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

Friday

2nd Jul 2021

Heads ‘anger’ as DfE treatment ‘feels like contempt’
Joint letter from ASCL, NAHT and NEU to Gavin Williamson expresses “anger and dismay” at government’s handling of Covid crisis
Primary teachers face 3 months of Covid learning loss
Key stage 1 pupils have fallen back on reading and maths due to pandemic disruption, NFER and EEF research shows
School funding shifting away from the poorest, says NAO
National funding formula means majority of the most deprived schools have seen a real-terms funding cut, watchdog warns

Thursday

1st Jul 2021

Covid: Heads slam ‘cynical attempt to shift blame’
Union writes to Boris Johnson over claims schools are being ‘overzealous’ in their Covid measures by sending too many pupils home
Revealed: Where Covid learning loss has hit hardest
Pupils eligible for free school meals have missed more lessons than their peers, new DfE data shows

Wednesday

30th Jun 2021

Williamson: School bubbles could be ‘lifted’ for summer
Education secretary says the DfE is considering ending bubbles in schools “as part of step 4” of Covid roadmap so “all children” can take part in “summer activities.”
Banning mobile phones? Where does Gavin get his ideas?
It’s patronising to say schools aren’t tackling phone use – and it diverts attention from big issues, says ZoĂ« Crockford
Primary schools ‘completely forgotten’ in Covid plans
Ways of avoiding pupil isolation discussed so far ‘would not work in primaries’, say leaders

Tuesday

29th Jun 2021

Williamson working to ‘relax’ school Covid measures
Education secretary speaks out after Department for Education statistics reveal one in 20 pupils were off school for Covid-related reasons on Thursday
Sir Kevan: 10,000 schools need longer days immediately
Longer school day could have included tutoring so pupils not ‘pulled out of lessons’ says former recovery tsar Sir Kevan Collins
Revealed: 7 key changes ex catch-up tsar wanted to make
Sir Kevan Collins told education select committee that schools need a 10-year-plan to recover from pandemic
Catch-up effort ‘a bit feeble’, says Sir Kevan Collins
Former government education recovery tsar, who resigned over lack of funding for his catch-up plan, warns of ‘blight’ to generation of pupils