DfE
The latest news and analysis on the Department for Education and the secretary of state for education, including new policy, legislation and appointments
Today
13th Apr 2026
Healthier school menus: all you need to know
Government proposals would lead to new rules on school breakfasts, lunches and drinks in order to tackle poor diets among children
Funding fears over new school food standards
Deep-fried food will be banned from school menus in England as part of government plans – but experts warn about the increased cost of providing healthier options
Co-op Academies Trust set to expand northwards
Trust says it is in ‘advanced discussions’ with the DfE about absorbing six schools from a MAT in Cumbria, which would make it one of the top 25 biggest trusts
Friday
27th Mar 2026
Ofsted to inspect early years providers more often
Early education minister’s letter to chief inspector outlines new requirements for Ofsted, including the need to inspect every four years
Revealed: The DfE’s ‘enormous’ challenge with inclusion bases
The government wants an inclusion base in every mainstream secondary but lacks basic data on what specialist facilities already exist – and Tes analysis reveals huge regional gaps in provision
Exclusive
Wednesday
25th Mar 2026
Tom Rees to co-chair expert SEND panel
Academy trust CEO will help to lead a group in developing national inclusion standards and packages of specialist support for pupils with SEND
Inclusion: what the DfE expects from schools
Government sets out expectations for what schools’ universal offer should look like and how they can use its new Inclusive Mainstream Fund