This week I report on the publication of the updated Ofsted school and early years inspection handbooks, the announcement of new government support for families with children who have SEND, the publication of a DfE report on the use of generative AI in education as well as new guidance on digital leadership and governance standards in schools together with new digital accessibility standards.

Ofsted publishes a number of changes to its frameworks and handbooks
Ofsted has made a number of changes to its school and early years inspection handbooks, including clarification in both handbooks on a range of topics including:

• Inspector conduct
• Ofsted’s role to inspect schools or settings rather than individual staff members
• Making deferrals

You can access the newly updated School inspection handbook here and the Early years inspection handbook here. A new section was also added to clarify Ofsted’s pausing policy which sets out the processes that should be followed in the event that inspectors pause an inspection or the school/responsible body requests for the inspection to be paused.

DfE announces support for families who have children with SEND
The DfE has announced that families in England who have children with SEND will soon receive further support with more short breaks, supported internship opportunities and better support for those with Down syndrome. The DfE said that this announcement will build on government reforms through the SEND and AP Improvement Plan which outlines plans to reform the SEND system.

New report on the use of generative AI in education published
On Wednesday the DfE published a report on the insights from educators, experts, quantitative data sources and grey literature on the use of generative AI in the sector. The report highlights how generative AI technology has been responded to and adopted, the impact and benefits, barriers, and support the Education sector would like to receive from the government.

New digital accessibility standards introduced
This week the DfE published new guidance on digital leadership and governance standards in schools. This covers all elements of digital technology, from physical IT assets to cyber security and digital licenses and subscriptions. It has also added new digital accessibility standards requiring schools to take steps to ensure everyone is able to access the same information and equipment, regardless of their needs and situation. The standards encourage schools to make sure that communications, hardware and software are accessible to all and to include digital accessibility in relevant strategies and policies.

This week I report on the publication of the DfE’s Workload Reduction Taskforce’s initial recommendations including the removal of performance related pay from next academic year, Ofsted’s publication of its formal response to the Prevention of Future Deaths report following the inquest into Headteacher Ruth Perry’s death and publication of the DfE’s updated digital and technology standards in schools.

Workload reduction taskforce publishes initial recommendations
As part of the Government’s ambition to reduce working hours in the education profession within three years, the DfE has announced new measures including an investment of £1.5million and a series of initial recommendations from the workload reduction taskforce. This has included confirmation that the DfE will be removing performance related pay from September 2024 and replacing it with a “less bureaucratic way” to manage performance.

The taskforce recommendations also included a proposal for the DfE to amend guidance for governors and trustees to reflect that the “core function of strategic leadership includes consideration of staff workload and wellbeing”.

Ofsted publishes formal response to the Prevention of Future Deaths report
Ofsted has published its response to the coroner’s Prevention of Future Deaths report following the inquest into headteacher Ruth Perry’s death. HMCI Sir Martyn Oliver has issued an apology and committed to ensuring inspections uphold staff welfare. Resulting actions span four areas: inspector training, policies/practices, stakeholder feedback, and learning reviews.

Digital and technology standards in schools updated
Earlier this week the DfE updated its guidelines for schools setting up and maintaining their digital infrastructure, as well as planning and using technology. New information has been added on digital leadership and governance standards, and laptop, desktop and tablet standards.

This week I highlight the updated statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguarding Children; confirmation that the new EYFS statutory framework came into effect on 4 January; that Ofsted inspections have been paused until 22 January to enable mental health awareness training to be completed and the launch of the DfE’s new campaign to improve school attendance.

Updated statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
The Government has now published the revised version of the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children following consultation. Key points include:

• No statutory roles or functions have been removed
• An increased emphasis on multi-agency working
• Changes to the law have been included, for example, the Domestic Violence Act 2021
• A greater emphasis on extra-familial harms and exploitation
• Setting out what a good assessment (report) might include
• A useful annex of resources

New EYFS statutory framework in effect
As of 4 January, the DfE’s new ‘EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers’ came into effect. All early years providers must have regard to this updated framework.

Ofsted inspections paused to allow for inspector training
Routine school inspections are being paused until Monday 22 January to accommodate mental health awareness training for all inspectors. Ofsted’s new Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver also announced the launch of the Big Listen, to begin later this term, to hear directly from parents and professionals about the strengths and weaknesses of Ofsted’s current approach to inspection and regulation.

