Thursday
EHCPs top half a million
The number of education, health and care plans has hit a record high this year – and requests for an EHCP have increased, new DfE data shows
‘Extraordinary changes’ to Diploma pledged by IB chief
The director-general of the International Baccalaureate, Olli-Pekka Heinonen, explains why he’s excited about a review of its Diploma Programme to broaden worldwide access – and why children’s wellbeing must remain a global priority
Wednesday
‘Punitive’ behaviour policies can ‘harm pupil mental health’
Problematic behaviour should not be viewed as something to be managed, but as an opportunity to identify needs early and intervene, new report claims
8 in 10 teachers say pupils’ attention is worse since pandemic
Research shows majority of primary school teachers are dealing with a rise in ‘needless chatter, shouting during instruction and laughing inappropriately’
Friday
Poorer pupils harder hit by Covid lockdowns, warns ONS
Students in deprived areas were almost twice as likely to report falling behind in their education due to pandemic disruption, new research shows
Why Labour will make fixing perilous state of schools a priority
Labour shadow schools minister Stephen Morgan MP explains why the Conservatives’ track record on managing school estates shows it’s time for a change of government
How segregation and selection still dominate NI education
Schools in Northern Ireland have much to boast about in terms of international rankings but there are myriad tensions within the education system – not least over academic selection, finds John Morgan
Thursday
Levelling-up law to smooth church school academisation
Amendment ensures land for newly built academy schools would continue to be held in charitable trust
Weekly round-up: Teacher strikes and Sats ‘debacle’
This week’s education round-up includes the threat of coordinated strike action by teachers and heads, demands for an inquiry into this year’s Sats reading paper and an RSE review
9 big messages from ‘national discussion’ on Scottish education
There is a sense of urgency in a major report based on the views of 38,000 people on the future of Scottish education
Attendance crisis ‘becoming normalised’, warns de Souza
Children’s commissioner calls for a national campaign to fix attendance as latest data shows more than a fifth of pupils were persistently absent so far this academic year
DfE has forgotten about children and families in pursuit of standards
Former children’s commissioner Anne Longfield explains why, if the government is truly committed to giving children the best start in life, it needs a department whose name makes that clear
