In the news: your weekly round-up

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This week's headlines

DfE delays publication of their updated recruitment and retention strategy. This is as a result of “uncertainty” over future planning and the prime minister’s plans for the Advanced British Standard (ABS) qualification [Tes Magazine - registration required].

Support from GovernorHub Knowledge: Stay compliant while showing your staff some appreciation, by giving them financial and non-financial rewards and incentives.

Two thirds of school inspection grades now match performance outcomes according to Ofsted analysis. Inspectors didn’t take exam results into account during the pandemic, but are slowly returning to using data in inspections [Schools Week]. 

Support from GovernorHub Knowledge: Use our checklists to stay Ofsted-ready as a governor, and brush up on what questions inspectors might ask you. 

Almost a third of A-level students feel they need more support with their mental health. The COVID Social Mobility and Opportunities (Cosmo) study also found that year 13 students in state schools are twice as likely as those in private schools to feel under supported [Tes Magazine - registration required]. 

Support from GovernorHub Knowledge: Get an idea of what wellbeing initiatives look like, how you can help to implement them, and how to monitor their impact. 

Schools Week

• More than 150 academy warning notices prompts call to scrap policy
• DfE has published 31 updates online over holiday periods since promising to only release content during office hours
• Tech experts and school leaders working together to test whether AI can help schools
• Non-statutory Key Stage 1 SATs papers dubbed a “breathtaking waste of money”

Tes Magazine - registration required

• More than 2m pupils could be persistently absent from school according to Labour
• Ex-minister disappointed that not-in-school register left out of King's Speech
• Judicial review of Oak National Academy given the go-ahead

The Guardian 

• Newly-qualified teachers quitting UK for schools abroad due to abject pay and conditions

Upcoming dates

Friday 10 November - World Science Day for Peace and Development

Saturday 11 November - Armistice Day

Sunday 12 November - Diwali/Deepavali

Monday 13 November - Anti-bullying week begins

Tuesday 14 November - World Diabetes Day

Wednesday 15 November - Autumn term GCSE exams period ends

Thursday 16 November - UK Disability History Month begins

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