pupils | Schools Week

Dream Big Day: Empowering Every Pupil to Imagine, Create, and Flourish

In today’s rapidly evolving world, educators face an immense challenge: How do we inspire young people to envision ambitious futures? How do we help them develop the confidence, creativity, and determination they need to thrive? Many schools across the UK are turning to a fresh, engaging, and transformative opportunity known as Dream Big Day, an event designed to spark wonder, ignite curiosity, and unlock every pupil’s potential. With a focus on practical activities and robust resources, Dream Big Day helps schools create unforgettable moments of inspiration—moments that can have a lasting impact on young minds.

Schools left to pick up the tab for London free meals scheme

Schools in some parts of London will have to meet any funding shortfall for the mayor’s extension of free meals to primary pupils

OCR to review difficulty of GCSE computer science paper

Follows backlash over exam leaving pupils ‘completely disheartened’ and warning it will put more youngsters off the subject

Schools to be told they should teach pupils about vaping risks

Government has announced more measures to cut down on vaping in schools, but campaigners say much more needs to be done

Rising costs force most schools to cut spending, finds DfE survey

According to school leaders and teachers surveyed by the DfE, 91 per cent of schools cut spending on at least one area between November 2021 and 2022

Long read: Schools let down by government’s hot air on ventilation

Has England been left flapping in the wind as other countries race ahead with ventilation policies for schools? Schools Week investigates… The government’s “minimal” and “negligent” approach to ventilation in England’s classrooms is failing to protect pupils, say scientists and campaigners, including a leading epidemiologist. Instead, they say, it should immediately provide air filters. The […]

More than 600,000 pupils off school due to Covid

More than 600,000 pupils were absent last week because of Covid, with around one in ten secondary pupils missing school. New Department for Education attendance survey data estimates 640,100 pupils, or 8.5 per cent of the total pupil population, were off school for Covid-related reasons last Thursday. This a 66 per cent rise from around […]

Schools, pupils and their characteristics 2021: 5 things we learned

The secondary and special school populations continue to grow in England, the latest data shows, with a slight decrease in the number of primary pupils and a big fall in those attending pupil referral units. The Department for Education has published its annual schools, pupils and their characteristics data collection, which is based on the […]

Campaigners fear another ‘hostile environment’ over EU pupils’ status

Schools will face “inappropriate” pressure to snoop on EU pupils’ immigration status from next month, say heads and campaigners afraid of a “hostile environment” damaging relationships with parents. EU nationals who have not applied for settled status by June 30 will become undocumented and could risk losing the right to work or their children’s right […]