Skip to content
21 April 2026

Tag: COVID-19

Pupil attendance fives times higher than during first lockdown

There are around five times more pupils attending state primary and secondary schools than during the first national lockdown, new government figures have revealed. The latest attendance data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows that as of January 13, attendance was at 21 per cent in primary schools and 5 per cent at secondary […]

‘His record is shambolic’: Labour demands Williamson’s resignation

Labour is calling on education secretary Gavin Williamson to resign over a “series of failures” during the Covid-19 pandemic. Shadow education secretary Kate Green said it was “time for Gavin Williamson to go”, following a debate in Parliament on the government’s work to provide free school meals and remote education support. He has bounced from […]

Covid-19: Nine things we learned from scientists at education committee

Government scientific and medical advisers were questioned by MPs today about the science behind school closures and the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Parliamentary education committee held a hearing with government deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries, Department for Education chief scientific adviser Osama Rahman, his deputy Dr Dougal Hargreaves and Professor […]

Williamson repeats ‘unhelpful myth’ live lessons claim, and 4 more edu Qs findings

Gavin Williamson and his ministers faced questions in Parliament about the government’s response to Covid-19, including issues relating to live lessons, free school meals and mass testing. Here’s what we learned.   1. Williamson repeats live learning claim branded ‘unhelpful myth’ by Ofsted Ministers were asked several questions about the provision of live teaching by […]

No conditions on local FSM vouchers – but schools need ‘decent audit trail’

The government has loosened restrictions to make it easier for schools to use local free school meal voucher schemes if they don’t want to use the national scheme or provide food parcels. The Department for Education confirmed last week that schools could choose between food parcels, local vouchers or the national Edenred voucher scheme, which […]

Boards return just 25% of fees for cancelled exams

Exam boards gave back to schools just a quarter of the exam fees paid last year. The country’s three main boards had pledged to return any savings after exams were cancelled last summer. The boards are waiting to find out the final exam replacement plans before amending their fees for this year. AQA, the UK’s […]

The 2021 summer exams plan: everything you need to know

Exams regulator Ofqual has this afternoon published its proposals for replacing exams this year. In short: the regulator is proposing grades for this year will be determined by teachers and, following “quality reassurance”, results will be issued by exam boards, who will “remain accountable for the results”. Exam boards will record the grades on certificates […]