Today
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
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
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
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
Yesterday
KCSIE criticised for ‘watered down’ advice on online searches
Legal experts challenge the DfE’s decision not to mandate social media checks when schools are recruiting staff, in its updated Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance
Almost 1 in 5 pupils off school at peak of heatwave
Schools in England had the highest daily absence rate so far during the 2025-26 academic year in June, when temperatures reached 37.7C
Suspensions and exclusions data: sanctions for pupils with EHCPs rise
Suspensions and permanent exclusions have reduced nationally for the first time since the pandemic, but suspensions are up in primary and for pupils with education, health and care plans
Bridget Phillipson: Support body will end staff pay inequality
The education secretary writes for Tes to explain why she hopes new anti-bullying guidance and a negotiating body for support staff will have a real impact for all those in schools
The MAT CEO pay cap is a watershed moment - but it’s risky
The government is right to tighten oversight of trust executive pay, but the policy must not lead to approval bottlenecks or battles between MATs and ministers, says NGA’s Sam Henson
Wednesday
Experts play down DfE role in teacher workforce recovery
The Department for Education has engineered ‘very little’ of a recovery in the teacher workforce, with factors beyond the government’s control playing a big part, says EPI
DfE standards must guide the sector, not tell us what to do
The government’s creation of new standards for trusts and inclusion offers an opportunity to set out clear principles – instead of just writing up new checklists, says the Confederation of School Trusts’ Leora Cruddas
