DfE
The latest news and analysis on the Department for Education and the secretary of state for education, including new policy, legislation and appointments
Saturday
2nd May 2026
NAHT backs industrial action ballot over teacher pay
Heads vote for union to consider all steps up to and including industrial action over any below-inflation three-year pay deal
Heads pave way for industrial action over new Ofsted framework
High-stakes accountability 鈥榡ust doesn鈥檛 work鈥�, says Sin茅ad Mc Brearty, who chairs the NAHT advisory panel on the Ofsted framework
Friday
1st May 2026
Schools must not 鈥榗arry the can鈥� for underfunded policies, NAHT warns
The rising costs that schools are facing could undermine the government鈥檚 White Paper plans, the NAHT鈥檚 general secretary tells the union鈥檚 annual conference
The complex story behind rising suspensions in primary schools
Suspensions have risen in primary schools but fallen in secondaries. Here, education leaders tell 糖心Vlog what they think is behind the contrasting trends
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Ofsted is a 鈥榙river of misery鈥�, says new NAHT president
Dave Woods will also tell the union鈥檚 annual conference that education staff are now 鈥榝rontline fighters鈥� against 鈥榙ark forces of hate鈥�
Thursday
30th Apr 2026
Flexible-working scheme fails to reach schools most in need of help
Only 3 per cent of school leaders were even aware of the government鈥檚 programme to increase flexible working after its first year, says DfE report
SEND: Support plan complaints could 鈥榦verwhelm鈥� schools, ministers warned
Commons Education Select Committee chair Helen Hayes raises concerns over government SEND reforms
Spring term exclusions hit record high
The number of permanent exclusions in the spring term is the highest ever, DfE data shows, and growing proportions of SEND and disadvantaged students are being suspended
Tuesday
28th Apr 2026
Banning 鈥榥ot seen, not heard鈥� phone policies would be foolish, MPs told
Government under pressure to go further with its restrictions on phones in schools 鈥� but unions warn of the cost of solutions such as introducing lockable pouches for devices
Heads demand funding for 鈥榗rumbling鈥� school buildings
School leaders warn of 鈥榓geing buildings that aren鈥檛 even warm or watertight鈥� as the NAHT prepares to debate the issue of funding for the school estate at its annual conference