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Jon Severs

@jonsevers.bsky.social
2.3K followers 356 following 949 posts

Editor of Tes Magazine

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Reposted by Jon Severs
Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
‘The challenge is not just that the sector has identified too many flaws in the new framework; it’s that Ofsted has not done enough to win the hearts of the sector either.' Editor @jonsevers.bsky.social explores dissatisfaction with the inspection regime in the latest Tes Daily. Read it here ⬇️
tes-magazine-daily.beehiiv.com
Ofsted's last stand
Plus the week's talking points and events diary
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Government told to ‘get a grip’ after @tesmagazine.bsky.social reveals ‘appalling’ reductions to schemes helping pupils at risk of serious violence @ktorm-social1.bsky.social investigation into knife crime reduction programmes in schools www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
School funding for knife crime prevention drops by a third
Government told to ‘get a grip’ after Tes reveals ‘appalling’ reductions to schemes helping pupils at risk of serious violence
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Is a connected 'chair' a missing link for many trusts seeking growth, how one trusts is creating its own Ofsted league table and a 150k job at the DfE remains long-term unfilled... All this and more in this week's Mat Tracker newsletter! tes-magazine-mat-tracker.beehiiv.com/p/trustees-w...
tes-magazine-mat-tracker.beehiiv.com
Trustees: who's got the power?
Plus pay tensions, talking points and the latest MAT moves
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
📣 @tesmagazine.bsky.social has relaunched its FREE newsletter package, with something for everyone... The 'Daily' brings you the headlines you need at the start of your day, and a weekly exclusive briefing from me. See examples and sign up here: tes-magazine-daily.beehiiv.com (1/5)
tes-magazine-daily.beehiiv.com
Home | Tes Daily
Your must-read education briefing
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Reposted by Jon Severs
Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Leaders at Ormiston Academies Trust have paid tribute to an ‘extraordinary man’ and the trust's chair, Julius Weinberg, who died this week
tes.com
Tributes paid after death of trust chair Julius Weinberg
Ormiston Academies Trust recalls ‘extraordinary man’ whose career encompassed medicine, education and public service
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Tom Bennett has been the behaviour tsar for a decade - is the latest iteration of government behaviour policy a continuation or new direction of his model? He talks to @ktorm-social1.bsky.social about SEND, exclusions and "relishing" the debate on approaches
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The second edition of our MAT Tracker newsletter is out, and includes an analysis of the status of the government 'in' group of trust leaders, an in-depth analysis of the north-west region picture for trusts, and a very hefty 'seen out and about' section... Have a look below!
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
When fully funded does not mean fully funded... "The government is treating us like idiots” Excellent deep dive on the teacher pay funding announcement ⬇️
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Reposted by Jon Severs
Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
What do Jamiroquai and England's latest Pisa results have in common? @jonsevers.bsky.social explores in his editor's briefing in today's Tes Daily newsletter ⬇
tes-magazine-daily.beehiiv.com
Tes Daily: A flawed Pis-a evidence
Plus the week's education talking points and events diary
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Join a trust, and say goodbye to control of your lessons... That's a narrative that has grown up over the years, but how true is it? And where if it does happen, is it about telling a teacher what to do or freeing them up to have more control? www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
tes.com
MATs centralising the curriculum: the myths, trends and critics
Talk of teachers being told from the top which PowerPoints to use in their lessons has sparked criticism of curriculum centralisation, but what is really happening in trusts? Jasmine Norden investigat...
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Schools are less likely to achieve the Ofsted inclusion standard if they have higher levels of SEND, new analyses for Tes has found. Big investigation here from @johngroberts.bsky.social and @cerysturner.bsky.social www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
High SEND schools 5 times more likely to miss Ofsted inclusion standard
Experts warn of ‘serious flaws’ in the watchdog’s framework and question why schools with higher levels of SEND and disadvantaged pupils are getting lower grades
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
"England has done quite well, and schools, teachers and students should be thanked. However, the certainty with which many conclusions are being drawn suggests confirmation bias is more at play than anything else" @cbokhove.bsky.social on PISA www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
tes.com
Are England’s Pisa 2025 results really worth celebrating?
