education policy | Schools Week

Free school meals: 300k more pupils became eligible in first 7 months of Covid

The number of children eligible for free school meals surged in the first seven months of the Covid-19 pandemic, official figures show. Census data published by the Department for Education shows an additional 302,397 pupils became eligible for free school meals between the first nationwide lockdown in March and the October school census. During the […]

Education politics review 2018: The DfE needs to raise the bar

It’s been a bit of a humdrum year in education policy, says Natalie Perera, neither a car crash nor a roaring success Theresa May’s inevitable reshuffle in January meant the fourth education secretary in as many years. Fresh from launching her much anticipated social mobility strategy, Justine Greening was barely given the chance to see […]

Former UKIP education spokesperson Paul Nuttall becomes party leader

Paul Nuttall, a former history lecturer who served as the UK Independence Party’s spokesperson on education for two years has been named as its new leader. The 39-year-old, from Merseyside, led on education policy for the party between July 2014 and this September while also serving as its deputy leader. Nuttall, a big fan of […]

EEF trial finds breakfast clubs more effective than infant free school meals

Breakfast clubs are more cost-effective than the government’s flagship £1 billion universal infant free school meals policy in improving outcomes for pupils in disadvantaged areas, according to researchers. A year-long trial in 106 primary schools, funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), found pupils made an extra two months’ progress when a free breakfast club […]

Virtual lessons no ‘panacea’, says trust’s technology director

Academy trusts that want to set up “virtual centres of excellence” should be “cautious” about expected results, warns a technology director at a chain that already delivers online lessons. The education green paper published last month encourages trusts to educate their high-attaining pupils in “centres of excellence”, which can be “virtual” to get around potential […]

Don’t think before you speak, all-male panel told at WomenEd

Male education leaders have been encouraged to stop worrying about “saying the wrong thing” and to join a growing number of men promoting gender equality in the sector. WomenEd, a campaign group set up to tackle the disproportionate number of women headteachers, hosted its first all-male panel at its second annual conference on Saturday. The […]

Shadow education team has the right experience, says Labour

Labour’s new education team is “rooted in the real world”, says shadow education secretary Angela Rayner in an apparent swipe at the government education line-up. Rayner, who stays on following a reshuffle of the Labour frontbench, said the party would be able to draw on the “really solid and direct experience” of new shadow ministers […]

Grammar plan is winning formula’ for votes, says Conservative MP

One of the Conservative’s fiercest grammar advocates has said the policy is not only the morally “right thing” to do but is also a “winning formula” for gaining voters. Speaking at a fringe event on Monday at the Conservative party annual conference, MP Dominic Raab said that meritocratic principles would help restore the public’s belief […]

Cadet club growth slow in schools one year after £50m grant

Just five state schools have opened cadet clubs since former chancellor George Osborne announced a £50 million grant last year to boost the number of units five-fold. Figures obtained under a freedom of information (FOI) request reveal 129 state schools in England run the after-school cadet clubs, up five from the 124 recorded in 2015. […]