This week I highlight confirmation of the pay rise being awarded to teachers for 2025/26, provision of further online Prevent training sessions for governors and confirmation that only schools receiving support through RISE will be eligible to apply for funding to improve connectivity.

Teachers to receive a 4% pay award from September
The DfE has confirmed it has awarded a 4% pay raise for teachers in 2025/26, 3% of which will be funded by the Government, leaving schools to cover the remaining 1% through efficiencies.

Prevent training for governors and trustees
The DfE has released additional dates for their Prevent in education training sessions for governors and trustees. The virtual sessions focus on the implementation of Prevent and have been designed to help those that govern to understand their responsibilities and the importance of the Prevent duty. There are six further dates available, running from July 2025 through to June 2026.

Wi-fi scheme only for ‘stuck’ schools after levelling-up plan dropped
It was confirmed today that only those schools receiving targeted intervention support through RISE will be eligible for grants to boost connectivity through the Connect the Classroom scheme. Previously, all schools located in an Education Investment Area (left-behind parts of the country) had been prioritised funding through the scheme.

Eligible schools will be contacted directly by the DfE and will receive funding if they fall below its “wifi connectivity standards”, which include having “fully functional signal from a wireless network” and “installing security features to stop unauthorised access”.

This week I report on the DfE’s expansion of mental health support in schools alongside the launch of new attendance and behaviour hubs and the publication of a new report showing the extent to which poor mental health and school absence is related; a consultation on indoor space requirements in EY settings and a new programme to improve PE and sport for pupils with SEND.

DfE sets out its mental health, behaviour and attendance plans
The expansion of mental health support in schools has been announced alongside the launch of 90 attendance and behaviour hubs.

Mental health support teams will be expanded to cover almost a million more pupils by next year. The DfE will invest £49 million to ensure that 6 in 10 pupils (incorporating an additional 900,000 children) will have access to a mental health support team by March 2026. The rollout will be prioritised based on NHS identification of local need and reach the most vulnerable children first.

Alongside, the DfE is launching 90 attendance and behaviour hubs as well as new attendance and behaviour ambassadors. Around 500 schools with “weak attendance and poor behaviour” will be supported by the hubs. Applications are set to open today for 90 lead schools for the new hubs which will start in September, before a full roll out in January and each hub will support six schools. Schools in line for support will have significant attendance and behaviour challenges although it is not clear how they will be chosen, but the hubs will work alongside the regional school improvement teams. The hubs will also support 4,500 more schools via training, events and open days.

The DfE has also published a report using longitudinal data and causal statistical techniques to show the extent to which poor mental health and school absences are related and whether poor mental health contributes to absenteeism.

Consultation on space requirements in early years childcare settings in England
The expansion of funded childcare for working parents requires additional childcare places and one of the barriers to expanding provision is the indoor space requirements in the EYFS frameworks. The DfE is now consulting on potential options for amending the EYFS indoor space requirements in addition to other initiatives planned to increase places by September this year. If you want to take part in the consultation you can use this link and it will close on 11 July.

New programme to improve PE and sport for more than 240,000 pupils with SEND
Yesterday the DfE launched its Inclusion 2028 programme to improve access to PE and school sports for pupils with SEND. Starting in September, with initial funding of £300k, ten thousand teachers will be given training to deliver PE lessons for pupils with SEND as part of a three-year programme.

A network of 50 Youth Sport Trust lead schools will provide training to help teachers create and deliver lessons that meet the diverse needs of all pupils, including those with physical, sensory, cognitive, communication or social and emotional needs. The programme also aims to provide opportunities for 1,500 pupils to develop activities for their peers, with schools set to host events inspired by the Paralympic Games and Commonwealth Games. The DfE plans to support 600 new extracurricular after school clubs to open through the programme offering pupils, including those with diverse needs, the opportunity to take part in a range of sports such as tennis, boccia and archery.

This week I highlight a free webinar to support governors with their school’s climate action plan, confirmation that the Schools Financial Benchmarking website will soon be switched off and the DfE’s announcement that it aims to produce a fully costed plan to improve the support system for pupils with SEND by April next year.

Free climate action planning webinar
Sustainability Support for Education is hosting a free webinar on Monday 19 May from 6-7pm to support governors with their school’s climate action plan. This free and interactive session will help governors to identify key actions to include in their plan and think about how they can support colleagues to access further support to develop and implement the plan. You can use this link to register.

Schools Financial Benchmarking website to be switched off
In Autumn last year, the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (FBIT) was released and became the principal place for schools to examine their financial data and benchmark their spending. View My Financial Insights has already been switched off and the Schools Financial Benchmarking website will be switched off in the coming weeks.

DfE to set out a costed SEND plan by April 2026
The DfE has set outs its response to a report from the Commons Public Accounts Committee on the SEND crisis. It has accepted the recommendations for action and has said it aims to produce a fully costed plan to improve the support system for pupils with SEND by April next year.

