News about Paul Whiteman

While the excuse of 'the dog ate my homework' has become cliché, other animals often crop up in odd explanations for why pupils are late to school. Research app Teacher Tapp asked 2,000 teachers about the most memorable excuses they've heard. One said that the student adorably explained they couldn't leave the house until all their toys had been hugged because the toys had anxiety. Another teacher was told the child's grandmother was meant to drop them off but she went to the wrong school. Teachers in rural schools responded to the survey with excuses that are animal-related, with pupils having to deliver various baby animals, 'catching guinea fowls in a net' and 'putting chickens back'. 

Dame Christine Gilbert, who led the independent learning review, said the culture of the education watchdog needs to be 'more open' if Ofsted is to fully learn from the tragedy of Mrs Perry's death. Mrs Perry took her own life after an Ofsted report downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading from its highest rating of 'outstanding' to its lowest rating - 'inadequate' - over safeguarding concerns.

Britain's strictest headteacher has warned the end of single-headline Ofsted grades is an 'indulgence of the tyranny of ''feelings being more important than facts''. Katherine Birbalsingh (left), the outspoken founder and headteacher of the high-achieving Michaela Community School in Brent, North London , said today that 'abolishing judgements because of leaders 'feeling bad' is a nod in the wrong direction'. She added that the reasoning behind the move, which is coming in with immediate effect, 'worries' her regarding the new Labour Government's future decisions. Ms Birbalsingh also said plans for new school 'report cards' from September 2025 will 'not give more clarity to parents' and this was 'bluster from the politicians'. Also responding today was Amanda Spielman (right), Ofsted's chief inspector of education from 2017 until 2023, who backed the changes but pointed out that parents prefer one-word school ratings.

Labour will scrap one-word Ofsted judgments despite warnings it could harm pupils by dumbing down standards. From today, all new school inspections will no longer brand them 'outstanding', 'good', 'requires improvement' or 'inadequate'. Instead, schools will get ratings for individual sub-categories - and from next year the grading system could be scrapped altogether. The move has delighted teaching unions, which have campaigned for it but were snubbed by the previous Tory government. Yesterday, shadow education secretary Damian Hinds said scrapping the 'vital' headline inspection outcome 'is not in the best interest of pupils or parents'.

Katharine Birbalsingh has warned the government disadvantaged children will 'suffer' if the overhaul goes ahead. It could see the end of isolation booths, suspensions and behaviour rules. The changes, which education leaders say are on the table, are being considered as a way of helping more vulnerable children who may misbehave or become disruptive due to problems at home or undiagnosed ADHD or autism. Ms Birbalsingh - a former social mobility Tsar - is leading the headteacher revolt and said if the law was to change then it would be the 'end of all good schools'.

Labour is set to modify the punishments that can be set by schools, which could see the end of isolation booths, suspensions and behaviour rules. The changes, which education leaders say are on the table, are being considered as a way of helping more vulnerable children who may misbehave or become disruptive due to problems at home or undiagnosed ADHD or autism. Education minister Stephen Morgan (inset) said that the current system is 'failing to meet the needs of children with additional needs.'

School suspensions have reached a record high as the number of pupils temporarily removed from classrooms has soared by more than a third, government figures show. The academic year of 2022/23 saw suspensions rise by 36 per cent compared to the year prior, with 786,961 suspensions on record. According to the Department for Education,  it is the 'highest recorded' number of suspensions in a single academic year. However, suspensions aren't the only form of reprimand on the rise, with exclusions up by nearly half. (stock image)

Schools are set to be told not to teach children sex education until pupils are aged nine and over, with explicit conversations delayed until they are aged 13, reports suggest. The revised guidance from Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, (right) is also expected to tell schools to avoid proactively teaching children about gender identity and instead explain the 'biological' facts about sex. School heads and MPs have criticised the proposals being brought forward. Concerned parents have also weighed in, alleging the current teachings are both 'age appropriate' and 'important'. One father, (left) speaking to MailOnline today, said that he believes sex education should be taught in secondary schools. He said: 'I'd say rather, at the end of primary school, beginning of secondary school would be the better time to tell them. At 13 years old you're into the second, third year of secondary school so you've got access to too much stuff at that age already, so I'd say, a bit earlier than that.'

