News

Narrowing attainment gap stopped being ‘main focus’ of DfE in 2015, says former permanent secretary

Efforts to narrow the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their better-off peers ceased to be a “main focus”...

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Budget 2021 a ‘missed opportunity’ with no extra funding for schools

This year’s budget has been described as a “missed opportunity” for education after it failed to provide additional cash...

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Watchdog fears public bodies will avoid statistical models following exam grading backlash

Public bodies may be “less willing” to use statistical models to support decisions in future after the system to...

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Data reveals huge variation in spring term school attendance across England

Attendance in schools has varied hugely across England this term, new data shows, with rates in the week before...

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

National funding formula: DfE proposes changes to ‘sparsity factor’ for small remote schools

Hundreds more small remote schools could be eligible for extra cash under government proposals to change the national funding...

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

School attendance rises to over 18% after half term

School attendance rose to over 18 per cent in the week after half term, with an increase in secondary...

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

National reference test 2021 pushed back to summer term

This year’s national reference test will take place between April 19 and May 21, after it was pushed back...

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Williamson: Government ‘looking at’ how to get more schools into multi-academy trusts

The government wants to see “far more schools” in multi-academy trusts by 2025, and is “actively looking at how...

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
News

Q&A: ‘We need a long-term plan for education in England’

Next week, the Foundation for Education Development will bring together politicians, school leaders and policy wonks as it hosts...

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker