A look back at the last week in education, a peek at what's coming up, plus lots of other interesting stuff to help with lesson planning  ...

LOOKING BACK AT THE WEEK THAT WAS Three of the week's headlines ... GCSE students to continue receiving Covid exam help   Read more Scotland: Two private schools to merge and scrap single-sex rule Read more Quality of in-prison learning for young offenders in decline, Ofsted finds 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: Digital drive. The government announced the names of the ‘twelve digital professionals and academics’ who will help develop a digital centre that can boost the use of technology in transforming public services. Adviser on delivery. The government published the terms of reference for Sir Michael Barber in his role as the PM’s Adviser on Effective Delivery, a role which will run initially for a year and support the delivery of the government’s Missions. Council services. The County Councils Network (CCN) highlighted the ‘often unsung’ work that county councils undertake, generally under financial pressure but vital to people’s lives, and ranging from bin collections, to street lighting, to school places. SCHOOLS: Teachers’ pay. The education secretary kickstarted the 2025/26 pay review for teachers with a letter to the Chair of the Review Body acknowledging the ‘challenging financial situation’ facing both government and schools, asking for recommendations on TLR payments and flexi working, and aiming to make an announcement earlier than previously, typically by April.   Exams 2025. Ofqual announced a brief consultation on the continued provision of support materials for students taking GCSEs in maths, physics and combined sciences over the next three years, following concerns from government that such students may have suffered from disrupted learning due to the pandemic. Assessment dates. The DfE confirmed the KS2 assessment dates for next year and added the dates for the full range of primary school assessments for the year after. FE/SKILLS: Dear Chancellor. College leaders called on the Chancellor to demonstrate support for the government’s skills drive by ‘fully funding the growing numbers of young people in colleges,’ providing VAT reimbursement and closing the pay gap to help tackle teacher recruitment, in an open letter released just weeks ahead of the Budget. L3 reform. The skills minister argued in a comment piece in FE Week that the government remained committed to its reform programme for L3 qualifications but that unlike the previous government, it would consider providing for some qualifications that overlap with T levels where such need was identified.  Skills reform. The Resolution Foundation welcomed the government’s recent proposals for reforming reform the apprenticeship levy but argued that success couldn’t be taken for granted, pointing to three risks, including ensuring enough opportunities for young people, managing flexibility and maintaining quality. HE: University blueprint. Universities UK published its much-anticipated blueprint for UKHE with a series of chapters from leading commentators helping to set a future path for the sector built around ‘five big shifts’ and enabled by sustainable funding, streamlined regulation and improved impact assessment. Blueprint reaction. Nick Hillman, director at the HE Policy Institute (HEPI) offered his thoughts on Universities UK’s blueprint report arguing that many of the recommendations are “excellent” but given that the government is strapped for cash, it all needs to be followed by “an exercise to assess, cost and prioritise the ideas.” Degree apprenticeships. The Office for Students (OfS) announced that 33 universities and colleges had been successful in gaining funding under the third wave of its degree apprenticeship development funding programme, which will provide support for a further 148 such programmes. Access all issues of Steve Besley's Education Eye Latest research, reports and studies Opportunity, growth and partnership: a blueprint for change | UUK Socio-economic differences in self-harm (resulting in hospital admission) amongst high achieving children | FFT Education Datalab Thematic review of the quality of education in young offender institutions (YOIs) | Ofsted An exploratory study of employers’ recruitment practices | Gatsby Foundation Individual differences in working memory | Teacher Toolkit Lifelong language pathways: Incentivising the uptake of foreign language skills | Lifelong Education Institute Child poverty: trends and policy options | IFS Multilingual learners reap significant academic benefits and outpace monolingual peers | IOE Child of the North/Centre for Young Lives report urges government to tackle crisis in preschool provision amid warnings that hundreds of thousands of children are not 'school ready' | Centre for Young Lives Prioritise teachers to transform | NEU Search our education research section COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK Parliament and elsewhere Westminster Hall debate on the removal of VAT for independent schools (Tuesday 8 October). Westminster Hall debate on Skills England (Wednesday 9 October). IfS Green Budget (Thursday 10 October). Events and CPD opportunities Monday 07 - Wednesday 09 October: Making a difference: The purpose of universities in a rapidly changing world | THE (in-person event) Wednesday 09 October: National Education Show 2024 | National Education Show (online 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 MONDAY 07 OCTOBER On this day in 1737 a cyclone led to forty-foot waves in the Hooghly River causing the death of 300,000 people in Calcutta, India. On this day in 1959 the far side of moon was seen for the first time courtesy of USSR's Luna 3 space probe. On this day in 1982 the musical 'Cats' opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway and ran for nearly eighteen years before closing in 2000.   TUESDAY 08 OCTOBER On this day in 1769 Captain James Cook landed in New Zealand for the first time near present-day Gisborne at Poverty Bay on the east coast of the North Island. On this day in 1971 John Lennon released his megahit single 'Imagine'. On this day in 2004 Kenyan Wangari Maathai became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.   