Starmer apologises for leading pupils in 6-7 dance The prime minister performed a version of the viral dance with primary school children, before being told it was not allowed.

Teachers and parents rejoice! Surely the PM has just ended the 6-7 thing at a stroke.

BBC News - Starmer says sorry for leading pupils in 6-7 dance
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Very pleased to see the DfE adopt our measure of the disadvantage gap. Calculating it each year, for each phase, is a labour of love but it has been game-changing in improving focus and understanding of the gap.

💡 Innovation, collaboration and leadership from within the sector because only we can truly bring the new curriculum to life, ensuring it is inclusive, stretching, and adapted to the needs of all learners.

❓ Understanding further the role that RISE teams will play - and how the risk they become overloaded with responsibility for every new initiative will be mitigated.

How the vision is made a reality is of course crucial and includes:

💷 Ensuring schools have resources which match the scale of ambition, which I hope will include financial support from the Chancellor in her budget later this month.

4. The accompanying enrichment entitlement to civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; sport and physical activities; and developing wider life skills - a welcome response to demands from the #EnrichmentforAll coalition which @challengepartners.bsky.social belongs to.

3. The desire for the curriculum to help rebuild community cohesion, being "both a mirror, in which every child can see themselves and their communities reflected, and a window through which every child is connected to the world beyond their existing horizons and perspectives".

2. The ambition and vision it sets out for a curriculum that is “rich in knowledge and broad scope”, with an entitlement for every child to firm foundations in reading, writing, maths and oracy; academic rigour (e.g. triple science); arts and creativity; and the skills to thrive in the modern world.

1. Its acceptance of many recommendations from the excellent Francis Review, desire to build on existing strengths and create space within and beyond the National Curriculum - though there is some divergence on KS3 assessment and accountability measures.

🧵Hot on the heels of this morning’s publication of the Francis Review, DfE has published its response.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6908c6...

In the thread are four things to welcome, and three factors crucial to the reforms' success:

✅️ Encouraging the development of a strong vocational route - V Levels to complement A Levels and T Levels - and new pathways to secure level 2 in maths and English

So much to celebrate (and so many pages to read!). 👏👏👏 (4/4)

share.google/ZkZhZjBFo1oE...

✅️ Forward-looking - responding to social & technological change

✅️ Encouraging diversity so young people see themselves in the curriculum while broadening their horizons

✅️ Seeking to create space beyond National Curriculum for schools to exercise professional autonomy & innovate (3/4)

✅️ Nuanced & evidence-led, with a careful subject-by-subject approach

✅️ Driven by important principles - inc:

✅️ Foregrounding social justice & high standards for all

✅️ Recognising the intrinsic value of education and fostering a love of learning, as well as its role in society & the economy (2/4)

The Francis Review is out. Huge congratulations to @beckyfrancis.bsky.social and the panel for a thorough and thoughtful review which is (1/4):

Based on my years in the civil service I imagine the answer has far more to do with how the govt comms machine works than the review itself. Frustrating, I agree.

Hopefully the full report will say more about the arts. 🤞

Could be. The article quotes this evidence, though I haven't gone to the source to know if it also accounts for school quality.

The acknowledgement of the need to build capacity in the system to deliver the reform - notably the recruitment and retention of more specialist science teachers - underlines the Review's careful balance between ambition and pragmatism. 3/3

Access to triple science GCSE is a key factor in success at A level and progression to degrees and careers in science. 2/3

Encouraging teaser from the Curriculum and Assessment Review due out this week.

The recommendation of an entitlement to triple science speaks to a serious drive for equity and social mobility in the curriculum. 1/3

www.thetimes.com/uk/education...

#send | Dr Kate Chhatwal OBE This is what a roomful of SENCOs and headteachers committed to improving provision and outcomes for young people with #SEND looks like. Today we launched the third cohort of Challenge Partners pionee...

More on LinkedIn 3/3:

www.linkedin.com/posts/activi...

Good to learn more about the Committee's recommendations around inclusive mainstream, accountability, better support in the early years, and parents as partners. Practical, sensible and well researched. Lots DfE can build on in their White Paper proposals. 2/3

Delighted to welcome Education Select Committee Chair @helenhayes.bsky.social to the launch of the 3rd cohort of @challengepartners.bsky.social pioneering #SEND Developmental Peer Review today. 1/3

All of us @challengepartners.bsky.social are devastated by the loss of Dave Baker @olympustrust.bsky.social, true system leader.

Read our full tribute here:
challengepartners.org/news/tribute...

Sunny start to the day at Spanish Banks #parkrun in #Vancouver #Canada. Small, stunning and lovely volunteers. #loveparkrun

It was such a joy to spot you at the finish after our recent emails. In person is always best and at parkrun is always better!

V happy (and somewhat hot) to be back at #parkrun today after a 2 week break to manage an #AxSpA flare. Huge thanks to @drailyntan.bsky.social for sharing research and encouragement. #loveparkrun

I do love a bluebell-strewn parkrun in the spring. We were treated this morning at Bethlem Royal Hospital parkrun. And the carpark welcome to direct first timers to the start was the warmest ever. #loveparkrun

We can wait.

And were you surprised???