Join the Tes team as they look back at a week dominated by the fast-approaching teacher walkouts next week, with an education secretary that seems resigned to the strikes going ahead.

• Heads warn over ‘hardline’ DfE approach
  Matilda Martin talks about the tough decisions leaders are having to make on school closures as they warn that expectations from the Department for Education are “incompatible” with the reality on the ground.

• DfE school strike data trawl can be ignored, heads told
  As the strikes approach, the DfE has written to schools asking for information about their “anticipated operational status”. But the NAHT school leaders’ union says heads “should not feel under pressure” to reply.

• DfE to miss teacher pay review deadline
  As the unions were gearing up to submit their evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body, the DfE announced at the eleventh hour that it would be missing the deadline.

• Heads call for 15% ‘uplift’ in ‘last chance’ review
  While the DfE missed the deadline for its submission, NAHT made a strong case for a 15 per cent “uplift” to teacher and leader pay and said the pay review process had “failed” the education profession.

• Walker: ‘Worrying’ rise in school absence must be solved
  Grainne Hallahan discusses a guest article from Robin Walker, former schools minister and now chair of the Commons Education Select Committee, as he lays out why drastic action is needed to tackle pupil absence.