This week I highlight the publication of a new set of cyber-security standards for schools and the 2022 School teachers pay and conditions document, confirmation of £24 million government funding for children’s literacy and reports that some Headteachers have requested safeguarding is decoupled from the main inspection framework and yearly audits carried out instead.

New cyber-security standards for schools
The DfE has updated its ‘Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges’ guidance, adding a new section covering a new set of cyber-security standards for schools to support them in protecting their IT systems.

STPCD 2022 released
The DfE has published the ‘School teachers’ pay and conditions document’ (STPCD) for 2022, which reflects the 2022 pay award. The document confirms that a 5% increase will be applied to all pay and allowance ranges and advisory points, with higher increases to some parts of the main pay range as a step towards achieving a minimum starting salary of £30,000.

£24 million Government funding for children’s literacy
The Government has announced £24 million in funding has been set aside to continue to support children’s literacy and phonics skills following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The funding will go towards building on the impact of the English Hubs Programme, which enables schools to implement high-quality phonics teaching and access literacy specialists. The boost will enable the government to hit its target of 90% of primary school pupils achieving the expected standard in literacy and numeracy by 2030.

Ofsted declines calls for separate safeguarding inspections
Ofsted has rejected requests by some headteachers for safeguarding to be “decoupled” from the main inspection framework and have its own yearly audits. The discussion was recently brought up in a committee inquiry into misogyny in education settings, where Ofsted’s national director for social care, Yvette Stanley, argued that safeguarding could not be assessed solely as it is intertwined with “the culture and leadership of the school”.