Read DYT’s education policy round up with a literacy and SEND focus. 

21st January 2019 

The education sector is gearing up for two major trade shows, as leading voices get together to discuss school business, policy and pedagogy in 2019 and beyond. We are attending both Bett and the Education Show, where we are delighted that DYT Facilitator, Richard Selfridge is hosting the ‘Policy in Practice’ stage over both days. There is a wide array of interesting sessions on offer, find out what’s on here.

Coming up this week:


Monday: 

Education Secretary Damian Hinds addresses the Education World Forum in London at 9 am. This is world’s largest gathering of education and skills ministers, getting together to discuss the future of education policy around the world, Hinds’ speech will give an idea of what he’ll be focusing on in the year ahead.

Later on, the government is questioned on the performance of pupils taking the subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate in the House of Lords.

Tuesday: 

The House of Lords kicks off with an oral question from the former Education Secretary, Lord David Blunkett on funding for children with special educational needs. We will monitor to see what the session covers, DYT joined the #ChildrenAtTheHeart campaign to call for a funding injection into the high needs budget, as well as building our own campaign to make the SEND notional budget transparent.

To end the day, the House of Commons Adjournment debate is on the funding of pupil referral units. Driver Youth Trust gave evidence in March to the Education Committee to help inform their inquiry on Alternative Provision.

Wednesday: (National Handwriting Day)  

Bett 2019 officially opens at 10:45 am with Damian Hinds making a speech.

In Parliament, the Public Accounts Committee will question HM Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. The Committee’s September report, concluded that Ofsted was not providing the level of independent assurance about the quality of education that schools and parents need. Spielman is likely to be questioned about how the proposed new inspection framework will make school inspection more efficient and effective.

Thursday:  

The Education Show opens.

It’s a busy day for statisticians, as revised government data on GCSE and A-Level results and school performance tables are published.

Friday: 

At the Education Show, there is a panel discussion on “Literacy, Social Mobility, and The Arts In Education” at 2:30 pm.

Over at Bett, there is a session titled: “Understanding dyslexia, recognising the minds of the future” at 4:30 pm, the event will feature work by Made by Dyslexia and Microsoft to provide free solutions to support learners in the classroom.

If you missed it:


Adam Boddison on Ofsted Inspection framework 

Writing in Schools Week, the Chief Executive of Nasen welcomes the “beefed up focus on SEND in Ofsted’s draft inspection framework” but calls for more to be done to incentivise schools to be inclusive. The framework proposal and consultation were published last Wednesday. This call echoes DYT’s demand that the inspectorate “practised what they preach” on SEND following their Annual Report, we will be responding to the inquiry with this message.


Damian Hinds challenged on SEND  

Education Committee member, James Frith MP, told the Education Secretary his plans have been a failure due to cuts in Local Authority support. Hinds replied with an update on the Ofsted/CQC inspections, which have led to 34 written statement of action letters.


Government calls for universities to improve support for disabled students

The new Universities Minister, Chris Skidmore MP, announced a roundtable of key stakeholders will discuss how the higher education sector can continue to break down barriers and secure improvements for students with disabilities. DYT Founder and Chair, Sarah Driver blogs on her experience of the Disabled Student Allowance system here.


Get in touch:


Dan Baynes
Policy Executive
daniel.baynes@driveryouthtrust.com