Thursday
Schools self-funding their building work is ‘wholly unrealistic’
NASUWT chief Matt Wrack lists the problems with the idea that schools could hire out facilities to fund essential refurbishment of their buildings
How much cash can schools really save from DfE buying scheme?
The Maximising Value for Pupils programme claims it can help schools save thousands by reducing their bills, but leaders warn the benefits are ‘marginal’
Wednesday
6,500 teacher goal ‘consistent’ with original pledge, Phillipson says
Education secretary faces questions from MPs over the government’s SEND plans, teacher recruitment and curriculum reform
Falling primary rolls will ‘narrow curriculum’, Lords warned
The government must financially support schools and councils to manage demographic upheaval, hears inquiry into the falling number of pupils in primary schools
Trusts ‘left in limbo’ over delayed budget guidance
Academy trusts are being left with less time to finalise and scrutinise their budgets because key DfE documents remain unpublished, experts warn
Supply and demand: we need more economics teachers
Economics is now the fifth most popular A-level subject – but access to the qualification is uneven, largely because of a shortage of specialist teachers
Rejected: 1 in 10 offers of extra attendance and behaviour help
Schools targeted for help under DfE scheme may feel ‘unfairly stigmatised’, says heads’ leader
Tuesday
Fears over target for mental health teams in all schools
MPs hear it will take a ‘heroic effort’ for the government to meet its target of 100 per cent of schools being covered by 2030 – and that strict behaviour policies risk ‘punishing’ pupils for mental health issues
Why too many boys are not school-ready
This government needs to avoid the systemic policymaking failures that have left many boys from low-income families behind before they start school, write Nehal Davison and Sophie Metcalfe
Monday
Steep fall in teacher pension payments ‘highly likely’
Employer contributions to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme are set to fall – but schools will not necessarily be able to keep the savings, Tes understands
Enrichment benchmarks: no government commitment on funding for schools
The government’s long-awaited enrichment benchmarks for schools have finally been published, encompassing areas such as civic engagement, the arts, nature and sport
Social media ban cautiously welcomed by school leaders
Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X will all be inaccessible to under-16s under government plans, but messaging apps such as WhatsApp will be permitted
