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 ... Alarm at first fall in disadvantaged students in England reaching university   Read more Special educational needs bill in England hits record £10bn a year   Read more Teacher describes relentless bullying at work - as power imbalance making profession toxic for many 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: Employment Rights impact. The government published its assessment of the economic impact of the Employment Rights Bill suggesting that the various measures could cost around £4.5bn pa with those in lower paid sectors particularly hardest hit but arguing that the benefits include a more healthy, productive and engaged workforce resulting in better returns. Workers’ rights. The government announced a number of consultations as part of its Employment Rights Bill, including on zero hours contracts, industrial relations, fire and rehire, and on strengthened statutory sick pay.   Child Poverty. The government set out the four ‘coordinating’ key themes, including raising incomes, tackling family cost-drivers, increasing financial resilience and building local support, that will drive its Child Poverty Strategy when it’s formally launched next spring. SCHOOLS: Free schools. The education secretary announced a review of ‘mainstream free school projects approved by central government but not yet opened,’ arguing that this would help ensure that funding and surplus capacity could be targeted where it’s most needed. SEND report. The National Audit Office (NAO) published its report into how the system of SEND support is working, concluding that it’s currently ‘financially unsustainable’ and failing to meet the needs of families and children, let alone creating financial deficits for councils, calling for a major system overhaul as a result. SEND survey. The County Council Network published the results of its survey among members about the pressures building up over special needs and disabilities (SEND) budgets with 26 out of 38 councils in England facing bankruptcy within three years as SEND deficits increase. FE/SKILLS: College finances. The IfS reported on the financial health and challenges facing colleges in England acknowledging that while finances have largely stabilised following nearly a decade of cuts, many colleges still face financial difficulties and challenges over teacher recruitment, shifting policy demands and demographic changes.  Apprenticeships. Baroness Ann Taylor, Chair of the Lords Industry and Regulators Committee highlighted a range of issues coming out of the Committee’s Inquiry into skills and apprenticeships, largely around the complexity of the current skills system and dissatisfaction with the levy, calling for a simpler system, more flexible levy and incentives to encourage employer investment. Digital survey. JISC published the results of its latest survey into the digital experiences of staff, showing the quality of the digital teaching environment improving but many staff still calling for training and support and finding it difficult to find the time to explore opportunities further. HE: Student demand. Bahram Bekhradnia, President of HEPI, called for a body to safeguard higher education as he published a new report suggesting that student recruitment over the next decade could be difficult with demographic changes, ‘hostile’ government policy and the impact of the cost-of-living all taking their toll on student numbers. Changing perceptions. The OfS reported on its latest commissioned survey into sector perceptions about its engagement and communications approach, pointing to an improving picture over the last 18 months, albeit with further calls for more interaction, better understanding of provider positions and greater trust over regulation. Budget submission. University Alliance published its recent Budget submission to the Treasury highlighting three ‘asks’ in particular including funding, pensions, and staff recruitment and retention with recommendations where necessary. Access all issues of Steve Besley's Education Eye Latest research, reports and studies How valuable are end-of-year tests for predicting pupils’ future achievement? | FFT Education Datalab The effect of Sure Start on youth misbehaviour, crime and contacts with children’s social care | IFS Support for children and young people with special educational needs | NAO Improving school attendance: suggestions for support from parents and carers | Welsh Gov The state of college finances in England | IFS Report 179: Student Demand to 2035 | HEPI The many faces of disadvantage | School Dash Empowering tutoring expertise with AI | BEIB Examining the impact of phonological-only instruction on reading | BEIB Raising up reading | BEIB The geography of higher education in England and Wales | OECD Nurturing social and emotional learning across the globe | OECD Avoid retrieval practice at the start of every lesson | Teacher Toolkit Call for new era of school inclusion and belonging as attendance crisis report warns children in the North and children