Deirdre Murphy tagged articles - Bedford Independent

“Financial strain” on Bedford Borough Council’s education budget laid bare

The financial strain on Bedford Borough Council’s education budget, particularly for high needs and special education, was laid bare during yesterday’s Bedford Schools’ Forum (Monday...

Staff striking at a Bedford independent school over claims of “fire and re-hire” tactics

NEU Members at Bedford Greenacre Independent School (BGI) began two days of strike action today, in response to what they claim are "fire and re-hire tactics" forcing those included in the...

Castle Newnham Nursery closure due to £20,000 budget shortfall

The loss of nursery classes at a Bedford school is due to a shortfall of £20,000, a meeting heard. During yesterday’s (10 July) Bedford Schools’ Forum, Deirdre Murphy (National Education Union...

Additional £1.3m funding “doesn’t cover all the holes” in special education needs provision

Special education needs are facing a crisis as mainstream schools are ‘not coping’ with youngsters with “challenging needs” being sent there due to funding issues...

Unions say teachers’ pay rise will have “devastating effect” on schools’ budgets

The teachers’ pay award is not enough, not funded, and will have a “devastating” effect on borough schools’ budgets, a meeting heard. The 2022 School Teachers Pay and...

February half-term to move back a week after being ‘out of kilter’ with neighbouring authorities

The proposed school term dates for the 2023 academic year have been agreed by Bedford Borough Council, including beginning the February half-term holiday a week later...

“Quick decision” on allocation of £1m additional education funding could mean money is “wasted”

Concerns have been raised that the speed at which extra funding for schools was allocated could mean that money is ‘wasted’...

Police investigate “horrific” TikTok videos of Bedford teachers

“Pretty horrific” videos of teachers and other adults in Bedford schools have been uploaded to TikTok – and some of have involved police action. And while the council has declined to...

Council “alarm” as Bedford’s maintained schools fail to spend £6.4m during pandemic

Maintained schools in Bedford borough have put an extra £2 million of taxpayers’ money into their savings accounts during the pandemic, a committee heard. Bedford Borough Council’s...

Deirdre Murphy

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