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Exams expert calls for GCSE gender gap investigation
Any inquiry into the gender divide in educational outcomes should confront the ‘unthinkable’ prospect of ‘inherent’ differences between girls and boys, says Professor Alan Smithers
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DfE urged to delay ‘devastating’ PE premium axing
'Irresponsible' scrapping of direct payments has come too late for next year's budget planning, say leaders
Tech-driven cheating demands ‘really fast’ action, says exams chief
High-tech devices such as smart watches pose a challenge that must not be underestimated, warns Ofqual chief regulator Sir Ian Bauckham
Social media ban must exclude educational content, MPs warn
With ministers considering a ban on social media for under-16s, a parliamentary group highlights the educational value of some content
Boost girls’ wellbeing to cut absence, ministers told
Improving life satisfaction is 'likely to yield the greatest benefits' for school attendance, NFER researchers find
Reading for pleasure: 5 key challenges
Year 8 reading tests, GCSE English shortcomings, and the tricky balance between grammar and reading enjoyment were among the issues raised at an MPs' committee today
Dukes Education’s Canada school buy is start of North American push
Founder Aatif Hassan tells ÌÇÐÄVlog he hopes to emulate the group's European success in the US and Canada, and confirms he still has designs on Middle East expansion
Catholic MAT to grow by 50% as mergers gather pace
The trust will take on 10 new schools if plans are approved this month, amid a wider consolidation of Catholic academies
Heads warn of ‘unsafe’ role of school staff in medical care
Headteachers' leaders call for an 'escalation route' when a school decides a pupil’s needs cannot be safely met by education staff alone
School insurance claims set to hit £180 million
Experts and unions warn the increase in school insurance claims is a 'concerning' sign of the deteriorating condition and resilience of school buildings
School system ‘failing by design’ to prepare pupils for work, review finds
The national curriculum and exam-based assessment approaches are big factors in many students being 'effectively set up to fail', finds government-commissioned review
Maximum temperature limit in schools is essential, DfE told
Warnings from teaching bodies come as England sees record-breaking temperatures this week, prompting concerns about the impact of extreme heat in classrooms
Girls far more likely to take languages at A level, data shows
FFT Education Datalab analysis also finds that students from poorer backgrounds are less drawn to languages A levels, and identifies large gaps in entries between different ethnic groups
Curriculum reform team sees another high-profile departure
Jenny Oldroyd, director for curriculum at the Department for Education, will move posts next month, prompting one union to describe a series of recent departures as 'not ideal'
Nord Anglia acquires second school in Malaysia
Mont’Kiara International School, an IB school, will join the British International School of Kuala Lumpur, increasing choice within the same group for families in the capital
Social media inquiry risks shifting blame on to schools, ASCL warns
Schools must not be left with the 'policing burden' around social media, says school leaders' union as it demands that tech companies are held to account
Students lack skills for on-screen assessment, warns exam board boss
In an exclusive interview with ÌÇÐÄVlog, Eduqas CEO Ian Morgan talks about the risks of moving to on-screen assessment, the use of AI to mark exams and the debate over how long exams should be
Social media ban for under-16s is ‘no panacea’, say heads
Responding to the government consultation, the NAHT school leaders' union also warns of the risks of an 'overreliance' on edtech and AI tools in schools
SEND reforms: Special schools’ fears over funding and demand
Responding to the consultation on the government's SEND reforms, organisations from the specialist sector raise concerns about financial support and a lack of 'clarity' in the plans
Heads welcome falling rolls inquiry
Union leader calls for steps to protect staffing levels as schools face falling rolls driven by birth rates and cost-of-living crisis
Schools’ CIF odds improve slightly - but most projects miss out
Nearly seven in 10 applications to Condition Improvement Fund failed to secure funding, but DfE did approve 813 projects in the 2026-27 round
Andrew O’Neill seconded for another year as DfE policy adviser
Headteacher of All Saints Catholic College in London was first seconded to the Department for Education last summer to bring 'frontline expertise' to policymaking
How teaching unions fell out of love with Labour
After a promising start to relations between the Labour government and the education unions, tensions have started to rise. Will an unfunded pay award be the tipping point for another series of strikes?
Nearly 1 in 5 primary leaders tell parents to stop vaping
Heads' unions hope plans to make vaping illegal anywhere on site will help settings to reinforce existing school rules
PE and sport premium for primary schools scrapped
Replacement of the PE and sport premium with a new school sports 'partnerships network' has been described as 'deeply concerning' by heads' leaders