Edco News Round up October 2020

Ofsted's briefing on schools highlights areas of concern.

Ofsted latest report, which leans on evidence from 380 visits to schools between the end of September through to the third week in October, highlights worrying amounts of school reporting well-being issues, SLT working harder than ever and a rise in the rate of exclusions.

You can read the full findings in the DfE link below.


Briefing on schools, October 2020 - Department of Education
Rise in self-harming pupils, exclusions concern and heads ‘firefighting’ – Ofsted’s latest ‘visits’ analysis - Schools Week

Trends emerge between school attendance and the poorest areas of the country.

Research carried out by Datalab indicates that children from the most impoverished backgrounds are the least likely to be attending school in-person in recent months.

This could be further proof that the pandemic will continue to exacerbate inequality across the UK.


Pupils in the poorest areas of the country are missing the most schooling - DataLab
What new Datalab analysis tells us about Covid and school attendance - Schools Week

A new type of degree?

The London Interdisciplinary School has been given new powers to award a new type of degree. The institution will not teach subjects' per se' and instead focus on skills such as problem-solving by studying fields including the arts, philosophy and science.

The potential new intake will be subject to an interview rather than requiring A-Level results or UCAS points to get in.


New college opening with degrees with no subjects - BBC News
UK: LIS secures degree awarding powers - The PIE News