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25 April 2026

Author: James Carr

Exams 2020: Ofqual to provide guidance on “valid mock grades”

Ofqual has announced it will publish guidance on how schools can use “valid mock grades” to appeal A-levels and GCSE results next week. The Department for Education confirmed late last night that some pupils will be offered the option to use grades given in mock exams instead of their standardised A-level and GCSE grades. The […]

Exams 2020: Heads question mock exam ‘curveball’

The government’s last-minute decision to give some pupils the chance to use mock exam grades instead of their calculated results has placed schools on the back foot and exacerbated anxiety among pupils, according to headteachers. The Department for Education announced last night – less than 48 hours before A-level results day – that some pupils […]

Let schools hire NQTs on short-term deals to solve recruitment blockage

Schools should be given extra cash to appoint newly qualified teachers for short-term stints to cover any staff illnesses next year amid fears a downturn in job vacancies could push new entrants away from the profession. A report published by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation found there have been more than 5,000 fewer job adverts in […]

AP heads call on government to fund specialist sixth forms

Alternative Provision (AP) headteachers are calling for funding to set up specialist sixth forms to stem the thousands of vulnerable pupils who become lost from education at age 16. A new survey commissioned by The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) and teacher training charity The Difference found 9 out of 10 AP providers said they would […]

Revealed: How whole year-group bubbles could work

Top academy bosses have suggested “bubbles” of full year groups may be the only way to get all secondary pupils back in the classroom next year – aligning with government plans being formulated. One trust is exploring cordoning off sections of schools for each year-group bubble in a bid to reduce the risk of transmission […]

Suspected covid-19 outbreaks in schools almost doubles

The number of suspected coronavirus outbreaks in schools almost doubled last week, new Public Health England figures show. PHE’s weekly COVID-19 surveillance report, published today, shows the number of “acute respiratory outbreaks” in schools rose from 24 to 44 – 16 more outbreaks than were recorded at hospitals.  Last week, secondary schools started to welcome […]

Five-year teacher retention rate worsens, and 5 other school workforce findings

The Department for Education has today published the latest school workforce census (November 2019).  Schools Week has the key findings:    1. Fewer teachers are leaving the profession … The number of teachers working in the profession (453,813 full-time equivalents) increased by just 0.9 per cent.  Over 43,000 FTE staff entered teaching in state-funded schools […]

Coronavirus: DfE’s £10m behaviour hubs delayed until next year

Rollout of the government’s £10 million behaviour hubs programme has been pushed back until spring 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.  The project, led by behaviour tsar Tom Bennett, will support 500 schools across England to develop policies such as detention systems and sanctions for misbehaving pupils. Originally the Department for Education planned to recruit […]