Warwick Mansell
@warwickmansell.bsky.social
Dad of two. Founder/writer of the website Education Uncovered. Investigating and reporting on education policy since 1997. Please support my work via a subscription to educationuncovered.co.uk Views personal.
Perhaps people should be relieved that the review proposed fewer concrete changes at primary than at secondary, he says. But he argues that overall the review “feels a little condescending”.
November 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Perhaps people should be relieved that the review proposed fewer concrete changes at primary than at secondary, he says. But he argues that overall the review “feels a little condescending”.
The answer is partly as the curriculum appears to have been reviewed from older ages backwards, he argues. Then there was the make-up of the review team.
November 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
The answer is partly as the curriculum appears to have been reviewed from older ages backwards, he argues. Then there was the make-up of the review team.
“Why in the report does the primary stage receive far less attention than the secondary one?" Colin asks.
November 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
“Why in the report does the primary stage receive far less attention than the secondary one?" Colin asks.
It means teachers from these countries are now treated in the same way as those from others including the EU, US and Canada have been. NEU highlighting the change as a result of campaigning.
November 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
It means teachers from these countries are now treated in the same way as those from others including the EU, US and Canada have been. NEU highlighting the change as a result of campaigning.
The change means that, whereas previously teacher recruits from countries including Jamaica, Ghana, India and Nigeria had only been put on fast-track route to QTS if they taught some secondary shortage subjects, now all are in that category.
November 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
The change means that, whereas previously teacher recruits from countries including Jamaica, Ghana, India and Nigeria had only been put on fast-track route to QTS if they taught some secondary shortage subjects, now all are in that category.
Move came 12 months after Observer story highlighting plight of some Jamaican teachers left years on unqualified teacher scale at Harris Federation.
November 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Move came 12 months after Observer story highlighting plight of some Jamaican teachers left years on unqualified teacher scale at Harris Federation.
Some explanation of why that might be in this piece - reserves increased in both sectors during pandemic; big trusts spend less at classroom level - plus reaction.
November 18, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Some explanation of why that might be in this piece - reserves increased in both sectors during pandemic; big trusts spend less at classroom level - plus reaction.
This equated to 10.9 per cent of annual income held in reserve in academy trusts, compared to 7.1 per cent in LA maintained schools.
November 18, 2025 at 1:51 PM
This equated to 10.9 per cent of annual income held in reserve in academy trusts, compared to 7.1 per cent in LA maintained schools.
The academies sector as a whole had £2.7 billion in reserve in 2023-24, DfE data shows, compared to £1.8 billion in local authority maintained schools.
November 18, 2025 at 1:51 PM
The academies sector as a whole had £2.7 billion in reserve in 2023-24, DfE data shows, compared to £1.8 billion in local authority maintained schools.
I’m going to do a separate thread about an accompanying story I’ve done on this, setting out the impact of reducing academy reserves to that seen in the non-academy (maintained school) sector.
November 18, 2025 at 1:50 PM
I’m going to do a separate thread about an accompanying story I’ve done on this, setting out the impact of reducing academy reserves to that seen in the non-academy (maintained school) sector.
DfE told me: “Our guidance clearly states that trusts must be transparent in how they manage their reserves and we will engage with any that are not adhering to the expected standard.”
November 18, 2025 at 1:50 PM
DfE told me: “Our guidance clearly states that trusts must be transparent in how they manage their reserves and we will engage with any that are not adhering to the expected standard.”
NEU argument that the private management of academy trusts can leave decision-making on such vital matters to take place behind the scenes, without boards seemingly having to justify decisions in detail, seems powerful.
November 18, 2025 at 1:50 PM
NEU argument that the private management of academy trusts can leave decision-making on such vital matters to take place behind the scenes, without boards seemingly having to justify decisions in detail, seems powerful.
Defining all of these reserves as useable – and Cockburn's accounts suggest that most of them are generated through normal DfE running cost grants – and following DfE recommendations for reserve levels would suggest this trust should spend an extra £20m rather than holding it back.
November 18, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Defining all of these reserves as useable – and Cockburn's accounts suggest that most of them are generated through normal DfE running cost grants – and following DfE recommendations for reserve levels would suggest this trust should spend an extra £20m rather than holding it back.
And another small chain, Cockburn Multi-Academy Trust, had £26.6m in reserves, or 80 per cent of its annual income, though it only seemed to count £3m of this as “free” reserves in its accounts.
November 18, 2025 at 1:49 PM
And another small chain, Cockburn Multi-Academy Trust, had £26.6m in reserves, or 80 per cent of its annual income, though it only seemed to count £3m of this as “free” reserves in its accounts.
Star Academies had reserves of £40 million, or 22 per cent of its annual income, which was very high as a proportion of income for such a large trust.
November 18, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Star Academies had reserves of £40 million, or 22 per cent of its annual income, which was very high as a proportion of income for such a large trust.
Brampton Manor Academy faced controversy in 2021 after losing an employment tribunal case, after which it emerged that it was only paying teachers statutory sick pay of less than £100 a week, as it adopted a “zero tolerance of staff absence” policy.
November 18, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Brampton Manor Academy faced controversy in 2021 after losing an employment tribunal case, after which it emerged that it was only paying teachers statutory sick pay of less than £100 a week, as it adopted a “zero tolerance of staff absence” policy.
Individual stories within this list are remarkable. One academy trust with only two schools, albeit very large ones – the Brampton Manor Trust, in East London, had reserves of £38 million as of 2023-24, or 91 per cent of its annual income.
November 18, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Individual stories within this list are remarkable. One academy trust with only two schools, albeit very large ones – the Brampton Manor Trust, in East London, had reserves of £38 million as of 2023-24, or 91 per cent of its annual income.
The figures come with the DfE having told the School Teachers’ Review Body that: “There is significant potential in under-utilised assets across the school sector, including sizeable financial reserves.”
November 18, 2025 at 1:47 PM
The figures come with the DfE having told the School Teachers’ Review Body that: “There is significant potential in under-utilised assets across the school sector, including sizeable financial reserves.”
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Parents and staff will be shocked to learn that such large sums are being held by the organisations that manage their schools.”
November 18, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Parents and staff will be shocked to learn that such large sums are being held by the organisations that manage their schools.”
The 10 trusts holding the highest amounts collectively held more than a third of a billion pounds in reserve between them.
November 18, 2025 at 1:47 PM
The 10 trusts holding the highest amounts collectively held more than a third of a billion pounds in reserve between them.
Collectively, the amount these trusts held in reserve added up to more than half of the reserves of all of England’s non-academy schools put together, despite the trusts’ collective income being only just over a quarter of that seen in the non-academy sector.
November 18, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Collectively, the amount these trusts held in reserve added up to more than half of the reserves of all of England’s non-academy schools put together, despite the trusts’ collective income being only just over a quarter of that seen in the non-academy sector.