Policy
The latest news, analysis and advice on government policy and legislation. Find a breakdown of new documentation, case studies from leaders and comment from high-profile educators
Saturday
2nd Dec 2023
News podcast: New shadow schools minister speaks to 糖心Vlog
Join the 糖心Vlog News team as they discuss an exclusive interview with Labour鈥檚 new shadow schools minister, Catherine McKinnell
10 questions with... Gareth Conyard
Gareth Conyard, joint chief of the Teacher Development Trust and a former civil servant, speaks to 糖心Vlog about the importance of treating people well and why we shouldn鈥檛 expect teachers to be 鈥榟eroes鈥�
Friday
1st Dec 2023
Call to tackle air pollution in every city school in Scotland
Air-quality monitors in schools are essential for the health of pupils and staff, a teaching union will say this weekend
Covid inquiry: Faster action 鈥榗ould have kept schools open鈥�
Matt Hancock tells inquiry that government 鈥榟ad to pull every lever鈥� by January 2021, including closing schools, because Covid cases were so high
Could banning mobiles ease Scottish schools鈥� behaviour woes?
School staff say phones and tablets are the biggest disruption to learning in secondary 鈥� so is it time to ban mobiles?
Further cuts to school funding aren鈥檛 feasible
Politicians鈥� plans for more cuts to education spending ignore the harsh reality of how stretched schools鈥� budgets really are, says this former DfE adviser
Catherine McKinnell on Labour鈥檚 plans for education
In an exclusive interview 鈥� her first as shadow schools minister 鈥� Catherine McKinnell explains why Labour can鈥檛 鈥榝ix everything overnight鈥� and how she wants to return 鈥榯he joy of teaching鈥� to schools
Exclusive
Thursday
30th Nov 2023
Rise in GCSE resits reveals 鈥榤isery of the policy鈥�
A big increase in the number of students taking resits in GCSE English and maths highlights the unfairness of the system once again, say critics
Weekly round-up: Teacher shortages and DfE strike plans
This week鈥檚 essential education news includes new data revealing the difficulties in finding enough teachers and reaction to the DfE鈥檚 plans to limit teacher strikes
ITT: DfE maths bursary plan 鈥榗ut teacher numbers鈥�
Government scheme to increase the number of maths teachers by spreading out financial incentives actually led to fewer staff in the system, analysis suggests
Academies body CST takes legal advice over DfE strike plan
Confederation of School Trusts CEO Leora Cruddas warns that minimum service levels risk putting schools 鈥榠n direct conflict鈥� with their staff
Exclusive
What Labour鈥檚 CPD offer to teachers should look like
A development focus throughout a teacher鈥檚 career in Labour鈥檚 鈥榦pportunity mission鈥� makes sense 鈥� but it needs to avoid becoming a tick-box exercise, says this education policy expert