6 June

 

Teacher retention and recruitment

Striking teachers tell trust to extend lunch break instead of lessons

Teachers across 14 Outwood Grange trust schools to strike this week over plans to extend day past 2.30pm. An interesting first collaboration between NASUWT and NEU under the former’s new acting General Secretary

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/striking-teachers-tell-trust-to-extend-lunch-break-instead-of-lessons/

Nearly half of heads expect to cut teachers next year, union finds

There are ‘no palatable moves left to make’ for schools to find the money they need next year, the NAHT has warned ahead of the Spending Review.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/nearly-half-heads-expect-cut-teachers-next-year-union-finds

National Institute of Teaching gains degree-awarding powers

Move means government’s flagship teacher training provider will award its own PGCE to trainees.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/national-institute-of-teaching-gains-degree-awarding-powers/

Mums who return to teaching part-time more likely to stay

New study reveals how the first 12 months back are crucial for retaining new mums.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/mums-who-return-to-teaching-part-time-more-likely-to-stay/

Teacher supply: why 5 subjects face gloomier forecasts

Why are drama, history, RE, PE and Classics having trainee recruitment targets hiked up when overall teacher supply is improving? Tes speaks to experts to find out.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/teacher-supply-subjects-face-gloomier-forecasts

Teacher workload ‘unfair and unhealthy’, union says

Will EIS, Scotland’s largest teachers’ union ballot for strike action over teacher workload?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd90g3dwvgvo

The subjects being squeezed out by teacher shortages in Scotland

More than a third of surveyed secondaries have had to amend their curriculum because of staff shortages, finds School Leaders Scotland.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/school-subjects-squeezed-out-teacher-shortages-scotland

Should teachers and students work from home once a week?

One day a week of working and studying from home for secondary teachers and senior students could save thousands and be good for wellbeing, it will be argued at the EIS AGM this week. But could it work?

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/should-secondary-teachers-and-students-work-from-home

Inclusion

Pay special school staff as ‘consultants’ for mainstream, MPs told

Catholic Education Service tells SEND inquiry that special schools should be recognised as centres of excellence, with ‘consultant’ staff given extra pay, like in medicine.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/specialist-sector/pay-special-school-staff-consultants-mainstream

Pupil attendance

Phillipson: Leaders have ‘responsibility’ to boost attendance

Education secretary tells school leaders in Birmingham she wants more progress on pupil absence.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/phillipson-leaders-have-responsibility-boost-attendance

Equalities

White working-class pupils behind in all but 21 of UK’s 3,400 secondary schools, shocking figures reveal

Tory education spokesperson says the Schools Bill is smashing up 30 years of reforms that have raised standards in England. And yet, ‘shocking figures’ seem to suggest they haven’t worked for all…

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14768293/White-working-class-pupils-secondary-schools.html

Co-chairs revealed for white working-class kids inquiry

Ex-education secretary Estelle Morris  joins academy boss Sir Hamid Patel in heading inquiry run by Public First (but government didn’t commission it).

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/co-chairs-revealed-for-white-working-class-kids-inquiry/

The Gen Z gender pay gap has reversed with young women earning more than young men – so what’s up with boys?

For the first time in history, many young women are out-earning their male peers. Actually, this article says pay isn’t the issue, though I wonder if this also signals women having babies later or not at all. Is there a crisis in masculinity?

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-gen-z-gender-pay-gap-has-reversed-so-what-s-up-with-boys-b2761997.html

Parents fury as school bans skirts in move to be ‘more inclusive’ as it pushes for ‘gender neutral options for all students’

A school is set to ban pupils from wearing skirts in its drive to be ‘more inclusive’ and offer ‘gender neutral options’.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14777071/parents-fury-school-ban-skirts-gender-neutral-options.html

Disadvantage

Free school meals extended to all from universal credit households

But schools won’t get more pupil premium funding, and some children to lose eligibility as transitional protections end.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/free-school-meals-extended-to-all-on-universal-credit/

DfE reviews pupil premium amid free meals extension concerns

But the education secretary rejects ‘barefaced lie’ as Tories claim schools could lose £1.5bn.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-reviews-pupil-premium-amid-free-meals-extension-concerns/

Starmer doesn’t rule out scrapping two-child benefit cap after free school meals expansion

Sir Keir Starmer said expanding free school meals is a “statement of intent” to reduce child poverty, amid speculation the two-child benefit cap could go.

https://news.sky.com/story/starmer-doesnt-rule-out-scrapping-two-child-benefit-cap-after-free-school-meals-expansion-13379551

Free school meal expansion in England will benefit fewer than claimed, IFS says

With data showing one in four pupils already get free lunches, institute says short-term benefits overestimated.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jun/05/free-school-meal-expansion-england-initially-benefit-fewer-children-than-claimed-ifs-says

Popular schools should prioritise places for poorer pupils, says charity

Teach First calls for pilot that boosts pupil premium funding to motivate schools to be more inclusive.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/popular-schools-should-prioritise-places-for-poorer-pupils-says-charity/

Curriculum & qualifications

Maths standards in Wales too low, watchdog says

Maths standards in Wales are too low with wide variations in the quality of teaching, according to the schools watchdog.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0lne3318jpo

Call for transparency over AI role in curriculum review

The DfE won’t confirm whether AI is being used to analyse 7,000 submissions to the curriculum and assessment review. Would AI miss the nuances?

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/call-transparency-over-ai-role-curriculum-review

Tech

Ban smartphones in schools, Starmer told – by the country that’s done it

Keir Starmer has resisted a national ban on mobile phones in schools, but the education minister in New Zealand who introduced the measure in her country has told The Independent that it is already proving successful.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/smartphone-ban-schools-starmer-new-zealand-b2758775.html?

School places

Ministers mull putting health services in spare primary classrooms

Education secretary says government is exploring how to use the school estate for ‘wider family services’.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/minisers-mull-putting-health-services-in-spare-primary-classrooms/

Policy-making

Headteacher appointed as new DfE ‘school leader adviser’

Maintained school headteacher Andrew O’Neill to deliver ‘frontline expertise directly into the heart of policy-making’, government says.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/headteacher-appointed-as-new-dfe-school-leader-adviser/

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For the news archive, please visit: my.chartered.college/education-news-archive

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