Thursday
Rise in school at-risk pupil referrals since Covid
The proportion of referrals to social services being made by schools is increasing, new DfE data shows
£20m hardship funding to go to high-deficit schools
The DfE has published details of the £40m hardship fund to support schools announced alongside the teacher pay deal in July
Breaking: DfE to target extra school cash to high deficit areas
Half of the one-off £40m hardship fund announced for schools as part of the summer pay deal will go to local authorities with school deficits over 1% of income, the government has revealed
‘Vital’ behaviour hubs evaluation delayed
Schools say behaviour is getting worse – but findings from the government’s main initiative to tackle the problem have been delayed until next year
Monday
Schools face ‘huge extra workload’ from RSHE demand
Letter from education secretary risks ‘expectation’ that schools ‘must publish every piece of planning and resource used across the RSHE curriculum’, leaders warn DfE
Mark Lehain appointed special adviser to Keegan
Former free school head returns as education secretary special adviser, with a focus on school and family policy
Friday
Rise in illness absence due to anxiety
School leaders have called for the government to redouble efforts to address growing pupil mental health problem since pandemic
Heads ‘deflated’ after DfE funding email error
The Department for Education has apologised to several academy trusts after mistakenly telling them they were eligible to apply for a school building fund
DfE strike plan ‘a hostile attack’ on teachers’ rights
Unions react with anger after Gillian Keegan warns that the DfE could introduce minimum service levels for schools to curb strike disruption
Breaking: Keegan urges unions to engage over minimum service levels
Education secretary has told unions DfE will introduce minimum service levels in schools if voluntary agreement is not reached
