Primary

Thursday

12th Oct 2023

Sats 2023: Slow progress in reading and writing after Covid
Attainment at KS1 has risen slightly year-on-year but still remains far below pre-pandemic levels, new DfE figures show
2023 key stage 1 sats
Phonics attainment up but still below pre-pandemic levels
The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the KS1 phonics check has increased since last year but is still below levels achieved in 2019
Phonics data 2023

Tuesday

10th Oct 2023

Labour plans ‘real world’ maths teaching in primary
Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson will set out plans to upskill primary teachers to help improve ‘lifelong numeracy’
Labour's shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson says she wants to upskill primary school teachers to improve maths teaching.

Thursday

5th Oct 2023

End P1 SNSAs, says primary leaders’ body
Primary headteachers say P1 literacy and numeracy standardised assessments are ‘time consuming and onerous’, and interfere with play-based approaches
End requirement to test P1s, says primary leaders’ body
Poorer pupils need more reading catch-up support
The disadvantage gap is still wider than before the pandemic despite the recovery of some learning lost during Covid, NFER research shows
NFER report calls for more reading support

Friday

29th Sep 2023

SEND: ‘Concern’ as primary late starters double
Rising numbers of pupils with SEND are missing out on ‘crucial’ learning and the transition stage by entering school in Year 1 rather than Reception
Nursery school

Tuesday

12th Sep 2023

KS2 Sats 2023: 5 new findings
New DfE figures reveal how different groups of pupils performed in this year’s key stage 2 Sats, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with SEND
Attainment gap

Wednesday

6th Sep 2023

Free primary school meals for all may not happen before election
Pupils in the final two years of primary in Scotland will have to wait until at least 2026 for universal free school meals, despite an initial target date of August 2022
Free primary school meals for all may not happen before 2026 election

Wednesday

9th Aug 2023

Recognise schools are ‘at frontline of poverty’, Ofsted told
Ofsted inspectors should take into account the ‘unequal burden’ on schools that provide food and other essentials to families living in poverty, says report
food bank
Exclusive

Thursday

20th Jul 2023

Catch-up: DfE extends early years language scheme funding
The NELI programme has been funded by the department to help pupils impacted by the pandemic catch up on speech, language and communication skills
Children with speech bubbles

Monday

17th Jul 2023

KS2 Sats: Ofqual asks markers if results are accurate
Exams watchdog surveys markers after major concerns over the Sats marking and moderation process were reported for the second year running
Music tuning
Exclusive

Thursday

13th Jul 2023

DfE won’t publish primary progress scores for 2 years
Primary school progress scores in reading, writing and maths not being published for next two academic years after Covid Sats cancellations
Primary scores publication