UK

The latest news, analysis and thought leadership for UK schools

Friday

Plans for major shake-up of schools’ SEND funding
DfE consulting on plans to give schools more upfront funding for SEND provision, but also raise the £6,000 per pupil threshold for applying for top-up cash
The DfE is proposing a major shake up of how SEND funding works.
Ark announces new CEOs to replace Lucy Heller
Patrick Wall will lead the Ark Schools multi-academy trust and Katie Oliver will be CEO of the organisation’s charitable arm
New Art CEO
School leaders ‘nervous’ about new sports network
DfE announces delay to the sports partnership network that will replace the PE and sport premium, but says primary schools will receive more transitional funding
Schools sports partnership network delayed
Pretending every trust is the same won’t solve pay concerns
Creating a negotiating body for school support staff feels like a sensible step, but it could reduce the flexibility that has made trusts so successful, says CST deputy Steve Rollett
Steve Rollett
How can trusts really know if governance is effective?
The commercial director at Thinking Schools Academy Trust explains how it has used KPIs to oversee the overseers – and the positive impact this has had
How can academy trusts really know if their governance is effective?
More than 1 in 3 inspected schools face Ofsted monitoring
91¶¶Òõ analysis reveals a big increase in Ofsted monitoring inspections, prompting warnings about school leaders’ wellbeing and inspector workload
More than 1 in 3 schools inspected by Ofsted in 2025-26 now face a monitoring inspection.
Exclusive
Heads’ union seeks pact with NEU as industrial tensions rise
Negotiations come amid growing industrial action by the teaching union, with school leaders telling 91¶¶Òõ that disputes have left them feeling ‘distressed’ and ‘exploited’
Headteachers' leaders are in talks with the NEU teachers' union about local industrial disputes
Exclusive
Medical guidance published by heads’ union amid safety fears
The NAHT has published medical support guidance to help school leaders identify unsafe practices and challenge unreasonable expectations
Paul Whiteman