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21 April 2026

Author: Freddie Whittaker

Coronavirus: Heads seek ‘urgent clarification’ over staffing and free meals costs

A headteachers’ union is demanding “urgent clarification” from government over whether schools can claim extra funding to pay term-time only staff to work over the Easter holidays. Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said guidance issued by the Department for Education on exceptional costs associated with coronavirus was “unclear” […]

Coronavirus: Too early to say when schools will reopen, says government science adviser

It is too early to say when schools will reopen, the government’s deputy chief scientific adviser has said. Professor Angela McLean (pictured) told today’s Downing Street press briefing that it would be “completely premature” for her to provide a definitive answer on whether schools would reopen to all pupils before the summer holidays. It follows […]

Coronavirus: Teacher recruitment ‘down 50 to 60 per cent’

Teacher recruitment by English secondary schools is down by between 50 and 60 per cent on last year, new research shows. Recruitment activity would normally peak between March and May, but analysis of job advertisements by SchoolDash found it fell suddenly in mid-March, following the stepping up of social distancing measures including school closures. For […]

Coronavirus: Concerns as school pupils seek supermarket jobs

Pupils who believe they have already passed their GCSEs and A-levels and have been trying to get supermarket and “gig economy” jobs before the end of the school year, a prominent school leader has warned. Martyn Oliver, chief executive of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust, said participation in online learning among year 11s and year […]

Coronavirus: Special QTS arrangements do not give trainees ‘free pass’

Trainee teachers must not receive a “free pass” under the new system for awarding qualified teacher status, new guidance has warned. The Department for Education has published new advice for initial teacher training providers, which expands on a policy statement issued last month. School closures and social distancing rules implemented by the government have led […]

Coronavirus: School closures play ‘marginal’ role in containing COVID-19

School closures will only have a “marginal” impact in containing the spread of COVID-19, according to a new study. A review led by University College London and published today in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health found school closures “do not appear to have a significant effect on the spread of infections during coronavirus outbreaks […]

Who is Rebecca Long-Bailey? 8 facts about the new shadow education secretary

Rebecca Long-Bailey has been appointed as shadow education secretary by Sir Keir Starmer. Here’s what we know about her…   She was born in Manchester in 1979. Although Long-Bailey is one of the youngest people to hold the role of shadow education secretary, the record is actually held by her predecessor Angela Rayner, who was […]

Rebecca Long-Bailey appointed shadow education secretary

Sir Keir Starmer has named his former leadership rival Rebecca Long-Bailey as shadow education secretary. Long-Bailey, the MP for Salford and Eccles, was previously the shadow business secretary, and came second in the Labour leadership contest. She succeeds Angela Rayner, her friend and flatmate, who won the deputy leadership election and is now the Labour […]