The DfE has also said it intends to announce a plan for dealing with Council SEND deficits this summer, and to set out what inclusive education in schools should look like by the end of the year.

This week I highlight new SEND guidance which has been added to the School Governance Guides, a new short course for secondary school staff to support readers at all levels, the expansion of the DfE’s new Rise Teams and progress on proposed laws regarding branded school uniform.

Updates to the School Governance Guides
On Wednesday the DfE updated both the Academy Trust and the Local Authority Maintained Governance Guides with new guidance (SEN and disability duties: guidance for school governing boards) in the ‘Safeguarding, SEND and pupil wellbeing’ section. It aims to help governors and trustees with their role and responsibilities in relation to pupils with SEND and to empower them to hold their schools to account.

New short course for secondary school staff to support readers at all levels
A new short course for secondary school staff and for leaders to support readers at all levels has been developed for the DfE by Professor Jessie Ricketts of Royal Holloway, University of London. It can be completed in around an hour, either individually or in groups and both pathways include a series of videos, guidance and a workbook for reflecting and making notes.

DfE to expand RISE teams
The DfE has announced that more than 200 schools are now set to receive support from the DfE’s Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams, as the school improvement programme expands. The number of RISE advisors is also increasing, bringing the total to 65. These advisors will support schools that have received consecutive poor Ofsted judgments and eligible schools may also receive up to £100k to help improve the quality of education for children and young people.

DfE to cut school uniform costs
Schools will only be able to have three branded items (excluding ties) under proposed laws currently passing through the House of Lords. Analysis shows these changes could reduce the cost of uniform for families by £50 a year.

This week I highlight the NAHT’s call for anti-racism training to be made mandatory for all school staff and the publication of factsheets related to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 which includes details on requirements for schools.

Anti-racism training must be mandatory for all school staff, says NAHT
The National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) will bring a motion to the Trades Union Congress Black Workers’ Conference this weekend, to call for a ‘proactive, anti-racist approach to education’. The union is calling for all teachers to receive mandatory anti-racism training as part of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) training.

Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025: factsheets
The Home Office has published a series of factsheets related to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. These documents provide essential information about the Act, also known as ‘Martyn’s Law’, including details on its scope, capacity assessments, and responsibility requirements for schools and other venues.

This week I report on the Education Secretary’s keynote speech at the Festival of Childhood, the publication of the consultation outcome on updating the GCSE Computer Science curriculum and new non-statutory guidance on supporting service pupils in schools.

Education Secretary keynote speech at Festival of Childhood
In her keynote speech at the Children’s Commissioner’s Festival of Childhood, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson reaffirmed the Government’s pledge to fund expanded nursery provision in 300 primary schools, aiming for 6,000 new childcare places. The Education Secretary also emphasised the importance of quality early education in overcoming socioeconomic disparities, as well as pushing against rising misogyny amongst pupils. Potential measures against this discrimination include tighter restrictions on smartphones in schools (to reduce children’s access to social media) and the hiring of male teachers who can serve as positive role models.

GCSE computer science subject content update
The DfE has published the outcome to its recent consultation on updating the GCSE computer science curriculum, which ran from May to July 2024. The report outlines five revisions to the content, addressing dated material such as the removal of references to “inside computers” and “common network topologies”. This move aims to provide greater flexibility for awarding organisations and ensure the curriculum stays relevant, with the changes set to take effect for exams starting in summer 2027.

Service Pupils in School non-statutory guidance
The Ministry of Defence and the DfE have released non-statutory guidance aimed at helping schools and LAs support the educational and wellbeing needs of service pupils – children whose parents are in the armed forces. The guidance offers insight on how to effectively address the unique challenges faced by these pupils in schools.

This week I highlight publication of an evaluation report on pupil premium and recovery premium examining how schools and trusts plan and utilise these funds, the announcement of £740 million for 10,000 new places for pupils with SEND and new guidance from the EEF on effectively deploying TAs to enhance educational outcomes.

Pupil premium and recovery premium evaluation
Earlier this week the DfE published an evaluation report on the pupil premium and recovery premium, examining how schools and academy trusts plan and utilise these funds. The report outlines the strategies employed and presents findings on their reported impacts, highlighting the implications for educational support.

£740 million allocated for 10,000 new places for pupils with SEND
The Government has announced its intention to invest £740 million to create 10,000 new school places for children with SEND as part of its Plan for Change. The initiative intends to make more spaces available in special schools and to expand specialist units in mainstream schools as less than 10% currently have SEND provision.

Deployment of Teaching Assistants
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has published new guidance, providing five recommendations for effectively deploying TAs to enhance educational outcomes. Key strategies include ensuring TAs support rather than replace teachers, promoting pupil independence, and implementing structured interventions.

This week I report on the publication of the interim report of the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review, the DfE’s plans to boost creative education, the launch of a consultation on making digital standards a requirement for all schools and the announcement of £80 million funding for solar panels for schools.

