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
Wednesday
30th Apr 2025
DfE appoints advisers to tackle breakfast club ‘challenges’
Contracts for advisers to help schools deliver the government’s flagship policy are worth up to £44,000
Starmer should look to last Labour government to fix school absence
Under Tony Blair, absence rates in English schools fell. The current government would do well to emulate this preventative approach, says Moira Wallace
Labour’s 6,500 new teachers pledge ‘could still leave shortages’
Public spending watchdog calls on the government to publish a delivery plan for fulfilling its pledge to recruit thousands more teachers
Tuesday
29th Apr 2025
McKinnell: ‘Too many pupils attend underperforming schools’
Writing exclusively for 91¶¶Òõ, the minister for school standards says the new RISE teams will support school improvement to ensure that every child can thrive
Exclusive
Jonathan Haidt: ‘Anything you do digital in schools is worse’
The American academic and Anxious Generation author outlines his damning views on young people and smartphones and tech in schools – to an audience of trust leaders
How Labour can deliver on its promise for teacher development
We must prioritise teacher development with a focus on a greater variety of courses at system, school and individual levels, argues Marie Hamer
DfE hires 45 RISE advisers to expand ‘stuck’ schools support
Dozens of the ‘stuck’ schools earmarked for support have been in this position for more than six years, says the government
Friday
25th Apr 2025
DfE definition of stuck schools is ‘deeply problematic’
Confederation of School Trusts questions Department for Education plan for RISE advisers to intervene in stuck schools based on ‘flawed’ definition
What we’ve learned from our inquiry into the SEND crisis
MPs have heard that more teacher training and better partnership working are essential for improving our SEND support system, says the chair of the Commons Education Select Committee