There has been a backlash against Education Secretary Gillian Keegan's proposed total ban on sex education for infant children, with lessons not permitted until at least Year Five. She will unveil proposals for a total ban on sex education for infant children, with lessons not permitted to start until at least Year Five. Parents will also be given the right to see the material their children are being taught - but critics have today accused ministers of 'politicising' sex education.

Pupils with special educational needs are facing a 'full-blown crisis' due to funding cuts, headteachers have warned. In a survey of 1,000 school leaders, 99 per cent said the funding they receive for such children is inadequate. The research, by education union NAHT, also found many have been forced to reduce the number of teaching assistants or the hours they work. This is despite TAs being vital for the care of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Nearly four in five - 78 per cent - said they needed to reduce spending on TAs in the last three years due to funding pressures. Pupils with special educational needs are facing a 'full-blown crisis' due to funding cuts, headteachers have warned as 99 per cent of teachers say the funding they receive is inadequate (Stock image)

A survey of 1,000 school leaders found four out of five said they lack the funding needed to properly maintain school buildings. Six in 10 said they were dissatisfied with the state of their buildings, and almost a fifth said there were parts of their school estate which could not be maintained at all. This included toilets, laboratories, playgrounds and kitchens. Almost two in five said they had to raise funds to cover estate management and buildings.

The number of pupils being suspended from school in England has risen by nearly a third in a year to more than 260,000, Government figures have revealed. Data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows there were 263,904 suspensions in the spring term of 2022/23, compared to 201,090 during the spring term of 2021/22 - a rise of 31%. The number of suspensions in spring 2023 is the 'highest' termly figure recorded, the DfE said. Shocking stories have emerged of teachers being assaulted, pupils throwing objects across classrooms, skipping lessons and beating each other up. It has led many frightened teachers to contact their teaching unions and groups to say they are 'acting like social workers', whilst also fearing for their jobs.

Disturbing figures show number of children born in England and Wales has fallen to a record low, with campaigners blaming a combination of the Covid pandemic and rising cost of living for the drop. Meanwhile, more parents are opting to homeschool their children amid worries over their kids' mental health, with the latest figures showing 126,000 were taught at home between 2022-23, a surge of 12.6 per cent from 116,000 the previous year. The sweeping changes to Britain's schooling landscape have led to classroom sizes shrinking, with at least one primary school in London - where the problem is most acute - now facing closure after just six new pupils registered to join reception. It comes as the capital continues to struggle with an exodus of families and a falling birth rate, with 8,000 fewer children predicted to go to school in the next four years. A report into also found that by 2027 there will be more than 3,800 fewer children going into the first year of primary school in the capital - the equivalent of 134 reception classes.

An interactive map today revealed how pupil numbers in England are dropping amid a falling birth rate, as a report warned the trend could force some schools to close. Schools stand to collectively lose more than £1billion in funding by 2030 because they cannot fill their places, according to the Education Policy Institute think tank. The EPI says it will lead to headteachers taking 'cost-cutting measures' and mergers and closures. This will affect primary schools at first but eventually secondaries too. The birth rate is declining despite the fact that the population, largely as a result of immigration, is continuing to grow. The warning from the EPI comes after a Daily Mail investigation found hundreds of schools may close in the next six years , with dozens already at risk.

The number of school students who have been classified as'severely absent' - that is, missing at least half of all school days - is at a new high of over 150,000. With the figure upswing in just six years, fears are that serial absenteeism is'becoming embedded.' During the most recent year, there was a rise in almost 30,000 children who were "severely absent." During the 2020 lockdowns, head teachers said the'social contract' through which parents could have been 'fractured' since the pandemic had existed, and that families have fallen out of the daily school routine.

According to the shocking statistics, Britain has seen a rise in the number of children who are missing lessons, with 150,000 students skipping school. During the last academic year, the number of unauthorised student absences from schools in England increased from 2.1% to 2.4%, 2022/23. The absentee rate is nearly doubled in 2018-19, the last school year before the Covid-19 pandemic. The figures came after a school leader's union chief said this month that the social deal between families and schools had been 'fracturing.' Last month, the Department of Education revealed that it had developed a strategy to combat children skipping school, which included increasing fines for parents.

Schools could be forced to close as a result of a birth rate decline that may result in thousands of students dropping out of school in just a few years, according to experts. According to a survey, there will be more than 3,800 fewer children going into the first year of primary school in London alone by 2027, the equivalent of 134 reception classes. The decline comes after a 17% decline in London's birth rate, with startling estimates revealing that the number of reception students is expected to be 20,000 less than a decade ago. A similar drop is expected in the number of students entering secondary school, with London Councils alerting that some schools will have to merge or close as receiving less funding means less students. This is not restricted to London, with hundreds of primary schools around England and Wales at risk of closing due to rising birth rates.

