Maybe I’ll write something more coherent about this at some point, but I’m keen that we are as good as we possibly can be at cutting through government spin and bluster and bringing readers the most important facts they need to help them do their jobs running and working in schools
This is not a sudden change of policy for us. We’ve been increasingly taking this approach as we’ve become more and more frustrated at attempts to avoid scrutiny. PR ahead of official details is always only what the government wants you to know. Documents often contain details they don’t
Now, there will be some exceptions to this. Some announcements are newsworthy and important in and of themselves even with details pending, and therefore will warrant a breaking news story and then a follow-up. But I expect that to be in the minority of cases
Very often, the key documents surrounding an announcement are published at 9.30am, the morning of the day the embargo breaks. If we receive thin government PR without time to properly analyse it, we will usually wait until we have access to those documents and have had time to process their contents
We have decided that when this happens, we will not publish a story until we feel we have the necessary facts. It means you might wait a little longer to read about an announcement on our website, but we hope it also means you’ll get the full facts and information, rather than just soundbites
The government has a bad habit of sending press releases about policy announcements close to the end of the working day, embargoed for the following day. It means journalists don’t have the full facts on which to base stories, nor the time to ask important questions
In my latest podcast, @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social told me why he was sceptical about the Government's ambition in the Schools White Paper for all state schools to join a new or existing trust.
Listen to the full episode here: insideyoured.com
Make no mistake that any weakening of FOI is an attack on all of our civil liberties, and would be a clear example of democratic backsliding.
It is clear that the government is now seriously considering an attack on your right to know.
www.ft.com/content/2c34...
Very excited to be joining the team at Schools Week!
Feel free to get in touch with any education-related stories, particularly if they relate to exams, the curriculum, edtech (AI) and post-16
Delighted to welcome our new reporter @esmekenney.bsky.social to the Schools Week team.
She has a super newsy patch including exams, curriculum, edtech and post-16 stories. So please do connect with her and get in touch...
The head of Ofsted believes the fact it issues more ‘needs attention’ grades than ‘requires improvement’ is evidence it is raising standards, prompting criticism for comparing the new and old frameworks
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-chief-criticised-...
School leaders are gathering in Liverpool for the annual conference of union ASCL.
The Schools Week team will bring you the key updates throughout the day - follow along on our live blog ⬇️
schoolsweek.co.uk/ascl-conference-2026-sch...
Exclusive: Councils will be given top marks by the government if their SEND reform proposals include 'little to no' plans to increase special school or alternative provision capacity, it has emerged
schoolsweek.co.uk/revealed-dfes-secret-pla...
🚨NEW PODCAST🚨
What does the Schools White Paper mean for pupils, teachers and leaders?
@missmc.bsky.social and @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social join me to explore the big ideas and proposed reforms in the White Paper.
Listen here: insideyoured.com
🚨 Breaking: Former NCG CEO Joe Docherty, now Lord Docherty, has been suspended as a Labour peer after it emerged he resigned from his college role after conducting sexual liaisons during working hours
feweek.co.uk/joe-docherty-labour-peer...
It's been a huge week for schools policy, and it will take weeks, maybe months to properly digest the government's plans for schools and SEND
In the meantime, v proud of edition 421 of @schoolsweek.bsky.social, with everything you need to know so far
Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
Well it's above 10 degrees, so it's time to stop using the Central Line until November
Pupils’ special educational needs will be met through a new layered system of support, with education, health and care plans reserved for only the most complex cases
Here's what you need to know...
schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-white-paper-the-...
In case you missed it: Government officials working on white paper proposals to encourage all schools to join a group
schoolsweek.co.uk/white-paper-plan-for-sch...
Breaking: Newly-appointed headteachers will be offered retention payments of up to £15,000 to work in certain areas under a planned pilot, the government has said
schoolsweek.co.uk/new-headteachers-to-get-...
In case you missed it: Family income data will replace free school meals eligibility as the trigger for pupil premium and other deprivation funding for schools
schoolsweek.co.uk/pupil-premium-income-dat...
Fully agree with Jon on this. The ink is more than dry on the white paper. If you’re ready to announce the headlines, be ready to give the details
All the while families are understandably worried about what the white paper will do to their children’s rights to SEND support, after only part of the proposals were briefed to some outlets. Really shoddy stuff
Also - how will tapers to maternity pay apply compared to what’s in place now? The government appears to have told one national outlet some of the detail, with the rest of us spending our free time desperately hoping for a reply to a series of questions
The white paper has been signed off. Days away from release. Why can’t full details be provided if announcements are going to be pushed out beforehand?
The way parts of the white paper are being drip-fed through leaks and limited after-hours PR on individual announcements is deeply frustrating. Tonight we receive word school staff maternity pay will be boosted, with no clarity on whether this will apply to all schools (academies can deviate)
Breaking: The government has pledged write off 90 per cent of councils’ historic SEND deficits – estimated to be worth £5 billion
schoolsweek.co.uk/government-to-write-off-...
Brilliant find by @samanthajbooth.bsky.social - we’re still waiting for the white paper, but quietly in the background, the government has already asked local areas to begin the reforms…
If anyone has ever overheard me yelling ‘please fan out along the bar’ in a pub, this is why
The bar staff don’t want you to line up. Other customers don’t want you to line up. Why would you want to line up?
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Here's edition 418 of Schools Week
🔍 Over 1,000 schools missed from DfE improvement drive
💽 Dodgy DfE data shortens schools' weeks
🧱 The wall between teachers and higher pay
❓ Decision time for councils on free schools' future
Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