The latest Pisa international study has sparked many far-reaching claims that stretch what the data tells us - and England’s scores in reading and maths aren’t worth writing home about anyway, says Ch...
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Tes magazine has published its first Mat Tracker newsletter, with insights, trends analysis, merger and acquisition updates, job moves, insider rumours and much more. Huge amount of work from Charlotte. Please do have a look, share and subscribe (it's free!).
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Every school should have an inclusion statement written and published by 1 January. Here, @jasminenorden.bsky.social asks experts what should be in it and how to make sure it makes a genuine difference. A great resource for all in schools ⬇️ www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
tes.com
How to write your inclusion strategy statement
Every school needs to publish an inclusion strategy statement by 31 December - Jasmine Norden asks experts what should be in it and how to put it together
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
PISA is out this morning: a strong showing in science, but basically flatlined for reading and maths. Labour has hailed "strong" results but made case for change to avoid "standing still". Big political battle will now begin on these numbers. (And worth noting these are far from 'clean' numbers)
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
“I’m very much against how the government has tried to water down the [Ofsted] ratings for schools and kind of make them more opaque.” Reform education spokesperson Suella Braverman talks to @jabedahmed.bsky.social about behaviour, SEND, Ofsted and more www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
Reform considers return to single-phrase Ofsted grades
Suella Braverman also tells Tes the party favours Michaela-style behaviour rules, alongside plans to mandate hymns and flags in schools
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
If you want a daily update - for free - that gives you all the schools news, trends and research in one easy hit, sign up to the Tes Daily here! tes-magazine-daily.beehiiv.com You get the added bonus of a big briefing from me every Monday - today's is on the page tes-magazine-daily.beehiiv.com
tes-magazine-daily.beehiiv.com
Home | Tes Daily
Your must-read education briefing
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Lucy Powell appears to want to forget the past two years has happened... that's a very problematic voluntary amnesia. "Powell may be starting anew with the sector, but the sector is not starting anew with Labour. Pretending otherwise is not just odd; it’s disingenuous."
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
"Amid rising child poverty, some schools are spending more than double what they have been allocated to meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils" This just isn't a funding issue, it is a wider failure of the state to acknowledge the holes in public service being filled by schools.
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
This is a superb analysis of where we are now with Ofsted inspection grades from @johngroberts.bsky.social “I don’t think this is any more coherent, less confusing or less stressful for people,” one school leader told him.
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
"I don’t think blaming anyone for not having grit, whether they’re 12 or 42, is helpful. But it is possible that there have been changes in the ability of kids to finish what they began, work hard, set goals and so forth." Some very interesting discussions in this piece
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
A hugely exciting new launch - a weekly update on everything related to trusts, with data, trends analysis, job moves, regional deep dives and more. Sign up here - it's free: tes-magazine-mat-tracker.beehiiv.com We look forward to your feedback!
tes-magazine-mat-tracker.beehiiv.com
Sign up to the Tes magazine MAT Tracker newsletter
Sign up to get essential and exclusive insights for the academy trust sector delivered to your inbox
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Reposted by Jon Severs
Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Labour’s plan for vocational options at age 14 risks lowering expectations for many and reversing the academic progress of the past decade, argues shadow education secretary Laura Trott
tes.com
Laura Trott: Labour risks repeating lowered expectations of the past
Summer policy announcements from the government with little depth risk undoing the excellent work of teachers over the past 10 years, argues the shadow education secretary
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Fact check: does the GCSE system really set up a third of students to fail? Detailed and very well explained piece from @jasminenorden.bsky.social here - well worth your time. www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
tes.com
Fact check: does the GCSE system really set up a third of students to fail?
Another year of declining proportions of resit students achieving a grade 4 in maths and English has resulted in much discussion about whether young people are being set up to fail - and whether a gra...
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
"She was one of those teachers who was very motherly, and she took her time with each individual child the way a good mother would." Dolly Parton on her education and the teacher that shaped her.
