Schools

SIMS introduce 6-month break clause after contract backlash

Legal action has been threatened despite DfE green light

James Carr
James Carr
Schools

New school safeguarding rules: what you need to know

Consultation launched on changes to keeping children safe in education guidance

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Exams

Minister rejects return of key stage 3 SATs, but mulls ‘internal’ tests to boost literacy

Robin Walker ‘not sure’ that more exams are the answer to progress issues

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Tutoring

DfE ‘encouraging’ schools to use tutors and mentors to cover staff shortages

The Department for Education is “actively encouraging” schools to use in-house tutors and academic mentors in “support of teaching”…

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Covid

DfE to pay 100% of breakfast clubs costs until August in partial U-turn

Government delays plan to make schools pay 25% of breakfast costs and expands eligibility ‘in light of Covid’

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Covid

DfE says over 550 ex-teachers answered Covid call to arms

But no figures on how many have actually rejoined classrooms missing tens of thousands of teachers

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker


Covid

Schools cut music and PE, and 7 other findings from DfE recovery research

Report looks at how schools coped with the impact of Covid in 2020-21

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Funding

Raid on school budgets next year as £41m council grants axed

Councils warn school improvement services and maintained schools face a financial hit, with grant cuts expected to incentivise more…

Tom Belger
Tom Belger
Covid

Open classroom windows between lessons so kids don’t get too cold, says DfE

But experts warn methods are not a ‘magic bullet’

James Carr
James Carr
Covid

Omicron: 1 in 25 staff off with Covid as absence rate doubles

Tens of thousands of staff are off school with confirmed cases of the virus

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
Tutoring

Flagship tutor scheme ‘scandalously’ short of targets – with just 8% of mentoring provided

Official figures reveal flagging take-up of approved tuition, as schools choose to go their own way

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
Covid

Online Oak academy lessons soar as Omicron hits returning schools

Internet learning platform says use has returned to levels not seen since last March

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker