary
• Financial planning
• Budget
• Government

Education unions NEU, NAHT, ASCL and Voice, together representing the overwhelming majority of teachers and school leaders in England, have submitted a joint statement to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), demanding a significant, above-inflation pay increase for all teachers and leaders, in order to reverse the real-terms cuts to salaries since 2010.

• Jobs
• Employment
• Pay
• Funding
• Recruitment and Retention
• STRB
• Financial planning

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the Education Policy Institute’s report ‘Further Education Pathways’.

• Funding
• Post-16
• Examinations
• GCSE
• T Levels

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the National Audit Office report on University Technical Colleges (UTCs).

• Funding
• Post-16

Today, the School Cuts coalition launches a fully updated interactive map of England’s schools. It shows that 83% of schools will be worse off next year than they were in 2015.

New figures, released today by the School Cuts coalition, reveal that four in five of England’s schools will be worse off next year than they were in 2015.

Eight in ten school leaders say that tough new GCSEs are having a detrimental impact on struggling students, according to a survey by the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).

Media release from the National Education Union, the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Association of Head Teachers, and the f40 education fair funding campaign group