WEDNESDAY 09 OCTOBER On this day in 1855 American inventor Isaac Singer patented the sewing machine motor. On this day in 1986 stage musical ‘Phantom of the Opera’, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and starring Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, premiered in London. On this day in 2012 a Taliban gunman attempted to assassinate Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai.   THURSDAY 10 OCTOBER On this day in 1361 Edward the Black Prince of England married Joan Plantagenet at Windsor Castle. On this day in 1957 a fire at the Windscale nuclear plant in Cumbria became the world's first major nuclear accident. On this day in 1965 the Vinland Map was introduced by Yale University as being the first known map of America, drawn about 1440.   FRIDAY 11 OCTOBER On this day in 1939 Albert Einstein informed US President Franklin Roosevelt that the Nazis were working on developing an atomic bomb. On this day in 1968 Apollo 7 was launched to conduct an eleven-day orbit of Earth and transmit the first live television broadcasts from space. On this day in 1986 Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev opened talks at a summit in Reykjavik, Iceland. Awareness days from around the world OCTOBER IS UK: The Big Draw. WORLDWIDE: Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dysautonomia Awareness Month, Eye Injury Prevention Month, Filipino American History Month, I'm Just Me Because Month, Menopause Awareness Month, National ADD/ADHD Awareness Month, National Chili Month, National Cryptocurrency Month, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, National Dropout Prevention Month, National Dwarfism Awareness Month, National Economic Education Month, National Fire Prevention Month, National Learning And Development Month, National Non-GMO Month, National Pet CBD Month, National Physical Therapy Month, National Principals Month, National RSV Awareness Month, National Sarcastic Awareness Month, National Sausage Month, National Seafood Month, National Sensory Processing Awareness Month, National Spina Bifida Awareness Month, National Stamp Collecting Month, National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month, National Toilet Tank Repair Month, National Window Covering Safety Month, National Women In AI Month, National Women's Small Business Month, National Work And Family Month, Organize Your Medical Information Month, Pear And Pineapple Month, Photographer Appreciation Month, Polish American Heritage Month, Positive Attitude Month, Raptor Month, Rett Syndrome Awareness Month, Rhizomes And Persimmons Month, Rhubarb Month, Right Brainers Rule Month, Self-Promotion Month, Spinach Lovers Month, Squirrel Month, Tackling Hunger Month, Talk About Prescriptions Month, Vegetarian Month, Wishbones for Pets Month, Workplace Politics Awareness Month, World Blindness Awareness Month, World Menopause Month, Truffle Days in Croatia, Hispanic Heritage Month.   THIS WEEK IS UK: Children’s Trust Pyjama Week, National Porridge Week, National Work Life Week, National Curry Week, National Arthritis Week, Baby Loss Awareness Week. WORLDWIDE: Baby Loss Awareness Week, Back Care Awareness Week, Celebrate Community Week, Durga Puja, Dyslexia Awareness Week, Fire Prevention Week, Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week, Healthcare Security and Safety Week, Hospice Care Week, Mental Illness Awareness Week, Mystery Series Week, National Carry A Tune Week, National Curry Week, National Dance Week, National Fire Prevention Week, National Metric Week, National Midwifery Week, National Newspaper Week, National Physician Assistant Week, National Scaffolding Week, National School Lunch Week, National Spinning and Weaving Week, National Vegetarian Week, Phuket Vegetarian Festival, Walk Your Dog Week, World Space Week.   MONDAY 07 OCTOBER WORLDWIDE: Bullying Prevention Awareness Day, Child Health Day, International Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day, National Bathtub Day, National Child Health Day, National Chocolate Covered Pretzel Day, National Consignment Day, National Forgiveness and Happiness Day, National Frappe Day, National Inner Beauty Day, National LED Light Day, National Propane Day, National Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day, Team Margot Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Awareness Day, World Architecture Day, World Habitat Day.   TUESDAY 08 OCTOBER WORLDWIDE: Ada Lovelace Day, Alvin C York Day, American Touch Tag Day, Animal Action Day, International Birth Registration Day, International Newspaper Carrier Day, International Off-Road Day, International Podiatry Day, National Face Your Fears Day, National Fluffernutter Day, National Hero Day, National Peanut Butter Day, National Pierogi Day, Own Business Day, World Octopus Day.   WEDNESDAY 09 OCTOBER WORLDWIDE: Animal Road Accident Awareness Day, Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work and School Day, Canadian Beer Day, Curious Events Day, Fire Prevention Day, International Beer and Pizza Day, International Top Spinning Day, National Curves Day, National Emergency Nurse's Day, National Moldy Cheese Day, National PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day, National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, National Pro-Life Cupcake Day, National Stop Bullying Day, National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day, Scrubs Day, World Post Day.   THURSDAY 10 OCTOBER UK: Wakey Wakey Hospice Day. WORLDWIDE: Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity, International Dysgraphia Awareness Day, National Angel Food Cake Day, National Cake Decorating Day, National Handbag Day, National Hug a Drummer Day, National Metric Day, National Walk to a Park Day, Shift10 Day, World Day Against the Death Penalty, World Dyslexia Awareness Day, World Gulab Jamun Day, World Homeless Day, World Mental Health Day, World Porridge Day, World Sight Day.   FRIDAY 11 OCTOBER WORLDWIDE: Black Girl Day Off, General Pulaski Memorial Day, International Day of the Girl Child, It’s My Party Day, National Coming Out Day, National Sausage Pizza Day, Southern Food Heritage Day, Vet Nurse Day, World Egg Day. Share Tweet Forward Not already an EdCentral member? 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