DfE announces national campaign to improve school attendance
This week the DfE has announced that eighteen new attendance hubs across six regions are to be established, bringing the number of hubs to thirty two which will see nearly 2,000 schools supported. The government is also increasing the direct support offered to pupils and their families by expanding the attendance mentor pilot programme and a national communications campaign aimed at parents on the importance of attendance launched earlier this week.

In my final Update of 2023 I highlight publication of the DfE’s new draft non-statutory guidance on Gender questioning children which has opened for consultation, as well as the publication of subject content, aims and learning objectives for the new BSL GCSE.

Draft Gender Questioning Children non statutory guidance published
This week the DfE published its long awaited draft Gender Questioning Children guidance document for consultation. The non-statutory guidance aims to provide practical advice to schools to help them make decisions regarding children who are questioning their gender. A press release highlights why the guidance is needed and what it means for schools. Reference is made to a number of issues in the guidance including, but not limited to, responding to requests, uniform, use of pronouns, same-sex spaces, PE and the importance of including parents. The consultation closes on 12 March 2024.

New British Sign Language GCSE
The DfE has just published the subject content, aims and learning objectives for the BSL GCSE ahead of the expected approval of exam board syllabuses from September 2025. Pupils who take this GCSE will learn to communicate effectively with other signers in work, social and academic settings and possess valuable life skills.

This week I report on the publication of the updated EYFS Framework coming into force in January, the launch of an open consultation on the proposed Advanced British Standard and publication of the latest unauthorised absence figures.

EYFS statutory framework updated
The DfE has released a new version of the EYFS framework that will come into force from 4 January 2024, this follows the consultation that was held earlier in the year.

Open consultation launched for The Advanced British Standard (ABS)
The DfE has launched an open consultation seeking views on the development and approach for the ABS and how it is delivered. The consultation document sets out the proposals on the way the ABS could work and how the DfE will support the aims of the ABS. The consultation closes on 20 March 2024.

Term-time holidays drive surge in absence fines
The latest DfE data shows that the number of fines issued to parents for unauthorised pupil absence has almost doubled in the space of a year. There were 398,800 penalty notices issued in 2022/23 with 89.3% given to parents for taking pupils out of school for term-time holidays compared to 218,235 notices issued the previous year.

The use of penalty notices varies greatly by local authority, with three local authorities issuing no penalty notices while four local authorities issued more than 10,000 penalty notices each. Earlier this year the Commons Education Select Committee report on persistent absence advised that the DfE should deliver a national framework for the use of fines and prosecution. Another report into attendance published in September warned that the relationship between schools and parents was being strained by school-level attendance systems that felt “increasingly draconian to families” and that the idea of taking pupils on term-time holidays was now entirely socially acceptable across all socioeconomic groups.

This week I report on new guidance on joining an attendance hub, Ofsted changes in light of Headteacher Ruth Perry’s death and the first fully digital GCSE is to be offered in computer science.

Attendance hubs guidance
The DfE has published guidance for schools on joining an attendance hub to get support and resources to improve their approach to managing attendance and significantly reducing absence. Schools seeking a place in a hub should complete an expression of interest form before Monday 15 January 2024.

Inquest rules Ofsted inspection “contributed” to the death of Ruth Perry
Heidi Conner, the coroner of the inquest into the death of Headteacher Ruth Perry, gave the verdict that Ofsted “contributed” to the headteacher’s suicide in January 2023. Ms Conner issued a prevention of future death notice in order to avoid similar situations happening again.

Ofsted has announced it will delay inspections next week by a day to give lead inspectors urgent extra training on Monday on dealing with anxiety and when to pause their visits.
From next week, a new complaints hotline will also be set up for schools to report any concerns about their inspection to a senior Ofsted official. The Chief Inspector has also indicated that the inspection handbook will make it clear that school leaders can be accompanied by colleagues in meetings with inspectors, and that they can share inspection outcomes with colleagues, family, medical advisers and their wider support group, before they are shared with parents.

First GCSE with fully digital exams to be offered
OCR exam board has announced that computer science will be the first “major high-stakes qualification” to be fully assessed on screen. The exam board has said that students starting their GCSEs in 2025 can sit digital rather than paper-based exams to allow for more authentic assessment of their programming skills and knowledge. The option of paper-based assessment will be retained.

This week I report on the DfE’s consultation proposing minimum services levels during strike action and the outcome of the consultation on the use of AI in education.

