Today’s news review looks at funding for academisation plans, and international teacher recruitment.
Academisation funding
On Friday, 27 January, it was reported that £384million previously allocated to turn all schools into academies was no longer being used by the department after we announced that we would not go ahead with these plans.
It is important to make clear that the government is continuing to protect core, frontline schools funding, which is now at a record level. As the government announced in May that it no longer intends to require all schools to become academies, funding is no longer required to cover the costs of this policy.
A Government spokesperson said:
The government has protected core schools funding and it is now at a record level - more than £40 billion this year. There are now almost 1.8m more children being taught in good or outstanding schools than in 2010.
Teacher recruitment
On Thursday, 26 January, it was reported by the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail that the government is planning to recruit internationally for specialist teachers in maths and physics.
It follows an open tender opportunity being advertised by the NCTL for organisations to support schools in recruiting qualified teachers in shortage subjects from overseas.
We have listened to the needs of schools, and have responded by intending to engage with experts to aid the supply of high quality overseas teachers.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
As part of our commitment to STEM subjects, and based on direct feedback from schools themselves, we are supporting schools to recruit, employ and develop high quality overseas maths and physics teachers. Schools will play a key role in assessing overseas candidates, ensuring their needs are met, and will be responsible for awarding employment contracts.
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