Policy
The latest news, analysis and advice on government policy and legislation. Find a breakdown of new documentation, case studies from leaders and comment from high-profile educators
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
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Monday
11th May 2026
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’
Why a major US study on mobile phone bans may please no one
As England presses ahead with plans for a full phone ban in schools, a new report suggests the impacts can be less clear-cut than many would hope for, says Luke Ramsden
Friday
8th May 2026
All Sendcos ‘need clinical supervision to stop burnout’
Education leaders call for more support for Sendcos as the role becomes increasingly demanding
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
Thursday
7th May 2026
What are aspiring heads’ priorities for Scottish education?
Into Headship students have shared their views on what should happen to improve education after today’s Scottish Parliament election
Most school leaders say budget cuts are hitting pupil outcomes
Schools are increasingly being forced to make ‘trade-offs’ on staffing, class sizes and levels of support because of squeezed funding, report warns
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Weak governance flagged as threat to MAT expansion
Less than half of governors think their school’s resources, including reserves, should be shared across their trust, finds National Governance Association
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