One in four pupils were persistently absent in autumn 2021 Changes to isolation rules reduced Covid-related absence, but illness drove a rise in other absences
DfE plans first step in academy revolution Work to move to all-academies system will begin later this term
Staff say overcrowding hampered bomb scare evacuation at DfE’s Sheffield office Workers warn of ‘disaster waiting to happen’ after incident on day of top civil servant’s visit
Schools bill: Ex-ministers line up to criticise DfE ‘power grab’ Draft law would make Nadhim Zahawi ‘the chief education officer’ for thousands of schools, peers warn
Make schools ‘corporate parents’ for looked-after children, says review Landmark MacAlister review warns the relationship between social care and education has become ‘consistently fraught’
AQA says GCSE biology advance info was accurate after complaints Pupils claimed on Twitter that they had been provided with the wrong information
Another procurement legal row emerges as DfE ‘under stress’ At least three major outsourcing contracts from the DfE have been at the centre of legal challenges
Zahawi under fire over ‘misleading’ academy claims Education secretary faces calls to ‘correct the record’ in Parliament after officials admit academy comparisons could mislead