General
Tuesday
14th May 2024
Participation in standardised tests yet to reach pre-Covid levels
Overall SNSA participation last year was just below 90%, reinvigorating calls for the tests to be scrapped and money invested in school staff instead
‘Significant’ primary teacher shortages likely despite falling rolls
Raising teacher pay by less than national average should be ‘unthinkable’ for the next government, experts warn
Pensions grants shortfalls leave schools £70K worse off
Union leaders tell education secretary they are ‘extremely concerned’ that pensions grants do not cover costs
Daily worship in schools opposed by most leaders
The law requiring schools in England to hold daily acts of collective worship is ‘divisive’ and ‘deeply unpopular’, according to a survey for the National Secular Society
Teachers spend increasing time on mental health support, finds research
Teach First polling highlights workload pressure on teachers due to worsening pupil mental health, as well as potential impact on the recruitment and retention crisis
Monday
13th May 2024
DfE: special and AP free school bids by MATs have better chance of success
To ensure the ‘resilience’ of future free schools, multi-academy trusts will be more likely to be successful in the competitive process, new guidance states
Continued workforce strategy delay ‘deeply disappointing’
Leaders respond to schools minister’s refusal, in his recent interview with ÌÇÐÄVlog, to guarantee long-awaited update before general election
Exclusive
Friday
10th May 2024
Teacher pay: ‘Increasing concern’ over ‘lack of progress’ in Scotland
Local authorities ‘disappointed’ that trade unions ‘have gone public with a threat of balloting for strike action’
Ofsted sub-judgements now sit alongside overall grades
Change will apply to all graded inspections since September 2019, but headteachers’ leaders dismiss move as ‘cosmetic’
Revealed: What Safety Valve deals ‘really mean’
‘Deeply worrying’ details are set out in comprehensive analysis of Safety Valve documents shared with ÌÇÐÄVlog
Exclusive
‘Urgent’ need for refreshed Sure Start hubs in schools
Current family hubs will take 30 years to reach similar areas of disadvantage as the former Labour scheme, according to former children’s commissioner report