Monday
History shows freedom is key to academies’ success. Let’s keep it that way
The new director of the New Schools Network outlines why she hopes the government reverses course on the efforts to curtail academy freedoms
School absence a key driver of widening disadvantage gap, finds report
EPI research suggests that higher absence among disadvantaged 16-year-old students accounts for entire post-Covid increase in the gap
Disadvantage gap: why the impact of absence is now clear
An author of a new EPI report on the link between absence and the disadvantage attainment gap outlines the key findings – and why it should spur action
Saturday
Francis: Curriculum content balance ‘hindering progress’ in some subjects
Curriculum and assessment review chair Professor Becky Francis tells ASCL conference that key stage and national assessments are ‘broadly working well’
ASCL chief: Schools left looking like ‘villains’ on pupil absence
Pepe Di’Iasio will use his speech at ASCL’s conference today to address the issue of pupil absence and criticise Ofsted’s proposals, calling for three inspection grades, not five
Friday
SEND: call for evidence on inclusive practice
DfE’s inclusion group chair Tom Rees will lead programme calling for examples of schools running resource provision and SEN units, and using specialist learning assistants
What is Northern Ireland’s 10-point plan to ‘transform’ education?
A new ‘strategy for educational excellence’ promises to ‘transform’ teaching and learning in Northern Irish schools – so what does it say?
Phillipson sets out four priorities for RISE teams
Speaking at the ASCL conference, the education secretary set out the priorities for the RISE teams’ universal support offer
Ofsted chief ‘saddened’ over report card response
The most vocal critics of Ofsted’s proposed new inspections want a ‘low-accountability system’ that isn’t possible, Sir Martyn Oliver tells ASCL conference
From flexible working to better leave, DfE must offer teacher-parents more
If the government has no money to hit its 6,500 new teacher target, it seems clear more effort must be given to retain existing staff, says MTPT founder Emma Sheppard
Maths needs to be celebrated like World Book Day
To mark the International Day of Mathematics, a new report sets out why pupils’ enthusiasm for maths wanes as they get older – and what we can do about it
Phillipson: Schools need ‘old-fashioned graft’ to stop absence ‘damage’
The education secretary will also use her speech at ASCL’s annual conference to say she believes some schools are not doing enough to tackle attendance issues
