Today’s media blog looks at speculation surrounding gender pay and school lockdown procedures.
Gender pay
Ahead of the BBC releasing a list of their highest earners, there has been some coverage speculating why a gender pay gap exists in organisations across various sectors.
The Government is committed to reducing the gender pay gap and has introduced a range of initiatives to support women in the workplace.
As a part of this, we are ensuring that large private companies publish their gender pay gap by April 2018, shining a light on our workplaces to see where there is more to do and helping people make informed decisions about their career.
In addition, the pay gap data will be published by all government departments and the Department for Education is leading by example, having recently become the first to publish its gender pay gap and bonus pay gap.
School lockdown procedures
Today, 19 July, it was reported by the BBC that a teaching union wanted a more clarity over how schools should prepare lockdown procedures in case of a dangerous event.
It called on the government to pull together a comprehensive plan for schools to follow. We have, however, already published guidance that outlines how schools should work together with local emergency forces in their area as they are best-placed to determine their safety arrangements. A one-size fits all approach would make sense and that’s why we trust schools themselves to decide on their own approaches.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
Schools have a legal responsibility to ensure staff and pupils are safe.
We provide a range of support for schools, and constantly review guidance to ensure it is comprehensive and up to date. The National Counter-Terrorism Security Office also provides specialist advice on staying safe in the rare event of an attack, including tailored advice for education establishments.
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