Pensions

School pension contributions to rise – but government will fund (for now)

The rise of more than 20% for state schools will be funded by government, but private schools left out…

Schools Week Reporter
Schools Week Reporter
Childcare

£289m wraparound childcare scheme: what schools need to know

Schools will have ‘central’ role – but not all primaries will have to deliver childcare

Schools Week Reporter
Schools Week Reporter
School funding

£40m ‘hardship fund’: Council schools in just 35 areas to get help

Government also confirms the cash to help schools afford teacher pay rise will be for one year only

Jack Dyson
Jack Dyson
Home education

Councils urged to create ‘voluntary’ home education registers

DfE also recommends data-sharing with police and GPs as plans for a compulsory register remain in the long grass

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Teacher strikes

Labour would scrap minimum service levels for schools

Bridget Phillipson says ‘attack on the rights of working people’ is an ‘admission of failure’ over last year’s pay…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Ofsted

Ofsted has ‘moved too far’ from outcomes data, says former chief

Wilshaw also says inspections don’t look ‘enough’ at teaching quality, and warns single-phrase judgments give parents ‘false comfort’

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth


Schools

The schools trying to go green, and what’s stopping them

We lay bare the challenges leaders encounter as they go green, following warnings DfE could miss carbon goals

Jack Dyson
Jack Dyson
RSHE

Keegan steps in over school sex ed lessons ‘copyright myth’

Sample letters drawn up to help schools challenge obstructive curriculum providers

Jack Dyson
Jack Dyson
Politics

Mark Lehain returns as special adviser to education secretary

Well-known free school founder reappointed 13 months after leaving post

Jack Dyson
Jack Dyson
Exams

Ofqual set to have interim boss for a year

Temporary chief regulator to be appointed on ‘exceptional basis’ to deal with ‘challenging period’ ahead

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
Academies

Falling rolls could give academy drive unexpected boost

Experts warn of ‘imbalances’ over school place planning as councils have no admission powers over academies

Jack Dyson
Jack Dyson
Schools

Thousands wait months for DBS checks as police overwhelmed

As many as one in ten school workers faced waits of over 60 days in some areas last year,…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker