In the news

Lottery review

ASCL general secretary John Dunford went on Radio 5 Live on 2 March to give ASCL's support to the government review of admissions lotteries, in order to determine how they can be used most effectively.

The Observer and Daily Telegraph quoted John as saying: "It is absolutely right to institute an inquiry because this is a new development which needs proper evaluation. There is a world of difference between using a lottery to decide the last few places and allocating the majority of places randomly."

ICT managed services

The Guardian on 17 February gave substantial backing to ASCL's concerns about ICT managed services in Building Schools for the Future projects. Policy director Malcolm Trobe said in the article: "At a national level Partnerships for Schools is saying that it's not a one-size-fits-all solution but, on the ground, in a number of places schools are feeling pressurised into accepting managed ICT systems they are not comfortable with."

He added: "We have cases where people are virtually being threatened to sign up or lose their new schools."

Welsh funding cuts

ASCL past president Brian Lightman appeared on the BBC Politics Show on 1 March to condemn the 7.4 per cent cut in Welsh sixth form and FE college budgets from next April. The short notice gives schools and colleges no time to plan, he said and could result in staff being made redundant.

"I think it will have an absolutely disastrous effect on the operation of post-16 education in Wales. It is a massive cut and it has been applied across the board."