Latest news with #TeachFirst
Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Chess prodigies who don't attend school shouldn't be flagged to authorities, peer says
Child chess prodigies who don't attend school don't need to be flagged to the authorities because they have clearly received a 'sufficient education', a Tory peer has said. Lord Wei, a social entrepreneur and former government adviser, is seeking to water down new rules for parents who want to take their children out of school by creating an exemption for chess grandmasters. It is one of a string of changes the peer has put forward to limit the reach of Labour's proposed new register of 'children not in school', which aims to prevent vulnerable pupils falling through the cracks. Under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is going through the Lords, local authorities will have to keep a record of children in their area who are not attending school full-time. Parents will have to let their council know if they want to take their child out of school to teach them at home, or if they will be persistently absent from the classroom, and provide details of their arrangements. The change, first proposed by the Tories, is intended to build a clearer picture for the authorities following a rise in home education and concerns over 'ghost children' – those who have disappeared from the school system – during the Covid pandemic. But it has proved controversial with the home schooling community, with some fearing it could lead to more state interference. Lord Wei, who is also a co-founder of Teach First, has tabled a series of amendments designed to rein in the register and prevent councils harassing parents who home-school their children. They include an exemption for chess prodigies, based on the assumption these children are already receiving a 'sufficient education'. The amendment says: 'A child who has achieved chess grandmaster status shall be considered to be receiving a suitable education and shall be exempt from registration under section 436B.' The accompanying explanation says: 'This amendment recognises that children who attain chess grandmaster status demonstrate exceptional intellectual achievement. It automatically treats them as receiving a sufficient education.' Lord Wei also wants to exempt certain families from the registration requirements, including those who have successfully home-schooled their children before, and to forbid councils from badgering parents for information more than once per year. One of his other amendments would allow an 'educational portfolio' as an alternative to registration, offering 'a less intrusive way for parents to demonstrate their child is receiving suitable education'. It is unlikely that Lord Wei's amendment on chess prodigies will pass, but even if it were added to the statute books, it would only affect a tiny minority of children. Last year, Shreyas Royal, then 15 years old, became the youngest grandmaster in the UK. To achieve the prestigious title, players have to win a series of games, typically across several tournaments. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, was a champion, if not a grandmaster, as a child, having caught the 'chess bug' aged seven. Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister, was also keen to promote the game when he was in No 10, calling it a 'great skill' that is 'really good for helping you think'.
Evening Standard
12-05-2025
- Business
- Evening Standard
How to Build the Mindset of Success: A masterclass with leadership expert Jo Owen
Jo Owen is an award-winning author, leadership expert and social entrepreneur. He co-founded Teach First, the UK's largest graduate recruiter, and has launched multiple NGOs focused on education and reoffending. He's the only person to have won the Chartered Management Institute Gold Award four times, and his books – including How to Lead, Tribal Business School and Global Teams – have been published in over 100 editions worldwide. The third edition of his bestselling Mindset of Success is out this June.
Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Sixth formers missing out on French and Spanish
Sixth formers are missing out on French and Spanish at A-level because there are not enough teachers, a poll has revealed. The survey, by the education charity Teach First, found that nearly a quarter of schools in the poorest areas of Britain do not offer French A-level, while 17 per cent do not offer Spanish or music. The charity said a shortage of trained teachers has locked pupils out of many opportunities. Teacher vacancies in England have been at their highest level since records began, according to the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). The findings followed union claims that the Government remains on track to miss its manifesto commitment to recruit 6,500 new teachers, funded by a VAT raid on private schools. The poll also found almost a third of schools in deprived communities do not offer computer science A-level because of a lack of teachers trained in the subject.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sixth formers missing out on French and Spanish
