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LOOKING BACK AT THE WEEK THAT WAS Three of the week's headlines ... Jewish students condemn toxic anti-Israel protests on UK campuses Read more England scraps 50% rule on faith school admissions   Read more Schools which ban mobile phones get better GCSE grades Read more Visit EdNews to filter all the education news by phase or topic Three pieces of policy news - by phase Follow this link to view the full version of Steve Besley's popular policy round-up - including an overview of all the important stories, his top headlines of the week, tweets and posts of note, the most memorable quotes, not-to-be-missed statistics and what to look out for next week. As your starter for ten, we've chosen three items from each phase below ... GENERAL: Economic Outlook. The OECD published its latest Economic Outlook suggesting that for the UK growth will remain ‘sluggish,’ headline inflation will likely ‘moderate,’ wage growth will continue but unemployment will also continue to increase. Local Authority finances. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) published a new briefing on local authority finances highlighting how “financial pressures started building from a fall in funding and increase in service demand over the 2010s,” with what’s described as ‘a decade of debt’ now catching up. Wages. The TUC published new analysis indicating that across two-thirds of local authorities wages are now worth less than they were before the 2008/9 crash, arguing that the UK is suffering from ‘the longest pay squeeze in the modern era.’ SCHOOLS: Faith schools. The government launched a consultation designed to extend faith schools by lifting the 50% cap currently applied when places at such schools are oversubscribed and encouraging the creation of more faith-based academies. Online assessment. The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) reported that it was preparing to launch a set of standardised digital assessments that would be engaging for pupils and help teachers with diagnostic assessments and which would be available for Year 3 and 4 pupils from this September, with a similar approach to follow for Years 5 and 6 from next September. Now Teach. The charity that supports career changers into teaching, Now Teach, confirmed the ‘disappointing’ news that the DfE was scrapping its funding support, meaning that no new recruits could be taken on after this September. FE/SKILLS: Financial planning. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) published the latest financial planning requirements for colleges complete with a small number of ‘substantive’ changes and requiring colleges to submit their 3-year financial forecasts by the end of this July. Ofqual on the ABS. Ofqual issued its response to the consultation on the government’s proposed Advanced British Standard (ABS) for 16–19-year-olds, underlining the extent of change that the proposals would entail and recommending accordingly a phased approach, the retention of established qualifications, and clarity on the role of other/vocational qualifications and the nature of grading methods required. Valuing Enrichment. The AOC, NCFE and partners published their final report on the importance of enrichment for learners across the FE sector, finding a mixed picture of offerings across the board and calling for more uniform access, criteria and resources to enable all to benefit. HE: Funding. The FE reported on the growing funding worries facing UK universities where over 50 have announced course closures and job cuts in recent months as they grapple with a continuing tuition fee freeze and visa restrictions for international students amid an unforgiving political climate.   Student support. The HE Policy Institute reported on new research evidence due to be published next week on student maintenance support and the cost of living, showing that over half of students reckon that their financial situation has got worse, over a third think the system of maintenance support is unfair, and 60% say it will affect their choice of university. Transparent donations. Two MPs called in an open letter for the government to establish measures to ensure greater transparency over university donations citing evidence of unknown sums from Chinese sources along with other anonymous donations for which there had been no known due diligence. Access all issues of Steve Besley's Education Eye Latest research, reports and studies Disconnect: The case for a smartphone ban in schools | Policy Exchange Celebrating new positive formations of masculinity in two schools | BERA Education and enrichment | CfEY Caution: Mind the English SEND postcode funding gap | BERA Revision technique: The memory palace | Teacher Toolkit Measuring the quality of staffing deployment and quality of experiences across secondary school science departments in England | FFT Education Datalab Effects of repetition: Solving problems vs remembering solutions | Teacher Toolkit Search our education research section COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK Parliament and elsewhere NAHT Annual Conference (Friday 03 May – Saturday 04 May). Westminster Hall debate on the provision of free school meals (Tuesday 07 May). Public Accounts Committee witness session on preparations to extend childcare arrangements (Wednesday 08 May). HEPI and TechnologyOne report and webinar on student maintenance support (Thursday 09 May). Events and CPD opportunities Thursday 09 May: T Level Learning From London | ETF (in-person event) Thursday 09 May: Engaging with Parents and Carers in Schools 2024 | Government Events (online event) Saturday 11 May: researchED Aberdeen | researchED (in-person event) Running an education-related event that you'd like to see included in our calendar? