DfE
The latest news and analysis on the Department for Education and the secretary of state for education, including new policy, legislation and appointments
Wednesday
13th May 2026
King’s Speech confirms plan for SEND reform
Legislation to overhaul special educational needs provision will be introduced in government’s Education for All Bill
Tories demand ‘corrective action’ over GCSE maths complaint
Shadow education secretary raises concerns over confidence in exams system and impact on results, as she calls for regulator to do more following upheld maths complaint
Exclusive
Ignoring online education in SEND reforms is a major oversight
Future educators will wonder why the reforms in 2026 overlooked the clear benefits and uptake of online learning, argues Thomas Keaney
The sector can get the enrichment entitlement right - here’s how
While the tight timeline for schools to introduce the new enrichment entitlement has sparked criticism, this trust CEO has some tips to help with delivery
Tuesday
12th May 2026
DfE seeks £200K expert to ‘reshape’ education
New role will be highest-paid in the department, with the appointee making ‘life-and-death’ school safety decisions
Schools can lead the way in cutting exam times - but should they?
91¶¶Òõ analysis shows schools can cut the time GCSE students spend in exams, a current government and Ofqual priority – although leaders are cautioning against shifting the responsibility to schools
Exclusive
Monday
11th May 2026
Schools struggle with ‘enormously frustrating’ faults in Sats portal
Heads tell 91¶¶Òõ they were unable to access the online portal, as the site for KS2 attendance figures – which has replaced paper registers – was ‘experiencing a technical issue’
Exclusive
Mission Coastal heads first to schools in Hastings and Scarborough
Teacher support and pupil mentoring will be made available through Mission Coastal and Mission North East from this September
NEU warns ‘out of touch’ Labour it will launch strike ballot
The union’s general secretary Daniel Kebede hits back after education secretary calls ballot threat ‘massively premature’
Friday
8th May 2026
DfE to call on leaders to become RISE ‘partners’
New DfE-convened regional partnerships will be expected to provide ‘formalised oversight’ of progress against school improvement priorities
Schools face ‘impossible’ SEND support package plans, experts warn
‘Bizarre’ government proposals risk lumping together pupils with vastly different needs, and stripping out mental health support, leaders tell 91¶¶Òõ