DfE

Interim report from Raising the Nation Play Commission proposes that Ofsted assesses schools on playtime length, which would ‘reward schools that value play highly’

Teachers’ union says a national security forum is needed to improve safety for school staff and pupils

Tes revealed last month that Oak co-founder Matt Hood is stepping down from his role as chief executive

Scheme to encourage pupils in disadvantaged areas to take up chess has been a great success, schools say

The development of essential employment skills, starting from the early years, is key to meeting future workforce needs, says research report

The government is being urged to write off local authorities’ high-needs deficits in response to new findings about their SEND budgets

Report calls for government to introduce an ‘enrichment guarantee’ of at least 80 hours of extracurricular activities per year

The British Educational Suppliers Association raises concerns with a DfE review about the creation of Oak National Academy as a government resources quango

‘Dropped in’ wellbeing interventions don’t work, research shows. Instead mental health needs to be embedded in school life, says Luke Ramsden

A coalition of northern-based charities and organisations calls on the government to tackle the root causes of pupil absence

Large multi-academy trusts nearly tripled their cash returns from investments last year – so why aren’t all trusts doing the same? Experts tell Jasmine Norden that MATs need guidance on ways to invest safely

The new regional school improvement programme will grow in April with the appointment of 50 new advisers, says DfE