Teacher training

Shortening apprenticeships will give teacher training ‘flexibility’

DfE plans to change minimum apprenticeship course length to eight months, which could align teaching courses with other routes

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Schools Bill

‘Lower your tone’: The DfE’s account of THAT Birbalsingh meeting

Government’s minutes claim education secretary had to ask head to ‘allow me to finish my sentences’, amid repeated interruptions

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Holiday activities and food scheme secures funding for another year …

… but funding beyond the 2025-26 financial year depends on the government’s current spending review

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
SEND

Absent and excluded kids ‘should be assessed for SEND’

EPI report sets out 7 policy recommendations to tackle special needs ‘postcode lottery’

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Lydia Chantler-Hicks
News

‘Showcase your work to MPs’, trusts told amid schools bill criticism

Trust body tells CEOs to build ‘constructive relationships’ with local politicians so they ‘understand’ academies

Jack Dyson
Jack Dyson
News

Some mental health schemes actually ‘increased emotional difficulties’, finds landmark trial

Four out of five interventions tested in government-funded trial led to ‘adverse’ or ‘negative’ effects on some pupils

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker


Accountability

Who are the ‘stuck’ schools in line for £100k support?

Most are already academies, and a third won’t be eligible because of recent ‘structural change’

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Leaders give new Ofsted inspection toolkits the red card

‘The draft grade descriptors look as though they have been cobbled together with insufficient consideration of how they will…

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Academies

DfE abandons plan to scrap free school faith admissions cap

The previous Conservative government consulted on the proposals last year

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Ofsted

Ofsted’s 11 grades will make judgments less reliable – experts

The inspectorate plans to use a five-point grading system to judge schools in nine key areas, plus early years…

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Ofqual

Sir Ian Bauckham confirmed as permanent Ofqual chief

The former academy trust CEO has served in an interim capacity for over a year

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Ofsted

Ofsted report cards verdict: Parents and school staff have their say

Polls suggest parents favour the proposed Ofsted model to the old one, while teachers and leaders oppose it

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Lydia Chantler-Hicks