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28 April 2026

Author: Alix Robertson

Still no sign of the delayed ‘healthy schools’ rating scheme

The government still doesn’t know when proposals for a ‘healthy schools’ rating scheme will come to fruition, 10 months after it was supposed to start in primary schools. The plan was first mooted in the government’s child obesity action plan in 2016, and it was supposed to be up and running in schools by last […]

Financial warning for the academy trust that sent leaders to New Zealand

An academy trust that spent over £12,000 on a trip abroad for two of its leaders has been handed a financial notice to improve by the government. Silver Birch Academy Trust now has to run most of its spending decisions past the government and must make changes to the way it is run to avoid […]

65 winners scoop silver Pearson teaching awards for 2018

Sixty-five silver Pearson teaching awards have been handed out across the country, in the 20th year of celebrating excellence in education. The trophies will be presented to outstanding teachers, teaching assistants, headteachers and lecturers in schools and colleges across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, following thousands of nominations. Silver award winners will go on to the […]

New early-learning goals to be trialled in 25 primary schools

A new assessment model for reception pupils will be piloted in 25 schools from September. New draft Department for Education guidance sets out proposed changes to “early-learning goals” that reception pupils are assessed against. The new approach will be tested in pilot schools in the autumn ahead of a consultation and decision on a national […]

No teaching resources provided for National Democracy Week

Ministers have refused to discuss upcoming new resources to help secondary schools teach pupils about democracy – even though schools imminently need the information. The idea was first mooted by the government last December and it has been mentioned at least twice since by the minister taking the lead on it. But with the July […]

Schools have ‘strong legal case to make councils fully fund SEND provision’

Schools are forking out millions of pounds for special educational needs provision even though there is often a strong legal case for obliging their local authority to fully fund it. The majority of councils provide schools with up to £6,000 of funding for pupils who have a special education need. The cost of delivering all […]

Date set for first new children’s mental health data in 14 years

After 14 years of silence, the government will finally publish brand new data on the mental health of young people in October, Schools Week can exclusively reveal No data on the prevalence of mental health issues among children has been collected since 2004, a gap that has been branded as “wholly unacceptable” by the Liberal Democrat MP […]

40% of faith schools favour religious children of any denomination

Nearly half of England’s secondary faith schools prioritise religious families – of any denomination – over the non-religious, according to new research. While the figure is 40 per cent overall, Catholic state secondary schools are the worst offenders. In a survey of admissions policies at 637 faith schools, Humanists UK found that 60 per cent […]