MAT powers for councils
Councils will be given powers to set up their own multi-academy trusts, following many years of campaigning by the LGA.
Education and schools
Millions ‘could be lost’ from school budgets
A total of £118 million for disadvantaged pupils could be lost from school budgets in England this year because of a government change in how this funding is calculated, new LGA analysis shows.
Schools’ return is ‘first step’ out of lockdown
As first was going to press, schools in England were preparing for the return of all pupils from 8 March, as part of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.
‘Catch-up’ education programme needs rethink
Education inequalities and learning gaps have been exacerbated by the pandemic to such an extent that they are unlikely to be solved by a quick “catch-up” initiative, the LGA has warned.
Schools closed and exams dropped
The LGA has praised the work of school leaders and councils in switching overnight to remote learning for pupils, after the latest lockdown was announced on 4 January.
School exams delayed
Most GCSES, AS and A levels will be held three weeks later next year to help address the disruption caused by the pandemic, the Department for Education has announced.
Schools should be ‘top priority’
Education should be “prioritised over other sectors” if the country goes into lockdown again, Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfield has said in a new briefing paper.
Local flexibility needed on school openings
Councils should be given the power to close schools or nurseries where testing indicates new clusters of COVID-19, the LGA has said