Tuesday
Support-staff unions threaten industrial action over pay
GMB, Unison and Unite express ‘profound concerns’ over the direction of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body
Revealed: the most popular GCSE and A-level subjects in 2026
Provisional entries data for this summer has been released by Ofqual – with sharp drops in computing and French among the standout trends
DfE highlights Taylor Swift gig in crackdown on ‘one-off’ absences
Government publishes the research behind its plans to curb one-day absences, alongside a new parental communications guide for schools to help keep messaging ‘useful’
Nearly three-quarters of nursery schools to cut costs amid pressures
Many maintained nursery schools are struggling to stay afloat, research shows – at a time when the government is talking up early years’ role in getting children school-ready
What not to say to students experiencing exam stress
The language adults use when talking about exams can inadvertently add to students’ stress, writes Katherine Radice, but reframing your approach can help lessen anxiety
Schools let pupils down by not taking service learning seriously
Service learning shouldn’t just be a one-off volunteering initiative – it needs to be embedded into the curriculum if we want to develop young people who can shape the world around them, writes leader Shahina Ahmad
Headteachers don’t just need support - they need a better system
From standards and outcomes to SEND, safeguarding, attendance and staff wellbeing, heads are under ever-increasing pressure, and they can’t handle it alone, says this leader
Schools lack scope to cut exam time as most pick shorter papers
Ofqual says schools can cut exam times by choosing different awarding bodies, but ÌÇÐÄVlog analysis reveals that, in most cases, this isn’t an option – and school leaders are now calling for the number of exams to be reduced instead
Sam Gibbs: ‘It is possible to be a good leader and a good parent’
In our How I Lead series, we ask education leaders to reflect on their careers, their experience and their leadership philosophy. This month we talk to Sam Gibbs, curriculum and development lead at Greater Manchester Education Trust
Let birthday pupils skip lunch queue to cut absence, schools told
Schools will be provided with new tools highlighting absence patterns over the year, and new communications guides to improve engagement with families
