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DfE sets out £800m SEND teacher development contracts

The government’s spending plans could include the creation of national SEND CPD programmes, with contracts expected to be awarded to providers next year

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Getting maths curriculum right ‘needs wisdom of the entire system’

The ‘vagueness’ of the current maths curriculum must be addressed, says the Scottish government’s specialist adviser – but he has no plans for ‘sweeping' changes to content

Headteachers voice support for ‘imperfect’ schools bill

The Headteachers' Roundtable 'strongly refutes' several criticisms of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill published in the national press

Inclusion is not about ‘dumbing down’, says DfE adviser

'Generic' policy on SEND support risks exposing pupils to 'inappropriate practice', warns the government's inclusion lead

History teachers give ‘damning’ evidence in row over SQA grading

The drop in the Higher history pass rate has led to ‘anger’, ‘anxiety’ and loss of confidence among teachers, who say their concerns are being ‘brushed under the carpet’ by the awards body

PSE must address boys’ ‘hate’ towards girls, MSPs told

New guidance for Scottish schools on teaching around consent will be finalised 'in the coming weeks'

Safeguarding action ends too soon, heads’ leader tells MPs

Even when school safeguarding concerns result in an intervention, this can end too soon, requiring repeated referrals, the education committee heard

School maintenance backlog stands at £13.8bn, says watchdog

But the National Audit Office reveals the true cost of repairs and replacements in the school estate could be ‘substantially higher’

Mandatory assistive tech training for all new teachers from 2025

The education secretary will set out the Department for Education's plans for edtech in a speech at the Bett show

Government to amend schools bill to clarify teacher pay

Trust leaders had raised concerns that the current wording of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill suggested academies would lose pay freedoms

Schools bill: Experts tell MPs what changes are needed

MPs on the committee scrutinising the government's Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill heard from sector leaders today

Dame Alison Peacock: State schools ‘self-impose’ accountability

Chartered College of Teaching boss says the independent school sector has 'a lot to teach the state sector' in how to help pupils 'flourish'

Heads’ union ‘not convinced’ schools bill rules out pay ceiling

ASCL wants an amendment to the government's Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to avoid setting limits on teacher pay and conditions

Measure pupil wellbeing, DfE told

But including pupil wellbeing in school accountability measures is 'fraught with dangers', headteachers' leader warns

Biggest primary trust posts £1.1m deficit

REAch2, which runs 62 primary schools, also highlights a rise in 'high-level' behaviour incidents – including staff injuries – in its latest financial accounts

Ban mobile phones in Scottish schools, say Tories

A ban would help to address violence and disruption in classrooms, the party argues, as it accuses the Scottish government of failing to get a grip on behaviour in schools

Call for ‘content clarity’ in Scottish curriculum

All pupils in Scotland should experience the same knowledge, skills and experiences ‘regardless of the school they attend’, argues a new paper

Expansion of major MAT referred to ministers

Plans for Delta Academies Trust to take on six schools run by a coastal trust have been sent to the education secretary for a decision

Most school budgets will fall short in 2025-26, unions find

School Cuts coalition's analysis shows 94% of secondary schools and 76% of primaries are not on course to meet rising costs

Give private schools public funds to widen access, says commission

Pupil premium funding could be given to private schools that take on more disadvantaged pupils, says commission funded by the independent sector

Should children spend more time in school?

Scottish pupils generally receive 950 learning hours in primary and 1,045 in secondary – but a survey finds a ‘range of views’ on these norms and a 'prevalent theme' that there are not enough hours

Rob Haring to step down as CEO of Westcountry Schools Trust

Having led the 31-school trust since its inception in 2011, Rob Haring will retire at the end of December

Revealed: Ministers’ ‘staggering’ absence from SEND schools

SEND minister visited no special schools in the four months after the election – amid concern that specialist expertise is being overlooked

Lack of trust in Ofsted ‘almost irreversible’

Headteachers' support service warns that it is still receiving 'traumatic' calls from school leaders about Ofsted inspections

Heads urge Ofsted to delay new inspections until 2026

Over 90% of heads do not have confidence in Ofsted being able to design an effective new inspection framework, NAHT warns