This week I report on the launch of three new consultations on school inspection and accountability and the use of reasonable force, the publication of updated Alternative Provision guidance and the announcement of £2 million funding to further improve standards in reading and writing.

Three new consultations launched
School inspection and accountability consultations – both Ofsted and the DfE launched consultations on Tuesday with the aim of improving school inspections and accountability. Ofsted’s consultation on improving school inspections and implementing a new report card system is open until 28 April 2025. The DfE has launched a consultation on improving school accountability systems, which is running in parallel to Ofsted’s inspection consultation and will also close on 28 April 2025.

Use of reasonable force consultation – on Wednesday the DfE launched a consultation on proposed changes to guidance on the use of reasonable force and other restrictive interventions. The revised guidance will aim to help schools minimise the need to use reasonable force and use reasonable force safely and appropriately where it is necessary. The consultation closes on 29 April 2025.

Arranging Alternative Provision guidance published
The DfE had published updated guidance on statutory duties and powers concerning the use of alternative provision. It describes both statutory requirements and best practice and its definition of alternative provision is ‘education arranged by local authorities for children of compulsory school age who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education; alternative provision can also be used by schools for children on a suspension (fixed period exclusion); and for children being directed by schools to offsite provision to receive education intended to improve their behaviour’.

Elective home education and special educational provision otherwise than at school arranged under section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014 (EOTAS) are not a form of alternative provision.

Government investment in reading and writing announced
Earlier this week, the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced in a speech to the Centre of Social Justice that the Government would be investing £2 million to improve standards in reading and writing.

In Primary schools teachers will receive additional training to help children progress from the early stages of phonics in Reception and Y1 through to reading fluently by the time they leave primary school. This will be delivered through the English Hubs programme, a school-to-school improvement programme to drive up standards.

In secondary schools, teachers will be offered new training and resources this year to help them support readers at all levels, and next year the DfE will commission further training that will be focused specifically on struggling readers in secondary school who are at risk of falling behind.