DfE
The latest news and analysis on the Department for Education and the secretary of state for education, including new policy, legislation and appointments
Tuesday
13th Feb 2024
‘Green shoots’ on attendance, says Baroness Barran
DfE minister spoke in the House of Lords today to give new information on attendance and the plan for an out-of-school register – here are the key points from her speech
Plan school places ‘constructively’ with councils, trusts told
Making significant changes to an academy: four key points from updated DfE guidance
Friday
9th Feb 2024
RAAC heads call for timescale on rebuilding plans
With 119 RAAC-affected schools being told they will be rebuilt, heads warn they ‘do not want to waste public money’ on temporary solutions
Exclusive
Pandemic: Call for action on language development
Post-Covid call comes as NHS data shows increase in number of children and young people waiting for speech and language therapy
Over 50% of special school pupils could be in mainstream, says DfE report
Evaluation for DfE suggests majority of reviewed pupils with SEND in Delivering Better Value areas could have their needs met within mainstream schools
Exclusive
Thursday
8th Feb 2024
RAAC schools not expected to provide wraparound childcare
All schools will be expected to provide wraparound childcare on their site, ‘unless there is a reasonable justification not to’, DfE confirms in new guidance
Weekly round-up: ‘Earn and learn’ route into teaching and MAT deficits
This week’s essential education news includes the government launching its Teacher Degree Apprenticeship and new research uncovering multi-academy trusts’ worsening finances
More than 100 schools with RAAC will be rebuilt
The government today announced which schools containing the potentially dangerous concrete will be rebuilt and which will be given a grant to remove it
Extend catch-up cash or attainment gap will widen, PM told
More than 500 schools have signed a letter to Rishi Sunak, Gillian Keegan and Jeremy Hunt calling for more National Tutoring Programme funding in next month’s spring Budget
Exclusive
Tuesday
6th Feb 2024
School capacity measuring programme: all you need to know
Every secondary school and special school in England will have its site measured up for capacity over the next two years. Here’s everything you need to know
Heads call for Ofsted exemption for RAAC schools
The ‘unacceptable’ time it has taken for the government to act on the RAAC crisis is causing ‘financial detriment’ to schools, ASCL warns