DfE publishes proposals for minimum service levels in education
The government is seeking views on regulations for minimum service levels in education services during strike action. The DfE is proposing two options for ensuring face-to-face education on strike days. The first option focuses on prioritising attendance for vulnerable children and young people, exam groups and children of critical workers. The second option focuses on all pupils in primary school, and priority cohorts in secondary and FE settings.

However it will be “at the discretion of individual employers whether or not to issue work notices” to deliver minimum service levels, and the government’s consultation makes no reference to any form of enforcement of the policy. The deadline to respond is 30 January 2024.

DfE publishes report on use of generative AI in education
The DfE has published the outcome of its consultation on the use of generative AI in education. It says it shows that education professionals and ed-tech experts are embracing the opportunities offered by AI in the sector, and that AI tools are already being used to streamline administrative tasks, create subject-specific resources and provide personalised support for pupils with SEND. In addition, the DfE also published a report showing the impact of AI on areas within the UK labour market and education.

This week I highlight a free webinar on school performance data, the publication of Ofsted’s annual report from 2022/23 inspections and the launch of the Parliamentary Education Committee’s inquiry to strengthen financial education in schools.

Governors for Schools Webinar on School Performance Data
On Thursday 7 December from 8 to 9 a.m. this free webinar will focus on school performance data in 2023 – specifically, what governors should be aware of as well as the questions they should be asking of their school leaders. Please use this link to register via the Governors for Schools website.

Ofsted Annual Report from 2022/23 inspections
Yesterday, Ofsted published its annual report looking into the trends of last academic year’s inspections. Positive trends seen include improvement in the curriculum, the teaching of reading in primary schools is significantly better and well-structured teacher training is yielding results. In her last report in the post of Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman claims the unwritten contract between schools and parents that ensures pupils attend school every day and parents respect school policies has been damaged.

Parliamentary Education Committee launches inquiry to strengthen financial education in schools
The cross-party committee has come to a consensus that financial education for primary, secondary and FE should be reviewed. Financial education is currently compulsory for LA maintained secondaries, however there are inconsistencies in the subjects it is taught in. There have also been recent calls for it to become a compulsory element of the primary curriculum. A call for evidence has been launched to inform the inquiry, with the government wishing to hear from teachers, pupils and school administrators. The deadline for submission is Friday 15 December.

This week I report on the new Schools Minister, an Ofsted blog on how it inspects safeguarding in schools and an Ofqual consultation on allowing this year’s GCSE students provision of support materials (formulae and revised equation sheets) in the exams for GCSE mathematics, physics and combined science.

Former Education Secretary Damian Hinds appointed as new Schools Minister
Following the departure of Nick Gibb, Damian Hinds has been officially appointed Minister of State at the DfE. He had previously served as Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice since the end of October last year. More notably, he served as the Education Secretary from January 2018 to July 2019 during Theresa May’s time as Prime Minister.

Ofsted publishes blog on how it inspects safeguarding in schools
The blog explains some of the main activities Ofsted will conduct when undertaking inspections of safeguarding and why. It includes details of what will happen before and during the inspection and how Ofsted will make a judgement about safeguarding. It also goes into detail about the single central record and the conversations that will be held with the DSL, pupils and staff members.

Consultation regarding additional support materials for GCSE exams in 2024
The DfE has confirmed that in view of the disruption students may have experienced, it’s not necessary for them to memorise formulae for GCSE mathematics and equations for GCSE physics and combined science in 2024, as they would in a normal year. Accordingly Ofqual opened a consultation on this yesterday and it will close on 30 November.

This week I highlight the launch of a Home Office consultation on mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse, a new online mental health resource hub to support a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing and investment in the Oak National Academy to improve and expand AI tools for teachers.

Consultation launched on mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse
The Home Office is seeking views on a number of proposals regarding the delivery of a mandatory reporting duty for child sexual abuse. This follows the recommendation to introduce such a duty in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s final report and a further call by the Home Secretary in April 2023. The consultation closes on 30 November.

New mental health resource hub to support a whole-school approach
Anna Freud, a mental health charity for children, has launched a new DfE-commissioned online resource hub. The hub has been built through collaboration with a range of education and mental health experts and aims to support schools to embed and sustain their approach to mental health and wellbeing.

£2 million investment to boost AI tools for teachers
The government has announced a £2 million investment in Oak National Academy to improve and expand AI tools for teachers. The resources are intended to support school staff and reduce their workload in planning lessons and classroom quizzes, marking a step towards providing every teacher with a personalised AI lesson-planning assistant.