Sixth formers are missing out on French and Spanish at A-level because there are not enough teachers, a poll reveals. The poll, by the education charity Teach First, has found nearly a quarter of schools in the poorest areas of Britain do not offer French A-level, while 17 per cent do not offer Spanish or music. The charity says a shortage of trained teachers is locking many pupils out of many opportunities. Teacher vacancies in England are currently at their highest level since records began, according to the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). It follows claims from unions that the Government is on track to miss its manifesto commitment to recruit 6,500 new teachers, funded by a VAT raid on private schools. The new poll also found almost a third of schools in deprived communities do not offer computer science A-level because of a lack of teachers trained in that subject. Almost twice as many schools in the poorest areas lack a trained computer science teacher compared with the wealthiest areas. Schools in the poorest areas of the country are three times more likely to lack a trained music teacher. Russell Hobby, chief executive of Teach First, said: 'The impact of a great teacher goes far beyond the classroom – they open futures. But right now, too many young people are being locked out of studying A-levels like computer science because there simply aren't enough trained teachers. 'This blocks pupils from poorer areas from some of the best-paid careers in a fast-growing tech and AI-driven economy. If we do not act now, we won't just fail these young people – we'll hold our country back. 'The Government must act in the spending review: raise teacher pay, support those teaching in the schools and subjects that need them most, and make sure every pupil has access to the opportunities they deserve.' Belinda Chapple, the head teacher of Caterham High School, which is facing staffing shortages, said that the low levels of teachers left schools facing 'difficult choices'. She said: 'Across the country, schools like mine are making difficult choices because of the national staffing shortages in key subjects. 'We've struggled to recruit computer science teachers, like many other schools, removing a key career pathway for our A-level students. 'We urgently need increased funding for disadvantaged schools, increased teacher pay and additional pay premiums to attract subject experts to the schools that need them most – otherwise, we risk narrowing futures and deepening inequality for a generation.' In a report published in March, the NFER said unfilled teaching posts rose by more than a fifth in 2023-24 to hit six vacancies per 1,000 teachers last year – double the pre-pandemic rate and six times higher than in 2010-11. Meanwhile, the proportion of pupils in 'large' class sizes continues to rise, which the NFER said usually indicated a lack of high-quality teachers in schools. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
One in ten schools in poor areas do not offer physics A-Level due to teacher recruitment crisis - amid warnings of 'deepening inequality for a generation'
One in ten schools in poor areas do not offer physics A-Level due to teacher shortages, amid warnings of 'deepening inequality for a generation'. New research from the Teach First charity shows nine per cent of schools in disadvantaged areas have dropped physics, while 31 per cent have dropped computer science. In comparison, just one per cent of schools in wealthy areas do not offer physics, and only 11 per cent do not have computer science. It means disadvantaged pupils may be less likely to study these subjects than their wealthier peers, shutting them off from lucrative careers in science and technology. The study comes amid a deepening teacher recruitment crisis, as the Government tries to fulfil its pledge of 6,500 new teachers. Campaigners say pay and conditions need to improve in the sector to attract more trainees. Belinda Chapple, headteacher of Caterham High School, said: 'Across the country, schools like mine are making difficult choices because of the national staffing shortages in key subjects. 'We've struggled to recruit computer science teachers, like many other schools, removing a key career pathway for our A-Level students. 'We urgently need increased funding for disadvantaged schools, increased teacher pay and additional pay premiums to attract subject experts to the schools that need them most—otherwise, we risk narrowing futures and deepening inequality for a generation.' The research was carried out by survey service Teacher Tapp, with 1,319 senior school leaders taking part. It also showed 23 per cent of schools in the poorest areas do not offer French A-level and a 17 per cent do not offer Spanish, compared to just 3 per cent and 6 per cent respectively in wealthier schools. And 17 per cent of schools in the poorest areas said they do not offer music A-level, over triple the rate in the most affluent – 5 per cent. In addition, across all schools, 17 per cent said they lack a computer science teacher who completed their training in that subject. With around 3,500 secondary schools in the country, this means roughly 600 schools are without a trained computer science teacher. Russell Hobby, chief executive of Teach First, said: 'Too many young people are being locked out of studying A-Levels like computer science because there simply aren't enough trained teachers. 'This blocks pupils from poorer areas from some of the best-paid careers in a fast-growing tech and AI-driven economy. 'If we do not act now, we won't just fail these young people — we'll hold our country back. 'The government must act in the Spending Review: raise teacher pay, support those teaching in the schools and subjects that need them most, and make sure every pupil has access to the opportunities they deserve.' It comes after the National Audit Office (NAO) warned the pledge for 6,500 new teachers from Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson might not fix the shortage. In a report the NAO said it is 'not clear' whether the pledge will solve the problem as there is currently no 'delivery plan'. It said Government projections for future teacher shortfalls do not take into account 'existing shortages'. In addition, the Department for Education (DfE) has admitted delivering the 6,500 pledge will be a 'significant challenge'. The Department for Education has been contacted for comment.
