Skip to content
18 April 2026

Author: Nicky Phillips

New NLEs have to show high standards with ‘knowledge-rich curriculum’

Only leaders who achieve high standards “in the context of a knowledge-rich curriculum” can become national leaders of education (NLEs). In February, the NLE advisory group published its review to shake-up the system, including recommendations to allow “transformative” academy trust chief executives and improvement directors into the programme. NLEs are successful school leaders who work […]

Schools to keep copyright of Oak’s online lessons

Schools will own the copyright of lessons produced for Oak National Academy under its £4.3 million government-funded expansion next year. Schools Week revealed on Monday that the online classroom and resource hub would be funded as part of the Department for Education’s plan B should schools have to close again. Creating 10,000 lessons, Oak will […]

All quiet on FSM voucher ‘safety mechanisms’

There is no evidence that the national free school meals voucher scheme has built-in safety mechanisms that stop the cash going on booze and cigarettes, Schools Week has found. Last week, Ben Bradley, a Conservative MP, demanded safeguards be installed to stop parents spending vouchers on items other than food for children. “Parents aren’t necessarily […]

Schools turn to philanthropists for laptops as wait for DfE devices continues

Schools and education charities are asking philanthropists and local businesses to provide devices for disadvantaged youngsters as the wait for Department for Education hardware continues. The government has pledged “over 200,000” devices for disadvantaged year 10 pupils, care leavers and children who have a social worker. But Schools Week revealed earlier this month that many […]

School kitchens’ ‘nightmare’ over planning for pupils’ return

School kitchens face a planning “nightmare” for the return of pupils, with uncertainty and concern over numbers, food availability, rising prices and a lack of government guidance. The Department for Education has said school kitchens should provide meals for all pupils returning on June 1. Official guidance, however, is brief. Following the partial closure of […]

Collapsed free school’s lack of records ‘hampered’ child abuse probe

A lack of records from a collapsed free school hampered an investigation into the alleged sexual abuse of a child with learning difficulties, a damning review has found. A Manchester Safeguarding Partnership report into allegations that the child was abused by their step-grandfather also said that an inability to contact former staff – alongside a […]

Long read: How are schools preparing to reopen?

Many school leaders regard the government’s guidance on reopening schools as vague at best. So what are their plans as the June 1 deadline looms . . .   Schools are planning to make pupils walk through trays filled with disinfectant and check their temperatures with infra-red thermometers to ensure they can safely reopen from […]

Revealed: the school leaders advising DfE on coronavirus plans

Guidance for how primary schools can reopen safely was published by the Department for Education last week.  The guidance stated it was “designed by school leaders for school leaders”. But who has a seat at the table? The DfE provided a full list of its advisers, who were approached individually by the department to sit on […]