Ofsted explores role of multi-academy trusts in inspections

at an individual school level, limiting the extent to which inspectors can report on the work of the trust, and its influence.

The report also finds that conversations with trusts are an integral part of a school’s inspection, and that inspections cover the influential role that trusts have in the quality of education in their schools, particularly in designing the curriculum.

level can leave the role of the trust in inspection unclear, causing frustration for trust leaders and inspectors.

Both trust leaders and inspectors highlighted that inspection at school level does not hold the trust sufficiently accountable or attribute enough credit to the trust’s work.

Ofsted has published a report exploring how multi-academy trusts’ work is evaluated during inspections and their influence over their schools. The new research finds that trusts are an important part of school inspection and have some involvement at each stage of the process. However, Ofsted’s legal remit only permits inspections to operate

It found that inspectors recognised the role of many trusts in setting expectations for teaching, and for teaching and managing behaviour, and that trusts often set the strategic vision for personal development and use their resources to provide opportunities for pupils. The report found that trust leaders said that they were always involved in strategic school leadership decisions, regardless of their operating model.

The fact that Ofsted’s legal powers require inspection to operate at school

Ofsted Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, said: “School trusts are an integral part of the education landscape, with some running dozens of schools. They oversee all aspects of schools’ work and often turn around some very challenging situations.

“The inspectors and trust leaders we spoke to highlighted that inspection only of individual schools does not hold the trust sufficiently accountable, or credit the trust enough for its work.”

Sport Uniforms

The Education and Welsh Language Minister Jeremy Miles has said that school uniforms should be made cheaper and that school logos should not be compulsory, as he published new statutory guidance.

The UK Chief Medical Officer (CMO) recommends that children aged 5 to 18 should be highly active (with an elevated heart rate) for an average of at least 60 minutes a day, across the week in order to stay happy and healthy.

However, research by Teacher Tapp commissioned by the Youth Sport Trust shows that over half of teachers (52 per cent) believe that children should be active for 30 minutes a day or less, and only 35 per cent of teachers think that children should be active for 60 or more minutes a day. This highlights the need for more support and training for schools and teachers.

Similarly, YouGov research commissioned by the Youth Sport Trust reveals that parents are more likely to believe that children only need to be active for 30 minutes a day, less than half of the recommended guidance. In a bid to drive up awareness of the Chief Medical Officers’ guidance, the charity has launched the annual National School Sports Week campaign, powered by Sports

Direct, to get more children ‘playing for fun, playing for 60’ between 19 and 25 June. The campaign will work with families, schools and across society to ensure that people are better informed about the benefits of sport and play for their children. National School Sports Week is aiming to boost children’s activity levels by encouraging people and organisations to make a #PledgeToPlay for 60 minutes every day during this week. Chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, Alison Oliver MBE, said: “National School Sports Week is a great opportunity for us to engage with schools and families. We’re excited to share some brilliant ideas and guidance as well as uniting a movement of organisations to help amplify why this is important and what’s available at a local level. We are inviting the nation to #PledgeToPlay.”

The announcement followed a public consultation on school uniform guidance, which sought opinions on affordability in order to support families through the cost-of-living crisis. Fifty-six per cent of those who responded agreed that logos should not be required on school uniforms in comparison to 27 per cent who disagreed. Nearly 90 per cent of respondents also felt that schools should avoid single supplier agreements.

There was almost universal consensus that schools should operate uniform exchange or recycling schemes. The new guidance calls for arrangements to be in place so that second-hand school uniforms are available for parents and carers.

The Minister, said: “We know that branded school wear can be a lot more expensive for families – that is why schools shouldn’t make them mandatory. There certainly should not be a requirement for multiple items to be branded.

“I know that most schools are doing everything they can to keep costs down for families. But we have still seen too many cases where families have had to purchase expensive uniforms. The guidance we are publishing will support schools in reducing these costs.”

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Government should pause post-16 education reforms

According to a new report by the Education Committee, the government should slow down with its post-16 education reforms, as rushing ahead risks leaving young people without suitable qualification pathways and deepening worker shortages in key sectors.

This is due to the Department for Education’s plans to withdraw funding from tried and tested Applied General Qualifications (AGQs), such as BTECs, before there is sufficient time for the evaluation and rollout of T Levels, the recently introduced technical alternative to A Levels.

The Committee’s report urges DfE to place a moratorium on the withdrawal of funding for AGQs until there is robust evidence that T Levels are demonstrably more effective at helping students progress, meeting industry needs and promoting social mobility. This argument was made by the vast majority of those who submitted evidence to the inquiry.

The cross-party Committee finds that withdrawing funding for many AGQs prematurely risks constricting student choice and narrowing progression opportunities. This could in turn lead to an increase in the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).

Meanwhile, the introduction of T Levels has been weakened by concern over unequal regional access to industry placements (the mandatory 9-week component of the programme), scalability concerns, and an apparent decline in employer interest in offering placements. T Levels will not succeed without significant industry buy-in.

The Committee argues that the ability of businesses large and small to offer sufficient, high-quality placements, and a clear track record of T Level success, should be prerequisites to scrapping AGQs.

MPs heard that T Levels may not be accessible to students with lower academic attainment or with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). DfE introduced the T Level Transition Programme for learners who require an additional year of preparation, but only 14 per cent of the programme’s first cohort of students moved onto a T Level – a figure the Committee calls “entirely inadequate”.

The report also notes the dramatic 41 per cent decline in under-19s starting apprenticeships between 2015/16 and 2021/22. New starts on level 2 (GCSE equivalent) apprenticeships fell 69 per cent over the same period.

The majority of apprenticeships are instead undertaken by older, more qualified adults. The Committee urges the Government to address this and make apprenticeships the gold-standard ‘earn and learn’ option for young people.

MPs also call for a “wholesale review” of 16-19 funding after hearing about the difficulties the sector faced due to real terms reductions in funding between 2010 and 2020.

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