DfE
The latest news and analysis on the Department for Education and the secretary of state for education, including new policy, legislation and appointments
Wednesday
8th Oct 2025
The end of English ITT bursaries sends a worrying message
The withdrawal of teacher training bursaries for English risks undermining more than just the subject itself – and it comes at a critical time, warns Sarah Mullin
Phillipson: ‘Generational reset’ for white working-class pupils
Warning that ‘school just isn’t working’ for white working-class children, the education secretary promises policy to address this is in the forthcoming Schools White Paper
Monday
6th Oct 2025
DfE cuts teacher-training bursaries in 8 subjects
Maths scholarships worth £31,000 are being scrapped, while awards for modern foreign languages will fall by £6,000 under new DfE guidance
DfE not planning for school closures ‘was a dereliction of duty’
Leader of the biggest MAT tells the UK Covid inquiry that while his trust was making preparations for closures in March 2020, he was not aware of the DfE issuing directives to local authorities
Tories’ education team focus on the role of alternative provision
Shadow minister Saqib Bhatti highlights the importance of AP amid concerns about the outcomes for white working-class boys
Friday
3rd Oct 2025
Schools criticise support ‘vacuum’ as racial tensions rise
Concerned leaders tell Tes the government has not equipped them to deal with debates on immigration, race and St George’s flags
Exclusive
The next few months will define Labour’s record on education
After a Labour conference short on policy details, we can soon expect big decisions that will shape the future of education – so hold on to your hats, says ASCL chief Pepe Di’Iasio
Thursday
2nd Oct 2025
Government urged to plan to keep schools open in future pandemics
Baroness Anne Longfield tells Covid inquiry that the government owes children a formal apology for mistakes during pandemic
How concerning is the school leader retention data?
New government statistics show that retention rates in many leadership roles continue their long decline. Tes breaks down the data
Wednesday
1st Oct 2025
4 ways RISE can deliver sustained school improvement
The CEO and co-founder of education charity Challenge Partners share their insights into how the RISE school improvement programme can succeed where other government schemes have fallen short
Why Labour’s conference gives us real hope for education
After spending three days at the Labour conference, one trust leader says that – far from projecting doom and gloom – it highlighted a spirit of ambition that could transform our school system