Thursday
Over 5,800 teachers and support staff off because of Covid
Last week Scottish school staff absence hit the highest level this year – but schools remain under pressure, with face masks in communal areas to be retained next term
Is the diagnosis system undermining SEND support?
Within our existing diagnostic system, neurodivergent young people aren’t always getting the support they need in school, says researcher Sue Fletcher-Watson, but the neurodiversity paradigm could be about to change that
Why it can’t be ‘business as usual’ with school league tables
If the DfE really is determined to publish secondary school league tables this year after all the Covid disruption, then it needs to make sure that the data is handled with care, says Steve Rollett
Covid: Persistent absence doubled during the pandemic
‘Vulnerable’ pupils continue to bear the brunt of the impact of the pandemic, according to new FFT attendance figures
How schools should proceed if a member of staff faces a police investigation
It’s a rare event, but if a school ever finds a member of staff is subject to a police investigation there is a lot to think about – which is why being clued up in this area should the worst happen is a sensible strategy
Wednesday
Zahawi sets out what school tech ‘should look like’
The DfE publishes a series of ‘technology standards’ so ‘leaders will know what the tech set-up should look like in their school’
Teachers ‘using food banks’ as cost of living crisis hits
Heads and education leaders ‘disappointed’ by lack of funding uplift in Spring Statement as evidence of the impact of the cost of living crisis on teachers grows
Music teachers urge DfE to reform Progress 8 and EBacc
Over 9 in 10 music teachers say these performance measures have ‘negatively impacted music education’
Two years of Covid: the view from inside schools
Schools and nurseries throughout Scotland fell silent on 23 March 2020. Ten educators share their experiences of the two years of Covid turmoil and trauma that followed – and their thoughts on what happens next
How the government and the system failed schools during Covid
Sam Freedman reflects on how the pandemic laid bare the structural and systemic flaws at the heart of the education system – and created new ones, too
GCSEs: Design and technology take-up halves in a decade
D&T has been ‘neglected’ and ‘actively devalued’ as a subject, warns heads’ leader
Teacher recruitment targets ‘to be missed’ in many subjects
A new report warns teacher recruitment challenges could be faced in subjects that usually recruit well
