Yesterday
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
3 stages of school development - how to spot them, and what to fix
Individual schools within groups are often at different stages in a journey – the key is to know what each stage is and how to move forward from there, says this leader
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
Thursday
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
AI in Scottish schools: 10 key points for leaders
Schools must show leadership on AI because doing nothing is the riskiest option, says Scottish secondary headteacher Stuart Clark
Why statutory RSHP is essential in Scottish schools
Scotland has ‘patchy and inconsistent’ relationships, sexual health and parenthood education, and lags behind other parts of the UK, says Joanne Smith
The power of international school relationships - for staff and students
How a connection between schools in Devon and the Ukraine has had a big impact – and underlines the value of school partnerships across borders
Why children stop enjoying maths in Year 7
By the summer term of Year 7, students are far less likely to say they enjoy maths than they were in Year 6, writes David Thomas, but schools can take steps to tackle this trend
Schools could face more legal disputes, SEND experts warn
Lawyers, charities and school leaders voice fears about the impact of planned SEND reforms on schools’ relationships with parents and the volume of complaints
Give review panels power to reinstate excluded pupils, says charity
Tens of thousands of pupils are being removed from mainstream education through an increase in ‘informal practices’ such as off-rolling, Coram Children’s Legal Centre warns
