Calls to fix free school meal access
Tees Valley Education is one of nearly 100 signatories from local councils, food, poverty and children's organisations to an open letter calling on the government to make it easier for children and families to access free school meals.
Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to bring reform
The government aims to let councils reopen schools and enforce reformed teacher pay scales under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Plans to register children not in school
The register, also part of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, is expected to come into force in 2025.
School day change boosts belonging
A Headteacher suggests that an 11-hour school day could expand to more schools after a £20,000 research trial improved behaviour, homework completion, and pupils' ‘sense of belonging.’
Children take on Mariah Carey…
Pupils from St James the Great Primary in Thornton Heath have released a Christmas single, aiming to compete with Mariah Carey and Wham! for the festive top spot.
Research
Achieve and Thrive:
A research-based guide to pupil motivation and engagement
[Farndon; Ambition Institute, 2024]
Access the research resource here
Pupils' experiences of education are shaped by their daily interactions with teachers, peers, and their learning environment. While schools have made progress by creating predictable and structured settings that focus on the core aspects of learning, there is a growing recognition that something vital is missing.
Recent trends reveal increasing concerns about pupil motivation, with rising rates of persistent absence, classroom disruption, and a decline in pupils’ happiness and enjoyment of school.
Although many of the underlying causes lie beyond the control of schools, teachers and leaders continue to ask how they can address these challenges.
Improving pupil engagement is essential to fostering a positive learning culture where children can thrive and achieve. I personally believe this is vital to tackling inequality in schools and communities too.
Steve Farndon is no stranger to us at TVEd and he regularly makes me think about teacher education and development.
Steve leads various CPD programmes at Ambition Institute and he has produced this excellent guide.
The guide aims to help teachers and school leaders understand the importance of pupil engagement in driving positive outcomes. It explores theories of motivation, highlighting how meeting children’s psychosocial needs can significantly enhance the quality of their motivation.
It provides 13 research-based insights on effective strategies, offering practical advice to translate these theories into actionable steps for schools.
The resource is free and readers can also access a summary of the report here.
HRI Paediatric Diabetes Service: Poverty-Proofing™ Case Study
[Gupta; Children North East & Poverty Proofing, 2024]
I have written before about the impact of Poverty Proofing the School Day and the work that Children North East do to support organisations in developing poverty-informed strategies to tackling inequality.
This recently published case study explores how Dr. Sanjay Gupta and the HRI Paediatric Diabetes Service have developed strategies to address the impact of poverty on children with diabetes following engagement with Poverty Proofing.
It focuses on the ways the service has adjusted its approach to care to ensure equitable access for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, improving their health outcomes despite financial constraints.
The study highlights practical measures, such as tailored support and resources, that aim to reduce the barriers posed by poverty in managing chronic health conditions like diabetes.
A reminder that Poverty Proofing the School Day are a co-author of a forthcoming book written by me and other co-authors aimed at teachers and leaders wanting to better tackle inequality in educational settings.
(Source: Children North East, 2024)
A hard day’s night
The labour market experience of low-to-middle income families
[Cominetti & Murphy; Resolution Foundation, 2024]
This report, part of the ‘Unsung Britain’ programme, examines the labour market experiences of low-to-middle income families over the past 25 years, focusing on employment, pay, job satisfaction, and career progression.
The report shows that, while the employment gap between the poorest and richest families has narrowed, workers in poorer households still face greater job insecurity and dissatisfaction.
Many workers in these households report concerns such as unexpected overtime, stress, and poor management.
(Source: Resolution Foundation, 2024)
Although the Employment Rights Bill, which includes protections against unfair dismissal and a new right to guaranteed hours, is expected to help, employers are urged to improve management practices and show greater respect for workers.
Over the past quarter century, workless households have decreased from 21% to 14%, with much of this change occurring within low-to-middle income families, whose employment rates have risen significantly.
However, these workers still earn much less, with a median hourly pay of £11.20 compared to £17.65 for those in higher-income households.
Low-to-middle income workers are also more likely to have insecure jobs, such as zero-hours contracts or temporary roles.
Additionally, in 2021-2022, 1.7 per cent of low-to-middle income workers were doing ‘gig’ work as a driver or courier, compared to 1.3 per cent of higher-income workers.
Despite the disparities, workers across all income levels prioritise job satisfaction, security, and good relationships at work, rather than high pay.
Job satisfaction has increased slightly over the last decade, though a small gap remains between low-to-middle and higher-income workers.
Additionally, many workers in low-to-middle income families are reluctant to change jobs or seek career advancement due to financial barriers, such as high marginal effective tax rates on benefits when their earnings increase.
One reason for this is the financial barriers to progression, with those in receipt of means-tested benefits facing high marginal effective tax rates (METRs) as benefits are withdrawn when earnings rise.
Low-to-middle income couples with children face METRs of 42 per cent, and these rise to 56 per cent for low-to-middle income single parents.
