Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Schools white paper: The key schools and academies policies Fair banding transparency, a crackdown on off-rolling and calls for all schools to be in trusts

‼️ A crackdown on off-rolling pupils, a call for standalone schools to join or form MATs and changes to the admissions code are among major plans unveiled in today's schools white paper
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-white-paper-the-key-schools-policies/

New heads to get £15k to work where they're 'needed most' Trial of retention payments comes alongside plans to emulate London Challenge in parts of England

Breaking: Newly-appointed headteachers will be offered retention payments of up to £15,000 to work in certain areas under a planned pilot, the government has said

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/new-headteachers-to-get-15k-to-work-where-theyre-needed-most/

DfE pledges eight weeks full maternity pay for school staff Change to be enacted from 2027 for leaders and teachers, with 'equivalent improvements' for support staff

Ministers have pledged eight weeks of full maternity pay for leaders, teachers and support staff in England

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-pledges-...

The devil will absolutely be in the detail on this, but it's a big move on private special schools.

Quite a bit we don't know yet such as the £ value of the bands and what the 'standards' will be.

One big question for me is - will this see companies pull out of the market and close schools?

Leaders' union @naht.org.uk is to set up an independent advisory panel to better scrutinise the impact of new Ofsted inspections on school leader wellbeing.

Feedback will be gathered post-inspection and reviewed by the group. It will also examine the impact of RISE interventions.

More here...

More research needed for AI tutoring trial, experts say Experts warn evidence on AI provision 'in its infancy'

More research is needed into the impact of AI tutoring for pupils, experts have warned after the government announced plans to trial it in England’s schools

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfes-ai-tuto...

Alarm over ‘generic’ wording in 12 Ofsted report cards An investigation revealed the same paragraph was used in report cards for 12 different schools

Ofsted latest: First report cards for non-voluntary school inspections offer an early look at grading, while the watchdog has refuted claims AI is being used to write report cards amid concerns over 'generic' wording, and a special school has been recommended for special measures

Read more here...

Concerns over make-up of curriculum drafters group Leaders criticise 'lack of diversity and representation' among experts helping to write new curriculum

Sector leaders have criticised the 'limited breadth and diversity' of experts recruited to help write the new national curriculum

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/concerns-over-make-up-of-curriculum-drafters-group/

Lords passes bill amendment demanding social media ban It places further pressure on the government to enact a ban amid growing calls

The House of Lords has amended the children’s wellbeing and schools bill to include a clause that would force ministers to enact a social media ban for under-16s

schoolsweek.co.uk/lords-passes...

This joint judgment area has prompted lots of discussion since the first Ofsted report cards were published. At least one school has been downgraded because their attendance was lacking, despite inspectors praising good behaviour.

Martyn Oliver says it's something he'll be watching...

£23m expansion of school edtech and AI pilot The government is investing £23 million in expanding a pilot to trial artificial intelligence and edtech tools in schools, the education secretary has announced

Full story here: schoolsweek.co.uk/23m-expansio...

The gov is investing £23mil to expand its edtech pilot in schools into a four-year programme, education secretary Bridget Phillipson has announced at #BettUK2026

It will 'put the latest tech and AI tools through their places in...classrooms across the country'

Ofsted to check phone policies and 'tougher' guidance coming Government will also consult on a potential social media ban for children

Breaking: Ofsted will check every school’s policy on mobile phones during inspections and ministers will issue 'tougher guidance for schools' on restricting the devices, the government has announced

schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-to-ch...

AI used in schools should look for signs of pupil 'distress' The DfE has updated AI guidance around emotional and social development and 'manipulation'

Artificial intelligence used in schools should look out for signs of 'distress' in pupils and flag concerning behaviour to safeguarding leads, new government guidance states

schoolsweek.co.uk/ai-used-in-s...

£200 million landmark SEND teacher training programme New requirement that every teacher receives training to support pupils, as government makes good on promise to deliver reforms families are crying out for.

Hi Jonny, a version has now been published here: www.gov.uk/government/n...

DfE announces new SEND training for 'all teaching staff' All teaching staff in England are to be eligible for SEND training as part of a £200mil new development package, government has announced

All teaching staff in England will be eligible for SEND training as part of a £200 million new development package, government has announced
schoolsweek.co.uk/new-200m-sch...

Ofsted inspects school that postponed MP's visit Inspection 'necessary due to potential concerns', says watchdog

🔍 Ofsted has announced it has inspected a school that postponed a visit by its local MP because of a planned protest by pro-Palestine activists

Trust inspections and intervention: What we know so far Ofsted to inspect academy trusts for the first time and DfE plans sweeping intervention powers

The government looks set to hand itself sweeping powers to close MATs based on trust-level education failures alone, once new Ofsted trust inspections are introduced

Here's everything you need to know...
schoolsweek.co.uk/trust-inspec...

Big story from @lydiach.bsky.social - buried in Treasury documents, the government confirms it intends to allocate disadvantage funding to schools based on income data, not free school meals eligibility.

It follows criticism that FSM is a poor proxy for poverty

The DfE's post came the same day the Teacher Wellbeing Index revealed teacher wellbeing is at a record low.

ASCL's @pepediiasio.bsky.social says the timing is 'ill-advised at best'. 'At worst it suggests a real lack of understanding'.
@danielkebedeneu.bsky.social calls it 'completely tone deaf'

Leaders should feel energised about Ofsted changes - Oliver Chief inspector says he wants heads to feel 'comfortable and motivated by the changes'

Changes to Ofsted inspections 'should feel energising' to leaders, the chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver has said

schoolsweek.co.uk/leaders-shou...

Staff to strike over school's 'dystopian' virtual teacher NEU members are to strike for six days in December and January over a school's use of a 'virtual teacher' to teach maths to secondary pupils

Exclusive: Staff are set to strike for six days in December and January over a school’s roll-out of a 'virtual teacher', who teaches maths remotely to secondary pupils

schoolsweek.co.uk/staff-to-str...

The rise of teaching internships – a recruitment solution? We look at how many teaching interns go on to train as teachers, and the pros and cons of internships

Increasing numbers of university students are taking up paid internships at schools to get a taste for teaching, new figures show.

But are any of them going on to teacher training? And how much does it all cost? Schools Week investigates...

schoolsweek.co.uk/the-rise-of-...

Ofsted slammed over secret consultation analysis method Experts warn of 'risk' decision-makers at inspectorate were not 'provided with the relevant information'

Ofsted has again refused to release data showing how many people supported or opposed its report card inspection plans – saying the 'vast majority' of the 6,500 responses were not actually categorised by 'sentiment'

schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-slamm...

📋Ofsted's new education inspections have launched this week, and I'm keen to find out what leaders and teachers make of them.

If your school's inspected this week or next and you're up for sharing your thoughts, anonymously or otherwise, please do get in touch! Email in bio.

❌ Ministers have suggested rising numbers of assistant heads could be the place to target cost-cutting as schools are forced to make savings to fund future teacher pay rises.

So what’s behind the rise, and is a cut do-able? Schools Week investigates...

Government has announced schools are to be judged on new enrichment benchmarks, despite record numbers cutting extracurricular activities due to funding constraints

A thread rounding up all our curriculum review coverage ...

Ofsted chief wants state school standards 'enshrined in law' Oliver says new legislation would 'stop Ofsted from tinkering' and 'deciding to do something new'

Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver has called for 'state school standards enshrined in law' to stop the watchdog 'tinkering' with what it assesses in future

schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-chief...