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with details and a link to the booking info. See all events Three interesting daily facts TUESDAY 07 MAY On this day in 1867 Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel patented dynamite in England. On this day in 1915 ‘RMS Lusitania’ was sunk by a German submarine off the southern coast of Ireland. On this day in 2012 paeleoclimatological research claimed dinosaurs may have heated the earth by releasing huge amounts of methane.   WEDNESDAY 08 MAY On this day in 1660 the English Parliament proclaimed Charles II King of England and invited him to return to London. On this day in 1886 the world's first Coca-Cola was served at Jacobs' Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia. On this day in 1945 V-E Day was celebrated in America and Britain marking the end of World War II in Europe.   THURSDAY 09 MAY On this day in 1941 British intelligence at Bletchley Park broke German spy codes after capturing Enigma machines aboard the weather ship 'Muenchen'. On this day in 1960 the USA became the first country to legalise the birth control pill. On this day in 2023 George Harrison's 'Here Comes The Sun' became the first Beatles song to register a billion streams on Spotify.   FRIDAY 10 MAY On this day in 1869 the first transcontinental railroad in the United States was completed. On this day in 1941 Adolf Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess, flew to Scotland to broker a peace agreement. On this day in 1994 Nelson Mandela was sworn in as South Africa's first Black president. Awareness days from around the world MAY IS UK: Time For A Cuppa, Make May Purple/Action On Stroke Month, National Walking Month, National Share A Story Month, Local And Community History Month, Big Asthma Bake Sale, The Big Paddle Cleanup. WORLDWIDE: National Teen Self Esteem Month, Zombie Awareness Month, National Clean Air Month, Maternal Mental Health Month, May Measure Month, Skin Cancer Awareness Month, Tourettes Awareness Month, National Returning Youth Month, National Miniature Garden Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Global Employee Health And Fitness Month, Better Speech And Language Month, Als Awareness Month, National Preservation Month, National Wildfire Awareness Month, National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, National Foster Care Month, Correct Your Posture Month, International Drum Month, National Dental Care Month, Coeliac Disease Awareness Month, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month, National Asparagus Month, National Stroke Awareness Month, National Moving Month, National Brain Tumor Awareness Month, National Mental Health Awareness Month, Sturge-weber Syndrome Awareness Month, Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, National Military Appreciation Month, Melanoma Awareness Month, National Water Safety Month, National Chamber Music Month, Asian American And Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National Mediterranean Diet Month, National Strawberry Month, National Salsa Month, National Salad Month, National Recommitment Month, National Photography Month, National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, National Hamburger Month, Get Caught Reading Month, National Egg Month, National Blood Education Pressure Month, National Bike Month, National Barbeque Month, Older Americans Month, Date Your Mate Month, National Inventors Month, American Cheese Month.   THIS WEEK IS UK: Deaf Awareness Week, Sun Awareness Week, Dying Matters Week. WORLDWIDE: Children's Book Week, World Ankylosing Spondylitis Day, Deaf Awareness Week, Viral Meningitis Awareness Week, Red Cross Week, National Eastern Box Turtle Week, Public Service Recognition Week, North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, Screen-free Week, Choose Privacy Week, National Wildflower Week, National Nurses Week, Teacher Appreciation Week, National Hospital Week, National Pet Week, Dog Anxiety Awareness Week, Donkey Week, National Tourism Week, National Lawyer Well-Being Week.   TUESDAY 07 MAY WORLDWIDE: National Teacher Appreciation Day, World Asthma Day, National Foster Care Day, National Packaging Design Day, National Barrier Awareness Day, National Paste Up Day, Poem on Your Pillow Day, National Roast Leg of Lamb Day, Childhood Depression Awareness Day, National Tourism Day, National Cosmopolitan Day, National School Nurse Day, Love’s Baby Soft Day.   WEDNESDAY 08 MAY WORLDWIDE: World Donkey Day, World Red Cross Day / Red Crescent Day, World Ovarian Cancer Day, National Amyloidosis Day, National Student Nurse Day, National Third Shift Workers Day, National Have A Coke Day, National Coconut Cream Pie Day, National School Nurse Day, National Receptionists Day, Golf Day, World Facilities Management Day, Iris Day, Free Trade Day, No Socks Day, Donate A Day’s Wages To Charity Day.   THURSDAY 09 MAY WORLDWIDE: Europe Day, National Lost Sock Day, National Home Front Heroes Day, National Alphabet Magnet Day, National Sleepover Day, National Butterscotch Brownie Day, National Moscato Day, Ascension Day.   FRIDAY 10 MAY WORLDWIDE: World Lupus Day, National Washington Day, National Clean Up Your Room Day, National Lipid Day, National Shrimp Day, National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, National Provider Appreciation Day, International Day of Argania, Child Care Provider Day, National Golf Lovers Day, Mother Ocean Day, National Public Gardens Day, Stay Up All Night Night, One Day Without Shoes Day. 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