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11 May 2026

Author: Freddie Whittaker

38% rise in elective home education, and ‘stretched’ councils can’t keep track

The number of children withdrawn from school for elective home education has soared by 38 per cent in the past year, councils have reported. The Association of Directors of Children’s Services estimated that 75,668 pupils nationally are being electively home educated as of October 1, up from 54,656 at the same point last year. The […]

Pay freeze would be ‘final straw’ for teachers and leaders, say unions

A pay freeze for teachers next year could prompt an “exodus from the profession”, a school leadership union has warned, following reports of an impending announcement by the Chancellor. The government is also refusing to comment on whether the reports mean that its pledge to raise teachers’ starting salaries to £30,000 by 2022 will be […]

NTP reviews rule requiring pupils to receive online tutoring in school

The National Tutoring Programme is reviewing its stipulation that pupils need to be in school for online sessions following an outcry from headteachers. The NTP said it was working with “a number” of its tuition partners to ensure “necessary systems are in place to allow at home tuition to take place when needed”. The stipulation […]

Labour ‘got it wrong’ on scrapping Ofsted, says shadow schools minister

Ofsted plays an “important role” and Labour was “wrong” to pledge to scrap it without making clear it would be replaced with something better, the shadow schools minister has said. Wes Streeting told the Schools and Academies Show this morning that instead of calling for Ofsted’s demise, educationalists should tell Labour “how to make it […]

Covid-19: MATs should use resources to help ‘vulnerable’ schools recover, says Herrington

Multi-academy trusts should use their “considerable” capacity and resources to help vulnerable schools recover from Covid-19, the national schools commissioner has said. Dominic Herrington told the Schools and Academies Show today that relationships between trusts and schools had improved during the pandemic as leaders locally have pulled together to keep educating pupils, and that he […]

‘We’ll help kids rise to the challenge’ – heads contradict Ofsted chief on exams

Cancelling exams in 2021 will not result in pupils becoming disengaged, headteachers have told MPs, as they vowed to work with “whatever system” they are presented with. Six school leaders appeared in front of the Parliamentary education committee this morning to give evidence on left-behind white disadvantaged pupils. Whatever system you give us, we will […]

Government to ‘examine possibility’ of collecting data on bubbles and ventilation

The government could soon provide data on the use of bubbles and ventilation of school buildings and will run a new “outbreak investigation” study to check the role of schools in transmission of the virus. Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and UK Statistics Authority chief Professor Sir Ian Diamond have pledged to “examine the […]

Universities back post-qualification admissions but shoot down move to January start

A major review into university admissions is calling for places to be offered after students have been awarded grades – but it shot down proposals to shift start dates back to January. Universities UK (UUK), the university umbrella body, suggests switching to a post-qualifications admission model from 2023, subject to full consultation, as part of […]