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Reposted by Jon Severs
Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
The number of students leaving school without grade 4 in English and maths remains remarkably consistent because of the 'labyrinthine mechanics of how exams are graded', says @ascl-uk.bsky.social's @pepediiasio.bsky.social, who argues for ‘political boldness’ to break the cycle
tes.com
Insanity of GCSE resits policy revealed once again
Another year of most resit students falling short of the required grade 4 in English language and maths proves we need a change, argues ASCL chief Pepe Di’Iasio
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The 10 best selling books for teens in the past 12 months... Do they tell schools and English leads anything they didn't know before about the literary tastes of pupils (or explain why non-readers still don't choose to read?) Rufus Thomas takes a look. www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
tes.com
What the bestselling books for teens tell secondary teachers
Secondary schools are being pushed to boost reading, but what is the best way to do that? Rufus Thomas looks for clues in the Waterstones’ bestseller list about what teens actually want to read
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Lots of people saying we have seen this technical pivot from governments before - here's a piece by someone who helped design one of those past efforts and has some points of note for designing it this time around. Great piece from Gareth.
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
The @tesmagazine.bsky.social team have been busy this morning taking your key questions to the gov on thr below and finding what (slim) answers there are. Key qs remain, including the future of P8.. We'll keep updating as we get more detail so bookmark it! Read here: www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
New technical routes for schools: what we do and don’t know
A huge announcement on secondary education was made by Andy Burnham last night, begging a raft of questions. We set out the answers the sector needs and the detail - where it exists - we know already
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Reposted by Jon Severs
Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
BREAKING: A huge shift in secondary education has been announced by @andyburnham.bsky.social - new technical routes offered in schools for 14 year olds.... by 2028. Announcing in the holidays with very little info is not a good way of selling it to the sector. www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
New technical pathways in secondary schools by 2028, PM announces
Schools will be inspected by Ofsted on vocational offering, but sector leaders want more details on multiple aspects of the plans
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
BREAKING: A huge shift in secondary education has been announced by @andyburnham.bsky.social - new technical routes offered in schools for 14 year olds.... by 2028. Announcing in the holidays with very little info is not a good way of selling it to the sector. www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
New technical pathways in secondary schools by 2028, PM announces
Schools will be inspected by Ofsted on vocational offering, but sector leaders want more details on multiple aspects of the plans
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Reposted by Jon Severs
John Roberts @johngroberts.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Feels significant that Georgia Gould has been retained as schools minister. She has been leading on far reaching SEND reforms which are still very much in train. Here is a round up of what the government announced earlier this year. www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
How is Labour planning to reform SEND?
The DfE sets out proposals for schools to produce statutory support plans for pupils with SEND and for new national inclusion standards. Here’s everything you need to know about its reform plans
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Congratulations to @georgiagould.bsky.social - reappointed as a minister at the DfE, hugely respected by all who have met her and will bring some needed continuity to the Send reforms.
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Reposted by Jon Severs
Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
After a change at the top of the DfE, editor @jonsevers.bsky.social looks back at the tenure of Bridget Phillipson in a post-reshuffle special Tes Daily newsletter. Read it here ⬇️
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Tes Daily: A missed opportunity follows Phillipson out of the DfE
Jon Severs looks back at the two-year tenure of Bridget Phillipson in a post-reshuffle special Tes Daily newsletter
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Congratulations to @lucympowell.bsky.social - a lot of big reforms in motion, a lot of heat around those reforms. Some big delivery targets to hit. Proper discussion with the sector will be essential.
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Reposted by Jon Severs
Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
If the system for inspecting MATs isn’t designed correctly, trusts could be put off from taking on struggling schools in disadvantaged areas, warns @ngauk.bsky.social
tes.com
MAT inspections 'could put trusts off struggling schools'
With the government planning trust-level inspections, the National Governance Association warns against judging MATs by looking at the overall performance of their schools
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Headteacher salaries are now reaching up to £240,000 in some areas, vastly exceeding the proposed MAT CEO salary cap, a @tes analysis has revealed today. Experts have warned the CEO cap may cause a ‘flattening’ of pay generally... Full story below www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
Revealed: Where heads’ pay soars above MAT salary limit
Experts warn the DfE plan to control trust chief executives’ pay could deter heads from becoming CEOs, and the £174K approval threshold could effectively become a pay ceiling
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
A great appointment - Christine will be thoroughly independent and will need to be
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
"Thank you for not being beaten by the pressures put upon you. Thank you for giving kids moments of joy, despite the system often making that so much harder." This morning's leader, which I have put on LinkedIn after some lovely feedback. www.linkedin.com/posts/jon-se...
