Thursday
Spanish becomes most popular foreign language GCSE
The rise of the subject could be down to the popularity of Spain as a holiday destination – and a shortage of teachers in other subjects, say headteachers’ leaders
Spending Review could mean teacher pay rises of 2% per year, experts say
Schools could see real-terms falls in actual budgets as pupil numbers fall and more is spent on SEND
Unfilled secondary school places up 50% in two years
Increase comes amid a major demographic shift caused by a falling birth rate that has resulted in the number of available primary places dropping to a decade-long low
Why you could be getting whole-class feedback wrong
Whole-class feedback has the potential to be a workload saviour, says Alex Quigley, but does it always help learning?
DfE ‘should auto-enrol’ pupils for free school meals
Call for all eligible children to be automatically enrolled for FSM follows the government announcement that it is expanding the entitlement from next year
Wednesday
Times are still tight, but the Spending Review sends the right signals
The fact that education has done better in the government’s Spending Review than other departments shows a positive change in priorities, writes this MAT chief executive
Spending Review 2025: what it means for schools
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has set out government spending plans up to 2029. Here’s what you need to know
Ofsted delay: Sir Martyn’s and Bridget Phillipson’s letters
Read the full exchange between the Ofsted chief and the education secretary on the ‘regrettable’ and ‘disappointing’ delay in the watchdog providing its consultation response
DfE proposes changing who is included in school support staff body
The DfE is consulting on excluding certain staff – including MAT leaders – from the new School Support Staff Negotiating Body
Ucas pilot aims to improve accuracy of predicted grades
Personalised reports will be given to more than 1,000 schools and colleges to help improve accuracy amid a ‘growing difference between predicted grades and achieved grades’
Ofsted inspection plan delay sparks Phillipson rebuke
Education secretary tells Sir Martyn Oliver it is ‘disappointing’ that Ofsted has delayed its consultation response on changes to the inspection system – with new inspections due to start next term
Dame Christine Gilbert to be appointed chair of Ofsted’s board
Former chief inspector, who led a major review into Ofsted, has been selected as chair of the schools watchdog
