UK
The latest news, analysis and thought leadership for UK schools
Thursday
21st May 2026
Why children stop enjoying maths in Year 7
By the summer term of Year 7, students are far less likely to say they enjoy maths than they were in Year 6, writes David Thomas, but schools can take steps to tackle this trend
Schools could face more legal disputes, SEND experts warn
Lawyers, charities and school leaders voice fears about the impact of planned SEND reforms on schools’ relationships with parents and the volume of complaints
Give review panels power to reinstate excluded pupils, says charity
Tens of thousands of pupils are being removed from mainstream education through an increase in ‘informal practices’ such as off-rolling, Coram Children’s Legal Centre warns
Statutory social media ban for under-16s demanded by MPs
Schools should not be able to adopt the ‘not seen or heard’ policy on mobile phones, education committee argues
DfE set to fall ‘significantly short’ on school nurseries target
Most primary schools without a nursery do not intend to open one and many lack suitable space, research finds
Wednesday
20th May 2026
Revealed: the trickiest times-table question faced in schools
Findings come shortly before the statutory multiplication tables check opens for schools’ Year 4 pupils
Teach First to be awarded flagship teacher training contract
The High Potential Initial Teacher Training programme will be a key part of the government’s plans to recruit 6,500 more teachers by the end of the current Parliament
Exclusive
Ofsted will update toolkits to ‘clarify’ approach to disadvantage
Watchdog director insists that achievement grades from inspections are ‘fair’ – despite fears that schools with more disadvantaged pupils are being penalised
Exclusive
The oversimplification of ADHD - and what we should do next
ADHD is misunderstood and mischaracterised, and that’s creating significant challenges for those with the condition as well as those trying to support them, argues Professor Gaia Scerif
What to do when you don’t get the job
The disappointment of not getting a hoped-for new role or promotion can be tough – but there are lessons to be learned, says this leader
DfE urged to tackle unequal spread of pupils with SEND in schools
Pupils with SEND are being ‘clustered’ in a small number of schools that are strong on inclusion, creating unsustainable pressure and limiting others’ ability to build stronger practice, warns NFER research
Why uneven school SEND provision is not sustainable
Schools with a reputation for inclusion are becoming overstretched because they are supporting a disproportionate number of pupils with SEND, writes the lead researcher for a new NFER study