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12 May 2026

Author: Freddie Whittaker

Academy trusts lengthen October half term to tackle coastal schools’ absence problems

Two academy trusts have agreed to extend the length of the October half term break in eight of their schools to reduce unauthorised term-time holiday absence. From this year, academies in Skegness, Lincolnshire, run by Greenwood Academies Trust and David Ross Education Trust will have a two-week autumn break. Academies are allowed to set their […]

Coronavirus: Schools need guidance after rise in racist abuse, says union

A teaching union has written to Gavin Williamson to demand guidance for schools on how to tackle racist incidents related to the spread of coronavirus. NASUWT said it had received reports of “increased covert and overt racial attacks perpetrated against some minority ethnic pupils and NASUWT members linked to coronavirus concerns”. Chris Keates, the acting […]

School closures could be considered to ‘delay’ spread of Coronavirus

Schools could be closed across the UK in order to slow the spread of Coronavirus, according to a government action plan published today. The UK, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments have published a joint Coronavirus action plan, which provides a guide to what people can expect as the country deals with the virus. According […]

Ofsted plans to withhold inspection reports until complaints are resolved

Ofsted will withhold publication of inspection reports until it has resolved complaints about them under a new redress system proposed by the inspectorate. A consultation launched today proposes that formal complaints raised by schools within two working days of receiving their final report will effectively delay publication of the report until the complaint is dealt […]

DfE sets up Coronavirus helpline as education secretary advises schools to stay open

Ministers have launched a helpline for school staff and leaders to help manage the spread of Coronavirus. The Department for Education says the helpline, which will be open from 8am to 6pm on weekdays from now on, “complements the advice being provided by Public Health England and the regular updates we have been sending to […]

DfE edits job ad that warned applicants wouldn’t be paid for 2 months

The Department for Education has amended a job advert which warned applicants for ministerial private office roles they would have to wait up to two months for their first paycheck. An advertisement for six “interesting and rewarding roles” in DfE ministers’ offices was published last week. The roles included private secretaries to schools minister Nick […]

Ofqual warning over social media exam leaks

Headteachers should remind their pupils not to be “distracted” by claims of exam paper leaks on social media, the chief regulator of Ofqual has said. In her letter to heads ahead of the summer exam series, Sally Collier warned that “sharing exam papers or questions, real or fake, could result in disqualification” and told leaders […]

DfE eyes universal infant free school meals in cuts drive

The government’s universal infant free school meals programme is one of a number being considered for the axe in this year’s spending review, Schools Week has learned. Universal infant free school meals prioritise support based on age rather than need Multiple sources familiar with the process said the policy, which costs the government more than […]

A third of EAL pupils ‘fluent’ in English, new analysis shows

More than a third of school pupils whose first language isn’t English are fluent in the language, new government analysis shows. The Department for Education has published analysis of data from its shortlived collection on the language proficiency of pupils with English as an additional language (EAL), which ran as part of the school census […]