Does within-school between-class ability grouping harm the educational outcomes of socioeconomically disadvantaged children? International evidence.
[Jerrim et al; UCL, 2024]
This recent study led by Professor John Jerrim from the UCL Institute of Education, suggests that setting and streaming students by ability in schools does not harm the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils.
The research, based on data from the 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), found no evidence that ability grouping or mixed-ability grouping has a significant impact on students’ academic self-confidence, enjoyment, or test scores, regardless of their socio-economic background.
The research also suggests no indication that teachers felt less time pressured when using ability grouping.
Jerrim et al (2024) note some signs that primary teachers might feel more comfortable supporting struggling students and stretching the highest achievers with this approach.
The findings challenge prevailing narratives that suggest ability grouping harms disadvantaged students, pointing out that many previous studies inferred negative effects without directly showing them.
It is useful to note that while ability grouping is widespread in England’s schools, the study does not provide clear evidence that one approach is superior to the other. Important that school leaders remember this when citing evidence!
Jerrim argues that school leaders should make decisions based on their context, knowing that there is no strong evidence to suggest that achievement grouping harms disadvantaged pupils.
Investigating the barriers and the protective factors influencing GCSE achievement in secondary education
[Martin-Denham et al; SHINE & University of Sunderland, 2024]
This research, commissioned by SHINE and led by Martin-Denham et al (2024) from the University of Sunderland, investigates the factors influencing GCSE achievement in the North East.
It involved analysis of school census data, thematic contributions from 84 participants (including students, teachers, and parents), and a co-created film project with young people.
The research indicates that attainment at the end of primary school is a key determinant of grades at GCSE, and that factors such as socioeconomic disadvantage, special educational needs, and disruptions to school attendance, are creating significant obstacles to academic success.
Researchers point to the strong support schools are providing already and highlight areas where additional help would be especially effective.
A result of 10 months of work, the in-depth study sourced evidence from more than 80 participants across the city, including headteachers, senior school leaders, teachers, parents, children, and representatives from charities and local agencies.
Significance of prior academic achievement: Students with lower prior attainment at primary school often struggled to achieve higher grades at secondary school. Literacy emerged as a specific area where early and consistent support is needed.
Effect of low-income backgrounds: Students who receive free school meals generally have lower grades and show less academic progress compared to their peers. The effect is even more noticeable among students who previously performed best in primary school.
Impact of attendance and exclusions: Lower attendance rates and higher suspension rates were found to have a direct correlation with lower GCSE attainment. Students who have received at least one suspension or who were regularly absent from school often showed declines in grades. This impact was also especially strong for students who previously had high prior achievement levels.
Social and emotional barriers: Strong mental health, and positive relationships between schools and families, were also associated with higher attainment. The report recommends support could be further strengthened in these areas. It also calls for more connections between secondary and primary schools, to better prepare children for the challenges of moving school.
Career related learning: Children would also benefit from access to additional personalised support in school and understanding more about the opportunities available to them when they leave.
(Source: Martin-Denham et al; University of Sunderland, 2024)
Thanks to SHINE for their work in the North East to tackle these inequalities and for their recent investment in Sunderland as an area.
A reminder that applications close soon for Let Teachers SHINE funding too!
Leaders' mistakes and what they learned
[Ellen Peirson-Hagger; TES, 2024]
From curriculum changes to poor hiring decisions, school and trust leaders share a mistake they made – and, crucially, what they learned from the experience.
This latest feature in TES by Ellen Peirson-Hagger is a timely insight into why we need to celebrate the wins in educational leadership but also go into a new year with the humility of learning from previous mistakes.
Well done Stuart Mayle, a regular subscriber and one of our Headteachers at Tees Valley Education, for contributing to the feature and reflecting on your learning as a strategic leader.
Opportunities
Vacancy opportunities
Chartered College of Teaching
The CCoT are recruiting for a number of important roles at the moment.
As a Fellow with the CCoT, I know firsthand the valuable contribution that they make to the education sector.
The video below from Dame Alison Peacock, CEO, outlines more about the work of the CCoT and these exciting opportunities.
You can also visit this link to find out more about the roles and the application process.
Pupil Premium: Ensuring Successful Outcomes
Pupil Premium: Ensuring Successful Outcomes is a national conference, designed by SecEd and Headteacher Update to tackle the consequences of disadvantage in schools across the country.
I am delighted to be contributing to the conference again, where TVEd will share about PLACE and the place-based work we are leading with others to tackle inequality in the North of England.
The conference is for anyone involved in the planning and delivery of Pupil Premium in primary or secondary schools and will provide practical workshops and two essential keynote sessions on tried and tested approaches that improve outcomes for all students.
Expert-led workshops will focus on ideas, interventions and strategies that have been road-tested and can be easily implemented in your classrooms, schools, and trusts.
Book today at the early bird rate and access full details of the programme here
