Draft law seeks Parliamentary veto on future school closures Education committee chair to introduce bill in Parliament which could class schools as ‘essential infrastructure’
Government vetoes more academy deals with linked firms 108 academy trust ‘related party transactions’ were blocked in 2020-21, more than twice the previous year’s figures
ESFA probes trust forced to up top-slice after overspend Documents suggest the Oval trust ‘set a deficit budget, miscalculated income…and overspent’, while a new board came in after a row with the diocese
New alliance to stop schools being swept under MAT Experts said the new West Kent Single Academy Trust Alliance showed there were ‘other models’ to the government’s preferred MATs
Council ditches ‘forced’ academisation plan as Zahawi softens stance Tory-led Swindon had proposed to convert all schools to academies by 2025 before a U-turn
Nominations open for RSC adviser elections The DfE wants more academy chiefs from under-represented backgrounds to run for election as advisers to regional schools commissioners
Mandatory college visits in pipeline for pupils’ careers education The measure will feature as government amendments in the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill
Directed time cap safeguarded as schools extend hours Schools Week finds leaders are already running extended school days within the 1,265 hour rule