trust finances

Kreston Reeves Academy Report: An In-Depth Look at Trust Finances

PAG Staff2025, Article, DfE, free schools, Fund, Leadership, Local Authorities, Schools, SEND

Kreston Reeves Academy Benchmarking Report 2025:Key Insights on the State of Trust Finances  The Kreston Reeves Academies Benchmarking Report 2025 provides a critical analysis of the financial health, funding trends, and operational challenges facing Academy Trusts across England. With increasing financial pressures, shifting government policies, and changing pupil demographics, the report offers essential insights for MAT leaders, school finance professionals, …

Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: A Transformative Shift in English Education Policy

PAG Staff2024, Article, DfE, free schools, Government reporting, Local Authorities, Policy, Press Release, Schools, SEND

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill:A Transformative Shift in English Education Policy  The UK government this week unveiled its Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, a legislative proposal that has sent shockwaves of sorts through the sector, designed to reshape the landscape of education governance, teacher pay, school admissions, and children’s welfare in schools. Containing significant changes aimed at promoting equity, …

Ofsted report

Ofsted Annual Report 2023/24: Driving Change in Education

PAG Staff2024, Article, Case Studies, DfE, Early Years, free schools, Governance, Policy, Schools, SEND

Ofsted’s Annual Report 2023/24: Driving Change in Education  The 2023/24 Ofsted Annual Report represents a transformative chapter in the evolution of England’s education and social care landscape. After a period of unease and scrutiny for the divisive organisation, and under the leadership of Sir Martyn Oliver, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, the report reflects the outcomes of the most extensive consultation …

retained advisory

A Conversation with Emma Bradshaw, Executive Principal and CEO of Alternative Learning Trust

PAG Staff2024, alternative provision, Article, CEO, free schools, Interview, Profiles, Schools, SEND, Testimonials

A Conversation with Emma Bradshaw, Executive Principal and CEO of Alternative Learning Trust PAG puts our clients and, ultimately the children and communities they serve, at the heart of everything we do. While we don’t set foot in the classroom (though some of us did before joining the company), we know that by working with our clients to deliver the …

Labour party education

Labour Party Education Reforms: Points from the 2024 Conference

PAG Staff2024, Article, free schools, Government reporting, Policy, Schools, SEND

Labour Party Education Reforms:Major Talking Points from the 2024 Conference The 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool has brought a renewed focus on education, with the party outlining its vision for tackling critical challenges facing schools in England. From introducing free breakfast clubs to addressing the systemic issues within Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, the Labour Party education …

Ofsted

Ofsted’s New Look

PAG Staff2024, Article, Governance, Local Authorities, Schools, SEND

Ofsted’s New Look  On 16 September 2024, significant changes to the Ofsted school inspection framework came into effect, aimed at increasing transparency and reducing pressure on school leaders. These changes were designed to address long-standing concerns about the inspection framework and to create a more supportive environment for school leaders and staff while maintaining accountability following widespread debate and feedback, …

Bridget Phillipson

Bridget Phillipson’s Faces First Education Questions from MPs

PAG Staff2024, Article, DfE, free schools, Government reporting, Local Authorities, Policy, Schools

Bridget Phillipson Faces First Education Questions from MPs  Bridget Phillipson and her ministerial team faced their first round of questions from MPs yesterday after Labour’s victory in the July election. The topics, centered around some of the most pressing issues in education today, included SEND education, the ongoing funding challenges, private schools, and the relationship between the government and teachers’ …

single headline grades

Moving Beyond Ofsted’s Single Headline Grades

PAG Staff2024, Article, DfE, free schools, Government reporting, Leadership, Schools

Moving Beyond Ofsted’s Single Headline Grades  As was expected, the Department for Education (DfE) has announced that from today, schools will no longer be assessed using Ofsted’s single headline grades, often referred to as single-word judgements. This move marks the beginning of a broader overhaul of the school accountability system, with the introduction of School Report Cards reportedly set for …

Exam fees

‘Unacceptable’ Exam Fees Increase Adds Pressure on Schools

PAG Staff2024, Article, Fund, Government reporting, Schools

‘Unacceptable’ Exam Fee Increases Add Pressure on Schools In a move that has sparked significant concern among educational leaders, major UK exam boards have announced above-inflation fee increases for the 2025 examination season. These hikes, which affect both GCSE and A-level exams, have been met with widespread criticism from headteachers, who argue that they place an additional, unsustainable burden on …

Academy Trust Handbook

DfE Academy Trust Handbook 2024

PAG Staff2024, Article, DfE, Governance, Government reporting, online resources, Policy, Schools

DfE Publishes Academy Trust Handbook 2024 The Department for Education has today published it’s annual Academy Trust Handbook in time for the new academic year 2024/25. Acting as a guide for academy trusts, the guide covers myriad topics such as trust funding agreements, the need for effective governance, safeguarding, and much more, laying out its points in a ‘must’ and …