Lydia Chantler-Hicks

London

Senior Reporter at Schools Week

News reporter @standardnews | Email [email protected]

Articles

British Sign Language GCSE ‘unlikely before 2028’

1 week ago | schoolsweek.co.uk | Lydia Chantler-Hicks

British Sign Language GCSE ‘unlikely before 2028’ The Department for Education initially hoped the qualification would be launched in autumn this year The Department for Education initially hoped the qualification would be launched in autumn this year More from this theme Recent articles A much-anticipated GCSE in British Sign Language is not expected to be taught until 2028 at the earliest, three years later than planned.
Maths hubs funding drops (but DfE says it’s not a cut)

1 week ago | schoolsweek.co.uk | Lydia Chantler-Hicks

More from this theme Recent articles Funding for the government’s widely lauded maths hubs scheme will fall by 20 per cent next year, with one trust saying its budget has been slashed by a third. Leaders say the funding fall could result in redundancies and less support for teachers. However, the government says the change is not a cut.
Ofsted mulls report card inspection delay

1 week ago | schoolsweek.co.uk | Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Ofsted mulls report card inspection delay Inspectorate considering pushing back the roll-out of new inspections until 2026 Inspectorate considering pushing back the roll-out of new inspections until 2026 More from this theme Recent articles Ofsted may postpone the roll-out of its new school inspections until 2026, Schools Week can reveal.
Calls for language GCSEs to be graded less harshly

1 week ago | schoolsweek.co.uk | Lydia Chantler-Hicks

More from this theme Recent articles A prominent think tank is calling for modern foreign language and computer science GCSEs to be graded more generously, as analysis suggests they are consistently graded more severely than other subjects. FFT Education Datalab analysis of 2024’s GCSE results calculated average scores for every pupil in English and maths, and using this as a baseline, compared it to their grades in other subjects.
Is teacher recruitment showing ‘green shoots’ of recovery?

2 weeks ago | schoolsweek.co.uk | Lydia Chantler-Hicks

More from this theme Recent articles The education secretary says that a rise in teacher trainee applicants and improved retention rates show that her government is “turning the tide” on the recruitment crisis. Is that the case? Schools Week investigates …The Labour government has had little good news for its schools agenda. But new analysis this week has provided a double boost for promises to solve teacher recruitment woes.
Delivering 6.5k new teachers pledge ‘significant challenge’, says DfE

2 weeks ago | schoolsweek.co.uk | Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Government officials have admitted delivering Labour’s flagship election manifesto pledge to recruit 6,500 new teachers is a “significant challenge”, a new report has revealed. A National Audit Office report into teacher supply, published today, has ordered government to publish a full delivery plan for the pledge after the multi-year spending review later this year.
Teacher applicants rise across most subjects, as targets lowered 20%

2 weeks ago | schoolsweek.co.uk | Lydia Chantler-Hicks

The government has slashed its teacher recruitment targets by almost 20 per cent – as applicants to join the profession also rise this year across most subjects. One expert has said the findings suggest the “decade long teacher supply problem may finally be coming to an end” – and provide a double boost for Labour’s pledge to help solve school recruitment woes.
Perry's sister, sector leaders call for Ofsted reform pause

2 weeks ago | schoolsweek.co.uk | Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Perry’s sister and sector leaders call for Ofsted reform pause Last-ditch call for a delay comes on final day of Ofsted's consultation Last-ditch call for a delay comes on final day of Ofsted's consultation Ruth Perry’s sister has joined education sector leaders in a last-ditch call for Ofsted to pause its “rushed” planned reforms.
'Undue focus' on race can 'over-legalise' exclusions - judge

2 weeks ago | schoolsweek.co.uk | Lydia Chantler-Hicks

More from this theme Recent articles A Court of Appeal judge has said schools risk “over-complicating and over-legalising” decisions on exclusions if they give “undue focus” to a pupil’s ethnicity and background. A headteacher said her school had been “vindicated” after a landmark ruling that her academy acted lawfully when it permanently excluded a boy of black Caribbean heritage following “violent” behaviour.
Movers and shakers: OCR, Northern, All Saints

2 weeks ago | schoolsweek.co.uk | Lydia Chantler-Hicks

More from this theme Recent articles This week’s movers and shakers include a “keen Germanophile”, a former teacher navigating a mid-life crisis and one of the UK’s only serving professors working as a trust leader. This column is our fortnightly guide to who is moving where in the schools community. We are keen to hear about appointments at a senior level. Please send submissions for this section to [email protected] with ‘Movers and shakers’ in the subject line.