linkedin.com
This morning's daily briefing from Tes magazine - lots of lovely feedback so thought I would post it here: “I am captain of the winged monkeys,” my son told me a few weeks back. I asked him if th...
This morning's daily briefing from Tes magazine - lots of lovely feedback so thought I would post it here: “I am captain of the winged monkeys,” my son told me a few weeks back. I asked him if this w...
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
A big job in education split into two new roles, congratulations to both. www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
Ark announces new CEOs to replace Lucy Heller
Patrick Wall will lead the Ark Schools multi-academy trust and Katie Oliver will be CEO of the organisation’s charitable arm
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Exclusive: @ascl-uk.bsky.social seeking written agreement with @neunion.bsky.social setting out how union members should conduct themselves during disputes, in response to rising industrial friction Story by @cerysturner.bsky.social www.tes.com/magazine/new...
tes.com
Heads’ union seeks pact with NEU as industrial tensions rise
Negotiations come amid growing industrial action by the teaching union, with school leaders telling Tes that disputes have left them feeling ‘distressed’ and ‘exploited’
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Reposted by Jon Severs
Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
The DfE is creating new standards for trusts and for inclusion – but it can’t just provide a checklist for everyone to follow; it needs to set out clear principles that support professional judgement, writes @leoracruddas.bsky.social of @cstvoice.bsky.social
tes.com
DfE standards must guide the sector, not tell us what to do
The government’s creation of new standards for trusts and inclusion offers an opportunity to set out clear principles – instead of just writing up new checklists, says the Confederation of School Trusts’ Leora Cruddas
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
"CLT will simply become like the Very Hungry Caterpillar, growing ever larger by swallowing up everything in its path" A very well explained argument for a pause to the all consuming embrace of Cognitive Load Theory
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
"I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma when I was nine years old and then again when I was 11. I grew up very quickly. I had to face my own mortality at a very young age."
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Reposted by Jon Severs
DamsonEd @damsoned.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
In his editorial on 6.7.2026 @jonsevers.bsky.social reflected on the new report published about white working class educational outcomes…. I am going to reflect back on this.. Long thread I have much experience (and years) of working in schools serving these populations successfully. 1/n
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
"We shouldn’t be afraid of having fun: it’s critical that there are moments of joy for every pupil and every member of staff, every day." @andrewoneill.bsky.social with a surprising, joyful and deeply personal contribution to the How I Lead series www.tes.com/magazine/lea...
tes.com
Andrew O’Neill: ‘A school usually fails due to its systems, not its staff’
In our How I Lead series, we ask education leaders to reflect on their careers, their experience and their leadership philosophy. This month we talk to Andrew O’Neill, headteacher and currently school...
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
“government [needs to spend] less time thinking about how schools should be run day to day and more about how they manage the system as a whole” A rare and exclusive interview with Lucy Heller this morning. School improvement, Covid, trusts and more. www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
tes.com
Lucy Heller: Government needs to run the system, not try to run schools
As she steps down as CEO of Ark after 22 years, Lucy Heller gives Jon Severs an exclusive rare interview about her views on trusts, politics and the post-Covid period in schools
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Reposted by Jon Severs
Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Update: Heads' leaders say it is ‘incredible’ that schools have only just been informed of the delay to Sats results, after the DfE told Tes it had been aware of issues with Pearson’s system since May
tes.com
KS2 Sats results delayed by more than a week
Exam board apologises for ‘technical issues’ as government considers cancelling Pearson contract
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
This is hugely concerning, Pearson has a lot of questions to answer. Appalling that primary pupils and staff have been let down.
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