Friday
Covid: Catch-up tutors covering classes as supply costs triple
Concerns over a ‘never-ending conveyor belt’ of Covid disruption as teachers test positive for the second time
Schools White Paper: 5 key claims fact-checked
91¶¶Òõ unpicks some of the big claims made by the government in its long-awaited Schools White Paper – and finds some interesting and creative use of data
Need to know: Big plans, behaviour and a slap in the face
Your round-up of 91¶¶Òõ’ most popular news and features articles from the past week
Why a 32.5-hour week will just lead to longer lunchtimes
The White Paper plan to enforce a minimum 32.5-hour school week fails to acknowledge that it is not teaching time that has been cut but breaktimes, says Laura McInerney
Teachers strongly oppose ‘executive heads’ plan
Controversial plan in Argyll and Bute would result in ‘executive headteachers’ being responsible for running up to eight schools
Gradual removal of masks shows slowness of Covid recovery
The muted messaging about face coverings in Scottish schools this week was telling, says Henry Hepburn
Style before substance: a tale of two Papers
This week saw the release of two high-profile policy documents – but the soundbite-laden Schools White Paper should have taken a note from the SEND Green Paper’s ambition, says Jon Severs
Thursday
New school Covid rules a ‘shambles’, say heads
School leaders call for ‘scientific evidence’ supporting the plan to only ask pupils with Covid to isolate for three days
Why the Schools White Paper all felt a bit familiar
The White Paper is another frustrating example of the ‘garbage can’ model of policymaking that means the same ideas are trotted out repeatedly, says Loic Menzies
Wednesday
SEND Green Paper: Bold ideas aplenty - but will it covertly cut parent choice?
Sam Freedman explains why the government deserves plaudits for seeking to proactively address key problems at the heart of the SEND system – but wonders if this may lead to a reduction of options for parents
Schools face ‘unforgivable’ wait for Covid plan
Admin staff are being used to run lessons because of teacher absence, as schools wait for government guidance on ‘living with Covid’
£25m invested as Wales moves towards free meals in primary
The Welsh government is aiming for all primary school pupils to receive free school meals by September 2024
