Date: 21/01/21

By Alan Hardie, CEO at NCEAT.

In the week with ‘Blue Monday’, supposedly the most depressing day of the year, it would be easy to write another gloomy article this week. However, instead of writing about more frustrating U-turns by the Department for Education, I’m going to match the theme of this week’s edition by writing something positive instead.

Firstly, despite all of the challenges posed by online learning, it has been great to see some of the fantastic work being produced by pupils across our schools and campuses. For example, the work produced by pupils at Grace Darling Juniors and Josephine Butler for Martin Luther King Day on the theme of ‘I have a dream’. I also enjoyed some amazing art work by Duke’s pupils and seeing pupils get involved in the NCEAT Weekly Wellbeing Challenge, particularly some of the challenges undertaken by pupils from Castle School.

I’ve been impressed by the work of some of the pupils who are still attending school. The Year 5 and 6 pupils at James Knott looked as if they were having great fun making pizzas and I’m sure that they enjoyed eating the finished product afterwards!

I’m also cheered by the progress on the construction of the new modular early years, nursery and reception building at NCEA Warkworth C of E Primary School. This is due to be completed by Easter, creating more spaces for nursery and two year olds, with both 15 and 30-hour care packages. We are also looking at whether it is possible for us to expand our provision at James Knott to offer two year old provision, as this is the only campus which is currently without this provision.

As I mentioned last week, the Secretary of State for Education encouraged parents who are unhappy with a school’s remote learning to complain to OFSTED, if they felt that the school hadn’t resolved their complaint. It has been a big morale boost for school staff across England to find out that instead, OFSTED has been inundated with emails from parents and carers praising their school for the quality of remote education. OFSTED has now received 13,000 emails praising schools since Gavin Williamson urged parents to flag remote education concerns, but only around 260 complaints.

In recent weeks, I’ve expressed my frustration with the Department for Education (DfE) at times. However, this has never been my default position and I will also give praise where it is due. This week DfE have published for consultation their plans to reform vocational education and training for post-16 students. This document definitely seems to be a step in the right direction, with recognition that the 50% who don’t go on to university need access to better funding for training and qualifications. There is also a promise that employers will have a much greater influence on vocational qualifications, with a strong link to the needs of the local jobs market.
While there is a lot of the detail to be worked out, this does seem like a positive set of proposals. Let’s hope what will be fully in place by 2030 offers new and exciting opportunities for our pupils who are currently in early years and Key Stage 1.