News

GCSE results 2026: English and maths pass rates down for fifth straight year

This year’s GCSE results also reveal that the regional divide in England in attainment continued to widen while the gender gap narrowed

Recent
Most read
Most shared
Recent
Most read
Most shared

Advanced British Standard could widen private-state gap, warns AQA

Exam board says private schools could choose to 'simply continue' with A levels while state schools move to ABS

‘Devastating’ fall in number of schools winning capital funding

Just 866 projects will benefit from the Condition Improvement Fund this year – down from 1,033 last year and 1,408 the year before

Trusts named to run 30 new special free schools

But the DfE says the process of finding a trust sponsor will need to be repeated in three cases after suitable trusts were not identified to run the schools

Ofqual: 2023 KS2 reading test was effective

But lower attaining pupils were likely to have found last summer's test more difficult than previous papers, analysis finds

Sex education curriculum ‘failing young people’, say MPs

There is an 'absence of authoritative advice' about sexual health for young people, warns Women and Equalities Committee

Teacher pay falls by more than public sector as a whole

IFS says cuts to pay of higher earners in the public sector has contributed to recruitment and retention problems

Khan Review: Provide more help for threatened teachers

The government's independent social cohesion adviser, Dame Sara Khan, has called on the DfE to create a 'Cohesion and Conflict Unit' to support schools

Schools must convert in groups to claim academy support grant

Under new criteria for an academy conversion grant, schools will not receive £25k funding unless they convert in groups of three or more

Lynne Neagle appointed new Welsh education secretary

She replaces Jeremy Miles as new first minister Vaughan Gething unveils his ministerial team during a crucial period for Welsh education

Apprenticeship plan ‘risks quality of teaching’

The Teacher Degree Apprenticeship scheme is being 'unduly rushed' and should be put on hold, warns school leaders' union

Outwood Grange confirms Lee Wilson as permanent CEO

He will take over role from former CEO and current Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver

Recruitment crisis: DfE funds international market probe

DfE wants research to inform decisions on the current use of financial incentives, spot 'barriers' and 'assess eligibility and appetite' for international recruitment

Leadership skills can’t be ‘frozen in time’, warns NIoT

Professional development for school leaders needs to evolve to equip them with the tools to tackle new challenges, says NIoT chief Melanie Renowden

Schools’ hunt for attendance support as crisis continues

Huge hike in vacancies comes amid major government attendance drive and 'decimation' of local authority support

Schools ‘struggling’ to find effective mobile phone policies

Teachers have mixed views on banning phones in schools, but the vast majority surveyed say mobiles disrupt classes

SNP under fire for changing free laptops policy

Scottish education secretary forced to defend rowing back on government promise to provide a free laptop or other digital device to every pupil

Four councils agree new deals to cut high-needs deficits

Five councils have also seen their government payments to help balance high-needs deficits put on hold as their agreements have been put under review

Weekly round-up: Teacher pay and staff shortages

This week’s essential education news includes unions demanding an above-inflation teacher pay rise and warnings about another shortfall in trainee teachers

Revealed: Absence still much higher after pandemic

More than one in three pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds were persistently absent last year, DfE data shows

Two-thirds of special schools full amid SEND crisis

There were around 4,000 more pupils on roll than there were places for 2022-23, DfE capacity data shows

NPQ funding slashed for next year

Fully funded National Professional Qualifications will remain for Sendcos, primary maths, headship and staff in high-disadvantage areas only

Pay offer backed by teachers and leaders in Northern Ireland

School leaders warn that teacher workload and many others issues have still to be resolved, but hope that higher pay will boost recruitment to the profession

Cambridge warns over PM plan to ditch ‘A level’ name

There is also not enough school space or teachers to deliver Rishi Sunak's Advanced British Standard plan, its exam board OCR warns

Teacher vacancies remain high post-Covid

Experts warn school recruitment will never quite return to pre-pandemic levels as hard-to-hire regions continue to face worse struggle to fill posts