Publication of the interim Curriculum and Assessment Review report
On Tuesday the interim report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review was published setting out initial findings and the next stage of its work which will focus on four key areas:

• Ensuring high standards for all – exploring how curriculum and assessment can be more inclusive and equitable, to ensure excellence for all.
• Addressing subject-specific challenges, and ensuring curriculum is consistently achieving depth and breadth – including an in-depth analysis of individual subjects to ensure appropriate depth and mastery of knowledge, and that subjects are cutting edge.
• Responding to social and technological change – examining how education can better prepare students to grasp the opportunities of the future, for example heightened digital skills and media literacy to address trends in digital information and the rise of AI, and scientific and cultural knowledge to meet the challenges of climate change.
• Ensuring pathways beyond GCSE work for all – examining the current pathways to ensure they work for all young people in supporting successful routes to further study or employment, especially those from less privileged backgrounds.

Despite calls for reform, SATs and other primary school assessments will remain as the Education Secretary has said these are non-negotiable in pushing standards up for every child and closing the attainment gap.

Plans to boost creative education
Alongside publication of the interim report on the Curriculum and Assessment Review the DfE also unveiled plans to enhance access to high-quality arts education and enrichment activities for young people in the UK. Key initiatives include the establishment of a National Centre for Arts and Music Education, an Enrichment Framework for extracurricular opportunities, and a Digital, AI and Technology Task Group to equip students for future job markets.

Consultation launched on making digital standards a requirement for all schools
An eight week consultation was launched today which will gather views on a long-term government ambition for all schools and colleges to meet six core digital standards by 2030, which cover the foundations of good tech – ensuring essential technology infrastructure and connectivity, digital security and leadership.

The core standards make up part of the eleven digital and technology standards, published by the DfE from 2022, to support schools and colleges to use the right digital infrastructure and technology.

DfE announces £80 million solar panel funding for schools
Today it was announced that around 200 schools are set to be given a share of £80 million funding from Great British Energy to install rooftop solar panels. Installation will begin this summer, with a typical school estimated to save on average around £25k on their annual energy bill.

Schools selected for the scheme will primarily be in areas of deprivation in the North East, West Midlands and North West, as well as at least 10 schools in each region.

This week I highlight publication of a new report on the gender gap in maths and science performance at Y9, as well as updates to the DfE’s guidance on sustainability leadership and climate action plans and on meeting digital and technology standards.

Gender gap in maths and science performance
According to the latest report on England’s performance in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, boys’ performance in maths and science has risen significantly above that of girls. The report also found that pupils eligible for free school meals had a lower average score than those not eligible.

In maths at Year 9, boys’ average score rose from 516 to 538, while the score for girls dropped from 514 to 512. This is the first time since records began in 2003 that a statistically significant gap has been seen at Year 9 and was the largest for any of the countries participating in 2023. The findings have raised concerns over why a large gender gap has opened up, especially given the existing initiatives aimed at addressing this issue in maths and science.

Updated guidance on sustainability leadership and climate action plans
The DfE has added a short section on ‘Developing and storing your climate action plans’ to its guidance on Sustainability leadership and climate action plans in education, reminding schools that holistic climate action plans should cover the issues of decarbonisation, adaptation and resilience, improving the environment and biodiversity, and climate education and green careers.

Updated meeting digital and technology standards in schools guidance
The DfE recently updated its guidance to support schools to use the right digital infrastructure and technology and can meet the latest wireless network standards and associated technical requirements.

This week I highlight a free webinar from Governors for Schools on effective governor panel hearings, the announcement of a new DfE toothbrushing programme for early years settings and primary schools and the publication of an Ofsted report evaluating the impact of the Education Inspection Framework.

Free webinar on Effective Governor Panel Hearings
In conjunction with Better Governor, Governors for Schools are running a free webinar on Thursday 27 March from 8-9am on effective governor panel hearings. The session will explore the role of governors in complaints, exclusions, staff hearings and more, with emphasis on common elements and the role of the clerk. To book a place use this link for the Governors for Schools website.

New DfE toothbrushing programme
The DfE has announced that supervised toothbrushing will be rolled out in early years settings and primary schools in the most deprived areas of England. The programme aims to equip children aged between three and five years old with positive brushing habits and prevent tooth decay.

From April, £11 million is being given to local authorities to deliver the scheme who will work to identify early years settings in target areas and encourage them to enrol. The Government has also agreed a partnership with Colgate-Palmolive, who have committed to donate over 23 million toothbrushes and toothpastes over the next five years while also providing educational materials and a public facing children’s oral health campaign.

Ofsted’s new report on curriculum quality
Ofsted has published a new report evaluating the impact of the ‘Education inspection framework’ (EIF) on curriculum quality. The inspectorate’s research aims to assess whether curriculum quality has changed since the EIF was introduced, understand what role school leaders think the EIF played in these changes, and explore any unintended consequences of the EIF. However, the report is facing criticism for basing the findings on just 20 school visits.