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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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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

Pensions grants shortfalls leave schools £70K worse off

Union leaders tell education secretary they are 'extremely concerned' that pensions grants do not cover costs

‘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

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

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

Experts warn of an ‘arts apocalypse’ in schools

A coalition of 14 organisations, including the NEU, has called for politicians to address the 'deep, multi-faceted and worsening' crisis

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'

‘The fear of inspection is rife in our schools’

School inspection in Scotland is too often used to 'squash innovation and enthusiasm', says SSTA general secretary

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

Sats: Wellbeing and behaviour warning ahead of tests

Primary school leaders say the pandemic is still impacting Year 6 pupils as they prepare for assessment this term and the transition to secondary school

‘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

Hinds: ‘Faster progress’ needed to fix absence problem

Speaking exclusively to ÌÇÐÄVlog as the DfE launches a toolkit to help schools spot pupil absence trends, schools minister says the sector is still facing an 'attendance problem'

‘Half-baked’ response to ‘escalating’ school violence condemned

Teaching union demands 'immediate action' to address an 'upsurge in violence' in Scottish schools so that staff can work in safety

Say ‘no’ to ‘toxic culture’ of extra workload, teachers told

Teachers have been 'conditioned over the years by moral blackmail to take on more and more work', says president of Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association

Weekly round-up: Ofsted change and GCSE warning

This week’s essential education news includes Ofsted scrapping deep dives in ungraded inspections and fears about the impact of high absence among GCSE students

DfE investigates why some schools are not inclusive

Minister highlights concern about reports of 'outstanding'-rated schools not having any pupils with an education, health and care plan

Teacher numbers pledge in doubt after Swinney’s first FMQs

New first minister refuses to say definitively that he will stick to target of increasing teacher numbers by 3,500 as opponents attack his record as education secretary

Ofsted: Inspectors less likely to give lowest grade twice

Findings might mean inspectors are not able to 'stomach' giving the lowest grade twice in a row, say researchers

Revealed: Where 16 new special free schools will open

DfE also names the academy trusts chosen to run seven special schools already in the pipeline

2024 exams: Ofqual issues warning over cheating

Watchdog warns of the consequences of being caught with a phone in an exam hall or searching for leaked exam papers on social media

Schools urged to be ‘vigilant’ after IB data leak

International Baccalaureate warns of uptick in 'malicious' activity from 'nefarious actors' but says no exam material has been compromised

Teacher workload: Delay class-contact time target, says report

The Scottish government should be wary of increasing teacher numbers quickly and aim for a promised 90-minute reduction in weekly class-contact time by 2028, report recommends