DfE

Education secretary accuses Conservative leader of ‘comparing me to a Gestapo officer’ after heated clash in the Commons

Lords’ inquiry into falling pupil numbers also hears warnings about mixed-age classes, as well as a proposal that teachers could be retrained to work across different phases

DfE urged to assess the impact of falling numbers on disadvantaged pupils and increase funding for affected schools

A new prime minister could mean new priorities – but education has a vision that makes sense, says NAHT chief Paul Whiteman, so let’s see it through

Unions warn timing of pay announcement has already been ‘knocked off course’ by political events, leaving teachers facing uncertainty and schools unable to budget

NEU issues warning as government highlights updated guidance for schools on what to do during heatwaves, with England facing record-breaking temperatures this week

Biggest teaching union calls for ‘new leadership’ at the DfE, with members rating Bridget Phillipson even lower than Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister

Sir Steve Smith writes to international school associations praising the work of schools during the war in the Middle East, and apparently addressing concerns about Ofqual’s refusal to accept teacher-assessed grades

New guidance on communicating with parents about absence leaves schools with the ‘all but impossible’ task of improving attendance without being able to hold families to account, warn leaders

Increase in legal costs is likely due to the government introducing contentious policies that have ‘well-funded’ opponents – such as VAT on private school fees, say experts

Government is consulting on two options for redesigning early years training so it leads to Qualified Teacher Status

Committee will scrutinise DfE’s teacher recruitment targets and plans to reform accountability measures and narrow the disadvantage gap