Join us as we chat through the big new stories from the past week on Tes, including: 

• Gibb and Halfon appointed as DfE ministers
  Former longstanding schools minister and the chair of the Commons Education Select Committee appointed to government roles.
   
• Keegan, Gibb and Halfon: what education can expect
  Policy experts look over past education pronouncements by the new Department for Education ministers to try to discern what they might focus on while in post.
   
• Sats: How to fix Year 6 writing moderation
  Key stage 2 assessments include a teacher-assessed level for writing - but how well does the system work for moderating the marking? 
   
• School funding crisis: ‘The mood among leaders is desolate’
  From reducing staff to turning the heating off, schools are being faced with impossible cost pressures, warns Association of School and College Leaders chief Geoff Barton as he implores the government to properly fund education.
   
• Why does the DfE think we need fewer maths teachers?
  This year, the target for trainee maths teachers has dropped. What is the reason behind the fall and what does the data say?
   
• Labour’s Skills Report: The good, the bad and the confusing
  A review by Lord Blunkett has outlined a raft of education ideas for Labour to consider for their next manifesto. Loic Menzies picks through the report to assess what makes the grade - and what should be cut.
   
• ​​​​​​Why wellbeing inspections are stressing out private schools
  With the Independent Schools Inspectorate pushing on with its plan for a new wellbeing-focused inspection framework, one head explains why private school leaders are worried.