Thursday
Many pupils in poverty missing out on free school meals
With research revealing the gap between the number of children in poverty and those getting free school meals, the Education Policy Institute echoes calls for automatic enrolment
Free school meals: the case for auto-enrolment
The author of a major new study into auto-enrolment for free school meals and the associated benefits it unlocks outlines the key findings – and what issues would still remain
Wednesday
Attendance crisis: cliched explanations help no one
Attendance was a growing concern before the pandemic, so let’s not resort to simple answers to explain what’s going on now, says Ellie Costello from Square Peg
Can belonging really help fix behaviour, attendance and outcomes?
Generating a feeling of belonging in schools has been repeatedly cited as the key to solving multiple challenges, but is that claim supported by evidence? David Robson investigates
Tuesday
Lower school leaving age below 16, say Scottish Tories
The party is proposing that students as young as 14 should be able to leave school – but only if they take on an apprenticeship or go to college
As VAT bites, private schools have to face the reality of job cuts
Legal expert Emma Thompson outlines the steps private schools need to take if they are forced to make redundancies as a result of the introduction of VAT on fees
What if... ITT had limitless resources
As part of our thought experiment series, Ben Jose looks at what would change and what would stay the same if ITT had access to limitless time, technology and resources
Friday
We should be asking what to take out of the school day, not what to add in
There’s no shortage of people telling us what extra things should be fitted into the school day but it is already bursting at the seams, writes ASCL chief Pepe Di’Iasio
MPs: DfE bill should ensure ‘auto-enrolment’ for free school meals
The Commons Education Select Committee also warns that the government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill has had a ‘rushed and inadequate’ timetable
Wednesday
SQA reveals names of CEO and chief examining officer as roles are split
New interim CEO vows to ‘serve with humility’ and learn from the past ‘by being more open to criticism, challenge and scrutiny’
How ‘efficiency’ derailed education
The education system has become too obsessed with efficiency and has lost its true purpose, argues Bernard Andrews
