Wednesday
Ofsted to ask heads to resume inspection work
Watchdog to invite part-time inspectors to return after temporarily reducing its workforce due to Covid
Catch-up tutors run lessons for ‘ghost pupils’
Exclusive: National Tutoring Programme providers insist on running sessions for pupils who don’t turn up due to confusion over targets
4 key challenges Scottish schools are facing this term
From staff absence to persistent non-attendance, school leaders and education directors have been sharing their views
Does school choice increase parents’ satisfaction?
Contrasting approaches in England and Scotland appear to have little impact on parents’ sense of empowerment
PM: No masks in classrooms from tomorrow
The DfE has confirmed the rule on masks in communal areas will be removed next week – but teachers’ leader raises concerns
Tuesday
Increased standardised testing spend ‘incomprehensible’
Scottish national tests’ ‘very limited educational worth’ makes decision ‘even more questionable’, says union
MSPs to probe impact of pandemic on attainment
Education committee wants to ensure £1 billion being invested in closing attainment gap ‘is making a real difference’
No change on mask rules in Scottish schools
Nicola Sturgeon’s Covid statement is cautiously optimistic – but she resists pressure to change school safety approaches
We must not lose heart in the power of tutoring
Failings of the National Tutoring Programme risk undermining the power of tutoring to help tackle the attainment gap – at the very moment we need it most, explains the CEO of the Sutton Trust
Deaf students ‘falling behind’ due to face masks
The return of face masks in secondary school classrooms has left deaf students struggling to communicate, charity warns
Rise in FSM pupils ‘will distort attainment data’
A big increase in free school meals pupils, after changes to eligibility, will make tracking progress in closing the attainment gap almost impossible, warns NFER
