Freddie Whittaker
@fcdwhittaker.bsky.social
School Week’s deputy and political editor. Organiser of Hack Drinks. Education, politics, sad indie, the final frontier
Yikes - doc suggests resulting 1.7% decrease in mainstream school spending
November 26, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Yikes - doc suggests resulting 1.7% decrease in mainstream school spending
Breaking: Leaked OBR document states government will fund full cost of SEND provision from within central government departmental spending from 2028 - not clear if this means wiping the existing council deficits
November 26, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Breaking: Leaked OBR document states government will fund full cost of SEND provision from within central government departmental spending from 2028 - not clear if this means wiping the existing council deficits
What in the Star Trek Discovery
November 15, 2025 at 12:09 AM
What in the Star Trek Discovery
Same pal. Same
November 14, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Same pal. Same
Laura Trott now in conversation with former education secretary Michael Gove. He says she has second best job in history in politics (education secretary is best, he says). First question is about behaviour
October 7, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Laura Trott now in conversation with former education secretary Michael Gove. He says she has second best job in history in politics (education secretary is best, he says). First question is about behaviour
Education secretary @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social being interviewed at packed @csjthinktank.bsky.social and Parentkind fringe here at #lab2025
September 30, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Education secretary @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social being interviewed at packed @csjthinktank.bsky.social and Parentkind fringe here at #lab2025
Standing room only for Westminster Hall debate on SEND, called in response to this petition calling for legal rights to be maintained petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...
Shows the deep concern about upcoming reforms among MPs
Watch here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
Shows the deep concern about upcoming reforms among MPs
Watch here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
September 15, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Standing room only for Westminster Hall debate on SEND, called in response to this petition calling for legal rights to be maintained petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...
Shows the deep concern about upcoming reforms among MPs
Watch here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
Shows the deep concern about upcoming reforms among MPs
Watch here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
Proud to present edition 402 of
@schoolsweek.bsky.social
Scoop: Ofsted plans more 'shadow' inspections to test consistency
Locked down: The schools forced to take emergency measures
Profile: Gareth Conyard of the Teacher Development Trust
Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
@schoolsweek.bsky.social
Scoop: Ofsted plans more 'shadow' inspections to test consistency
Locked down: The schools forced to take emergency measures
Profile: Gareth Conyard of the Teacher Development Trust
Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
September 4, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Proud to present edition 402 of
@schoolsweek.bsky.social
Scoop: Ofsted plans more 'shadow' inspections to test consistency
Locked down: The schools forced to take emergency measures
Profile: Gareth Conyard of the Teacher Development Trust
Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
@schoolsweek.bsky.social
Scoop: Ofsted plans more 'shadow' inspections to test consistency
Locked down: The schools forced to take emergency measures
Profile: Gareth Conyard of the Teacher Development Trust
Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
Edition 395 of @schoolsweek.bsky.social done and dusted
Everything you need to know about today's pay announcement
@jackydys.bsky.social on high needs funding woes
Plus @johndickenssw.bsky.social long-read on the backlash to government SEND thinking
Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
Everything you need to know about today's pay announcement
@jackydys.bsky.social on high needs funding woes
Plus @johndickenssw.bsky.social long-read on the backlash to government SEND thinking
Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
May 22, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Edition 395 of @schoolsweek.bsky.social done and dusted
Everything you need to know about today's pay announcement
@jackydys.bsky.social on high needs funding woes
Plus @johndickenssw.bsky.social long-read on the backlash to government SEND thinking
Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
Everything you need to know about today's pay announcement
@jackydys.bsky.social on high needs funding woes
Plus @johndickenssw.bsky.social long-read on the backlash to government SEND thinking
Subscribe: schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
A motion on SEND states 'teachers, support staff, and school leaders must receive mandatory, fully funded, high-quality training in order to meet the needs of learners with complex SEND confidently and effectively'
Calls for 'evidence-based training programmes aligned with national standards'
Calls for 'evidence-based training programmes aligned with national standards'
May 3, 2025 at 2:14 PM
A motion on SEND states 'teachers, support staff, and school leaders must receive mandatory, fully funded, high-quality training in order to meet the needs of learners with complex SEND confidently and effectively'
Calls for 'evidence-based training programmes aligned with national standards'
Calls for 'evidence-based training programmes aligned with national standards'
Another motion passed raises alarm at the 'continued rise of far right and misogynistic, racist rhetoric and groups and the negative impact this is having on young people'
It calls for 'clear and concise statutory guidance to help schools understand what to do when they encounter these issues'
It calls for 'clear and concise statutory guidance to help schools understand what to do when they encounter these issues'
May 3, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Another motion passed raises alarm at the 'continued rise of far right and misogynistic, racist rhetoric and groups and the negative impact this is having on young people'
It calls for 'clear and concise statutory guidance to help schools understand what to do when they encounter these issues'
It calls for 'clear and concise statutory guidance to help schools understand what to do when they encounter these issues'
#NAHTconf has now passed a motion warning govt guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions 'is widely being incorrectly interpreted and consequently used to pressurise education settings and staff to provide medical care in place of qualified clinicians'
May 3, 2025 at 1:59 PM
#NAHTconf has now passed a motion warning govt guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions 'is widely being incorrectly interpreted and consequently used to pressurise education settings and staff to provide medical care in place of qualified clinicians'
That motion has passed
May 3, 2025 at 1:22 PM
That motion has passed
Cheers then Harrogate and #NEU2025. Now off to Liverpool for @nasuwt-official.bsky.social conference!
