Dear Subscribers
I do hope that those of you in schools and colleges had a good half term break.
We start with my area of teacher training. The DfE has updated its criteria and guidance document for ITT providers. Much of the content focusses on the new Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) days, which will be a key feature of all ITT courses for next year. The updates include guidance about ITAPs in school placements, stating that ‘Intensive Training and Practice may take place in either or both of the two general placement schools where a trainee is located, though it must be additional to and distinct from the general placement itself.’ A little more flexibility has been introduced with regard to the training and role of mentors, although the core time requirements remain unaltered.
Moving on to schools, you may have caught some of the current debate around the use of mobile phones in schools – a contentious issue. Along with a press release, new guidance on mobile phones was published on Monday. The guidance backs head teachers in banning the use of mobile phones, including at breaktimes. The DfE guidance on behaviour management has been updated accordingly.
Turning to curricular matters, in December, the House of Lords Education Committee published a series of recommendations for 11-16 education to which the DfE has now responded. Most of the Committee’s proposals have been rejected, including calls to reduce the content lead of GCSEs; offer alternative level 2 literacy and numeracy qualifications; and introduce a new applied computing GCSE. However, the government agrees with a proposal to ‘explore innovative ways to encourage schools to promote language learning, whether or not as a GCSE subject, and to address practical barriers, including the limited supply of suitably qualified teachers’. So, watch this space.
The Turing Scheme provides grant funding to schools and colleges to fund international study and work places for students all over the world. The scheme is now open for bids for the next academic year – the application window runs from 15th February to 21st March.
An update for any in the Post-16 school or further education sector. The DfE has published the list of level 3 courses which will attract the high value courses premium in 2024-25. The listed courses attract extra funding to encourage delivery of subjects that are ‘crucial for the labour market, lead to higher wage returns, and a more productive economy’.
Staying with level 3 qualifications, an updated list of T level providers has also been published. T levels, the government’s flagship alternative to A levels, are now in their 4th year.
I look forward to updating you again next week.
