Thursday
Powell rejects claim that she ‘undermined’ Ofsted boss
Education secretary puts her confidence in Sir Martyn Oliver on record in letter responding to Tory criticism, and also confirms she is working with Ofsted on inspection framework reforms
School meal uptake falls in trial of tightened food standards
Some pupils skipped lunch altogether when the food standards were trialled, according to DfE research that reveals the challenges of implementing stricter rules on school meals
DfE warned it must deliver long-term SEND funding plan
Council bosses say schools and local authorities need more certainty on the money that will be available to make the special educational needs reforms work
Wednesday
Sir Jon Coles: Data spine an ‘extraordinary overreach’ of government powers
Warnings from leader of country’s biggest multi-academy trust are echoed by education unions and sector groups, who urge the government not to rush the major national data project
Budget 2026: everything schools need to know
Mainstream school spending is projected to fall in real terms, while – in a Budget with few mentions of education – the chancellor announces additional funding for PE and books for young children
Tuesday
Bursaries uncertainty sparks fear of losing ‘strong future teachers’
Teacher training providers and prospective teachers have been left in the dark by a delay in the confirmation of financial incentives for applicants for 2027-28
Heads demand more funding to combat ‘huge financial pressures’
School leaders back open letter to Andy Burnham ahead of this week’s Budget, calling for an additional £4.5 billion in school funding
Friday
Powell accused of ‘failure of leadership’ over Ofsted comments
The Conservatives’ Laura Trott claims the education secretary ‘undermined’ Ofsted chief Sir Martyn Oliver in a TV interview
Late KCSIE changes leave schools’ safeguarding policies ‘out of date’
Concerns over last-minute updates to safeguarding guidance come amid wider calls for the government to pause the ‘ever-expanding’ requirements it makes of schools
Thursday
Teachers could work fewer days under DfE plans
Lucy Powell also opens the door to removing the limits on how much headteachers can be paid
Teachers ‘pulling their hair out’ over ‘violence-fixated’ pupils
Children’s commissioner says children who are influenced by harmful online content are being bounced back to school because they do not meet the criteria for the Prevent programme