April 17, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Cheers then Harrogate and #NEU2025. Now off to Liverpool for @nasuwt-official.bsky.social conference!
#NEU2025 now onto a debate about teacher pensions
If passed, it would instruct the union's ruling executive to 'defend the TPS in all educational establishments and oppose any attempts by bodies such as United Learning Trust to leave the scheme'
Background here: schoolsweek.co.uk/academy-trus...
If passed, it would instruct the union's ruling executive to 'defend the TPS in all educational establishments and oppose any attempts by bodies such as United Learning Trust to leave the scheme'
Background here: schoolsweek.co.uk/academy-trus...
April 16, 2025 at 8:55 AM
#NEU2025 now onto a debate about teacher pensions
If passed, it would instruct the union's ruling executive to 'defend the TPS in all educational establishments and oppose any attempts by bodies such as United Learning Trust to leave the scheme'
Background here: schoolsweek.co.uk/academy-trus...
If passed, it would instruct the union's ruling executive to 'defend the TPS in all educational establishments and oppose any attempts by bodies such as United Learning Trust to leave the scheme'
Background here: schoolsweek.co.uk/academy-trus...
Final amendment being moved now, which states that 'Ofsted is continuing to make our members ill and to place them in imminent serious danger'
'We have to make sure we finish Ofsted for good,' says mover Hank Roberts
'We have to make sure we finish Ofsted for good,' says mover Hank Roberts
April 16, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Final amendment being moved now, which states that 'Ofsted is continuing to make our members ill and to place them in imminent serious danger'
'We have to make sure we finish Ofsted for good,' says mover Hank Roberts
'We have to make sure we finish Ofsted for good,' says mover Hank Roberts
Amendment passes calling for closer working with leadership members in opposing Ofsted
April 16, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Amendment passes calling for closer working with leadership members in opposing Ofsted
Now onto another amendment.
It states that 'while it should be bolder, the progressive aspects of the children’s wellbeing and schools bill should be defended, and the attempts of some MATs to weaken it should be opposed'
It states that 'while it should be bolder, the progressive aspects of the children’s wellbeing and schools bill should be defended, and the attempts of some MATs to weaken it should be opposed'
April 14, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Now onto another amendment.
It states that 'while it should be bolder, the progressive aspects of the children’s wellbeing and schools bill should be defended, and the attempts of some MATs to weaken it should be opposed'
It states that 'while it should be bolder, the progressive aspects of the children’s wellbeing and schools bill should be defended, and the attempts of some MATs to weaken it should be opposed'
Conference has also passed this amendment, which calls on the executive to 'pro-actively seek trust wide disputes'
April 14, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Conference has also passed this amendment, which calls on the executive to 'pro-actively seek trust wide disputes'
The conference is debating the motion: end academisation, bring back local control
April 14, 2025 at 1:20 PM
The conference is debating the motion: end academisation, bring back local control
NEU conference now debating a motion on the curriculum and assessment review, which calls for a potential boycott of SATs
April 14, 2025 at 10:54 AM
NEU conference now debating a motion on the curriculum and assessment review, which calls for a potential boycott of SATs
🗞️ Edition 390 done and dusted...
@rosafurneaux.bsky.social reveals the huge amounts councils spend on private SEND schools with repeated failures
@lydiach.bsky.social has the inside track on Ofsted's latest thinking about grading
Subscribe schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
#tomorrowspaperstoday
@rosafurneaux.bsky.social reveals the huge amounts councils spend on private SEND schools with repeated failures
@lydiach.bsky.social has the inside track on Ofsted's latest thinking about grading
Subscribe schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
#tomorrowspaperstoday
April 3, 2025 at 8:21 PM
🗞️ Edition 390 done and dusted...
@rosafurneaux.bsky.social reveals the huge amounts councils spend on private SEND schools with repeated failures
@lydiach.bsky.social has the inside track on Ofsted's latest thinking about grading
Subscribe schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
#tomorrowspaperstoday
@rosafurneaux.bsky.social reveals the huge amounts councils spend on private SEND schools with repeated failures
@lydiach.bsky.social has the inside track on Ofsted's latest thinking about grading
Subscribe schoolsweek.co.uk/subscribe-to...
#tomorrowspaperstoday