The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

Alex Masters

The DfE round up – week ending 10/7/15

From teacher pay and maths hubs to definitions of education and tackling LGBT, it has been an interesting week at the DfE. Alex Masters sums up this week’s reports

Leadership and governance

Census: A guide to submitting school census data, including deadlines, technical information, specifications for software suppliers developing school summary reports and information on recently-closed census collections. Education: Schools Minister Nick Gibb offers his definition of ‘the purpose of education’ including: ‘the engine of our economy’, ‘the foundation of our culture’ and ‘essential preparation for adult life’. Equality: Nicky Morgan gives a speech celebrating two years of the Women’s Business Council where she states that ‘gender equality isn’t just good for women - it’s good for business’ and that the issue is ‘critical to our economy’. Academy proposers: Here is a list of LAs seeking academy and free school proposers, and of all academies and free schools already set up. Independent: Advice and requirements for prospective proprietors of independent schools that are not academies or free schools, as well as the revised standards that came into effect January, 2015. Transparency data: Find information about all state-funded and independent schools in England, including school type address and phone number. This is taken from EduBase and updated every month.

Teaching and learning

Maths hub: An application form and guide for schools and colleges that want to lead a maths hub in south-east London and Cumbria or north Lancashire.

School business management

STPCD: Nicky Morgan has accepted recommendations from the STRB’s report and will revise the STPCD documents accordingly. Here is the current guidance, which was last updated 25 September 2014 and related documents. Capital funding: Find details on school capital funding allocations 2015-18, including school condition allocations and devolved formula capital (DFC) allocations. Funding: Find out how much revenue funding alternative provision (AP) free schools will receive in the 2015-16 academic year, including a financial template. Pupil premium: Includes how much pupil premium funding schools receive, how they should spend it and how they are held to account as well as funding allocations were released earlier in the month. UIFSM: Information on how much funding schools and local authorities get to provide UIFSM, and where schools can get advice. Also, the provisional revenue funding allocations for 2015-16 academic year.

SEN and safeguarding

LGBT: Nicky Morgan’s speech on tackling LGBT bullying: she comments on the role of PSHE, discrimination against trans young people and LGBT young people not currently in education, training or employment. Rochdale: The DfE has also issued an improvement notice to Rochdale Council due to poor performance in children’s social care services. Childcare: Here are the supporting documents for the Childcare Bill 2015-16. This includes a policy statement and impact assessment. You can also follow the passage of the childcare bill and read related documents.

Further reading:

Having trouble accessing the resources above? Why not find out how Optimus supports schools with their CPD provision and request a demo of In-House Training and Knowledge Centre or take a free trial.

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