Hundreds of primary schools could be forced to close by the end of the decade due to a drastic decrease in the number of births. According to the most recent estimates, the number of young children is projected to decrease by more than half a million by 2030, the equivalent of 17,000 classes or 1,800 schools. A baby boom in the early 2000s, partially fuelled by migration, died out, and births started to decrease from 2010 to 2010. Primary schools that were once scrambling to find extra classrooms are now unable to fill them, resulting in scores of students being withdrawn from Yorkshire, Norfolk, Cumbria, Brighton, Wigan, and London. According to new reports, the issue is also affecting secondaries, with 4,000 fewer students applying to London secondary schools this year compared to national averages. The Department of Education expects secondary student enrollment in the country to decrease by 33% by 2030, equal to 3,266 classes or 92 schools. On average, schools receive about £7,000 for each child on their registry, so if the numbers drop too far, it becomes unprofitable financially.

According to a recent report, nearly three out of every ten children in Birmingham and Reading have dropped out on their first-choice secondary school. This September, England and Wales will be granted seats for secondary school in Birmingham and Reading. The report, which was sent to councils around England, found that local authorities have consistently received less applications overall, compared to 2023. From 46 councils that have published comparable results, 16 have seen a rise in the proportion of pupils getting their first preference, while six have seen no change, while six have seen no change.

Parents celebrated today as their children received secondary school places, while others were anxiously awaiting amid a national shortage on places. On National Offer Day, one out of every five students are likely to miss out on their first choice and instead have to attend less popular schools or ones far from home. Applications in the United Kingdom have increased in recent years, owing to a baby boom a decade ago that was partially fueled by a rise in net migration. The number of students applying to secondary school is projected to hit a record high this year, which is expected to hit 625,000. It could result in national success rates falling to just over 80% from 82.6 percent last year and 83.3 percent the previous year. The situation in several London boroughs will no doubt get worse, with nearly half of students expected to fail out in Lambeth boroughs. However, some parents took to social media to express their delight in their children's first choice. 'James has been accepted for his secondary school program, and I'm so excited that he will begin secondary school in September.'

In the midst of a national shortage on places, a record number of students is likely to miss out on their first-choice secondary school today. Around one out of every five children is expected to attend less prestigious schools or those further from home. Applications have soared in recent years, owing to a baby boom a decade ago, which was partially fueled by a rise in net migration.

After Education Secretary Gillian Keegan's announcement that teachers will be subjected to similar sanctions, Angry families have asked whether teachers will be given similar penalties. Parents will face fines of up to £80 if their children are barred from attending lessons for a family break, which is a 33 percent increase from the previous £60 fine. There has been a resistance to the proposals, with parents arguing that they would rather risk fines than pay extortionate holiday rates during school holidays. And Manchester headteacher Karl Harrison told the BBC: 'If you are saving £1,000 on a holiday, what's an extra £20 in a fine?'One parent posted online: 'Can parents fine teachers £80 EACH per strike day taken making kids miss class too?

Almost one out of every five primary school inspection reports released by Ofsted this year have been classified as ineffective or needing improvement. So far in 2024, 725 primary schools have received an Ofsted report. The bulk of people are in the Good (66 percent) or Outstanding (16.7 percent) categories. 29 schools have been deemed ineffective over the first six weeks of the year, while 95 others require improvement. The records are stored on the Ofsted website and are updated on a daily basis.

Following the discovery of 'crumbly' concrete, more than 100 schools in England will be rebuilt or rebuilt, according to the government. A total of 234 schools and colleges had reinforced autoclaved concrete (Raac) in several areas of their buildings, according to a final list of impacted schools and colleges. The Department of Education (DfE) reported that 119 of these schools, where 'extensive' or 'complex' tasks are required, will have one or two buildings rebuilt or rebuilt as a result of the DfE's rebuilding program. Grant funds will be awarded to demolish Raac from their campuses and colleges, where their efforts will typically be smaller in size. According to the DfE, five schools have 'alternative arrangements' in place to deal with Raac's removal. Teaching unions have urged the government to provide "much-needed clarity" on how Raac issues in schools will be addressed. However, they cautioned that it was just one step' toward solving the problem.