DfE
The latest news and analysis on the Department for Education and the secretary of state for education, including new policy, legislation and appointments
Friday
2nd May 2025
Talk of schools finding ‘efficiencies’ is a fantasy
The government says schools will need to find ‘efficiencies’ to cover next year’s teacher pay rise. The truth is that this means more cuts, writes the ASCL general secretary
RISE teams: Trust leaders voice transparency concerns
Academy trust leaders tell Tes that it’s not clear how support for struggling schools will be procured under the government scheme
Heads demand clarity on the legal right to seclude pupils
School leaders voice fears over changes to government guidance on the use of restraint, warning that they could lead to the unfair treatment of pupils with SEND
Heads forced to ‘lobby’ for specialist provision in early years
Despite young pupils’ increasingly complex needs, leaders fear there is too little focus on getting them the right support
Thursday
1st May 2025
Legal action over equality in teacher misconduct cases
Unions seek a judicial review over fears that Black and minority ethnic teachers could be overrepresented in referrals to the Teaching Regulation Agency
1 in 8 secondary teachers reports student sexual assault
Every secondary school should have a dedicated lead for preventing violence against women and girls, says the Youth Endowment Fund
Wednesday
30th Apr 2025
DfE appoints advisers to tackle breakfast club ‘challenges’
Contracts for advisers to help schools deliver the government’s flagship policy are worth up to £44,000
The teen reading crisis - and the plan to start fixing it
Too many teenagers don’t have the reading skills to access the curriculum, but Professor Jessie Ricketts is on a mission to change that
Labour’s 6,500 new teachers pledge ‘could still leave shortages’
Public spending watchdog calls on the government to publish a delivery plan for fulfilling its pledge to recruit thousands more teachers
Tuesday
29th Apr 2025
McKinnell: ‘Too many pupils attend underperforming schools’
Writing exclusively for Tes, the minister for school standards says the new RISE teams will support school improvement to ensure that every child can thrive
Exclusive
Teacher training recruitment target cut by 19%
Falling pupil rolls and better teacher retention forecasts have led to a reduction in the number of recruits needed, DfE says
DfE hires 45 RISE advisers to expand ‘stuck’ schools support
Dozens of the ‘stuck’ schools earmarked for support have been in this position for more than six years, says the government