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After a busy month of legislative changes, as part of January’s snapshot, reflect on the wider challenges of the education sector this year and keep up with the latest sector developments.
The current political landscape
It’s a transitional time for education policy. Following a ministerial reshuffle in November last year, there have been no significant announcements regarding changes to education policy. And with a general election on the horizon, a period of purdah is imminent. It’s unlikely that anything significant will emerge this year until after the election.
Following Nick Gibb’s departure in December, former Education Secretary Damian Hinds was appointed his successor. Having led the department in 2018-2019, his appointment seems to be a move towards stability.
Damian will be tasked with reviewing the curriculum on relationships and sex education, as well as strategies for recruitment and retention. But there will be several issues to get to grips with quickly, including the National Tutoring Programme and the broader issue of our crumbling school estate - where the current pot of cash looks inadequate to meet needs.
The Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan, has confirmed in her first interactive briefing of the year that there is no “push OR pause” on academisation. Emphasis is on prioritising quality and the right level of collaboration for both staff and children.
It's also important to note the challenging times ahead for Ofsted in the wake of the Ruth Perry inquiry. Over the coming months, the handover of Ofsted to a new Chief Inspector and ongoing investigations will likely feature prominently in the education debate.
Labour party thinking
In preparation for the general election, we’ve been paying close attention to the key focuses of the Shadow Education team and what these will mean for the wider education landscape. The areas of focus revolve around these key issues:
• wider inclusivity in education
• improvements of Social Care
• SEND and Alternative Provision, with LAs taking the lead
• devolving responsibility back to LAs for oversight of place planning and safeguarding.
There are also suggestions of devolving the powers outwards from Westminster to take a more regional approach to management, with the aim of this being ‘evolution, not revolution’.
A review of the current 2019 Accountability Framework could also be on the horizon, and investing money raised through the imposition of VAT on private school fees (or ending tax breaks) could be used in recruiting thousands of new teachers to fill vacancies and skills gaps in mental health professionals and careers advisors.
Labour has also confirmed its intentions to continue the Academy and Free School Programme, originally one of its initiatives under Lord Adonis. Regardless of the elected government, the larger economic and demographic context will always present complex challenges for schools and their communities.
Key issues for schools
In taking on additional schools, MATs will need to manage the Covid aftermath alongside a range of social- and health-related problems: they are increasingly important centres for their local communities, offering support in the form of Food Banks and children’s clothing (e.g. uniforms for their families).
• Across the country, there are some worrying statistics on absence and persistent absence and waiting times for Education Health Care Plans for vulnerable children – creating real problems for schools accessing the funding and resources they immediately need.
• Staff absence and recruitment difficulties are also a growing risk factor across the education sector.
• In rural communities across England, schools are seeing a significant drop in birth rate, impinging on the longer-term viability of remote primaries.
• Shrinking surpluses in school finances and deteriorating school buildings are also bringing extra pressure on Governing Bodies.
Due diligence will be essential for discussions with MATs to consider the capacity and bandwidth of their present arrangements and any likely need to increase their central support services to ensure school growth does not jeopardise stability.
We've seen growing demand for our support in Readiness to Grow Reviews and academy transfers, including harmonising structures and services across growing trusts, demonstrating EPM's value in navigating the evolving educational landscape. For more details, explore our Leadership & MAT development service.
Policies for consultation
Among the latest reports and consultation documents are those on non-statutory guidance for pupils questioning their gender. The DfE has published their consultation on this, which remains open until Tuesday 12 March 2024.
The DfE has also published amended statutory guidance for ‘Working together to safeguard children 2023’, which focuses on strengthening multi-agency working. Changes include:
• principles for working with parents and carers that centre around the importance of building positive, trusting and co-operative relationships
• expectations for multi-agency working that apply to all individuals, agencies and organisations working with children and their families
• new national multi-agency child protection standards.
The DfE has launched a consultation on the proposed Advanced British Standard (ABS), aiming to redefine the educational framework for 16 to 19-year-olds in England with a Baccalaureate-style qualification framework. Its key features include increased teaching time, mandatory study of maths and English up to age 18, and a broader range of subject studies for students. The consultation is open until Wednesday 20 March 2024.
An evolution of Ofsted
Following the publication of the critical coroner’s report (Prevention of Future Deaths) following the sad death of Ruth Perry, there will be wider implications that will affect the whole inspection process and accountability system. As the newly appointed Chief Inspector, we await to hear Sir Martyn Oliver’s thoughts on this: we expect they will be both sensitive and judicious.
In light of recent events, Ofsted will be expected to make changes quickly, brought in by the new Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver and a new government following the Perry case. An evolution of Ofsted and a wider regulatory framework may be on the horizon. A change of descriptors is likely, as well as a move back to a wider range of perhaps five, with a more nuanced approach to the description of outcomes.