with SEN are more likely to be persistently missing school | Centre for Young Lives Report celebrates upgrades to apprenticeships launching careers in catering and hospitality | IfATE Access and participation in HE in 2022/23 | EPI Mobile telepresence robots enhance distance learning and enable children’s play and participation | IOE Search our education research section COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK Parliament and elsewhere Westminster Hall debate on ‘Online safety for children and young people’ (Tuesday 29 October). Budget Statement (Wednesday 30 October). Universities UK Global Research and Innovation Conference (Thursday 31 October). Events and CPD opportunities Tuesday 29 October: Introduction to governance | GovernorHub (online event) Thursday 31 October: Global research and innovation conference 2024 | Universities UK (in-person event) Friday 01 November: Black History Month: Cultural competence and reclaiming narratives | Education & Training Foundation (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 28 OCTOBER On this day in 1538 the first university in the New World, the Universidad Santo Tomás de Aquino, was established on Hispaniola, present-day Dominican Republic. On this day in 1746 the Peruvian cities of Lima and Callao were demolished by an earthquake killing 18,000 people. On this day in 2015 research published by University of Copenhagen team in 'Cell' indicated that plague can be dated back to the Bronze age in skeletons 5,783 years old.   TUESDAY 29 OCTOBER On this day in 1618 English adventurer, writer and courtier Walter Raleigh was beheaded for allegedly conspiring against King James I. On this day in 1929 the Wall Street Stock Market crashed on a day now known as 'Black Tuesday' triggering the Great Depression. On this day in 2015 China announced the end of their one-child policy ending the most extreme state birth control project in history after 35 years.   WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER On this day in 1938 a radio broadcast of H G Wells's 'The War of the Worlds', narrated by Orson Welles, allegedly caused mass panic with thousands in the vicinity of the 'landing sites' desperately trying to flee. On this day in 1961 the Soviet Union tested a 58-megaton hydrogen bomb named Tsar Bomba in the northern Arctic Circle, the most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated. On this day in 1973 the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey was completed connecting the continents of Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus for the first time.   THURSDAY 31 OCTOBER On this day in 1541 Renaissance master Michelangelo Buonarroti finished painting 'The Last Judgement' in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. On this day in 1926 celebrated magician and escape artist Harry Houdini died of peritonitis in a Detroit hospital. On this day in 1984 Indira Gandhi, the first female prime minister of India, was assassinated in New Delhi by two of her bodyguards.   FRIDAY 01 NOVEMBER On this day in 1814 the Congress of Vienna opened to re-draw the European political map after the defeat of France in the Napoleonic Wars. On this day in 1993 the Maastricht Treaty came into effect formally establishing the European Union. On this day in 2012 scientists detected evidence of light from the universe's first stars predicted to have formed 500 million years after the big bang. 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: Museums At Night. WORLDWIDE: Bat Appreciation Week, Global Media and Information Literacy Week, International Brain Tumour Awareness Week, International Fraud Awareness Week, National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, National Red Ribbon Week, Pastoral Care Week, Pomegranate Festival, Red Ribbon Week, Respiratory Care Week, Shampoo Week.   MONDAY 28 OCTOBER WORLDWIDE: Chucks-N-Pearls Day, Czech Independence Day, International Animation Day, National Chocolate Day, National First Responders Day, National Immigrants Day, National Internal Medicine Day, Plush Animal Lover’s Day, Wild Foods Day.   TUESDAY 29 OCTOBER WORLDWIDE: International Day of Care and Support, National Cat Day, National Hermit Day, National Internet Day, National Oatmeal Day, RSPB Feed the Birds Day, World Psoriasis Day, World Stroke Day.   WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER UK: National Pension Tracing Day. WORLDWIDE: Create a Great Funeral Day, Haunted Refrigerator Night, Mine Rescue Day, Mischief Night, National Candy Corn Day, National Checklist Day, National Publicist Day, National Text Your Ex Day, National Wicked Day, Speak Up For Service Day, World Online Networking Day.   THURSDAY 31 OCTOBER UK: Halloween. WORLDWIDE: Caramel Apple Day, Diwali Celebrations, Girl Scout Founder’s Day, Halloween, National Caramel Apple Day, National Doorbell Day, National Knock Knock Joke Day, National Magic Day, National Unity Day, Reformation Day, Saci Day, World Cities Day, World Savings Day.   FRIDAY 01 NOVEMBER WORLDWIDE: All Saints Day, Autistics Speaking Day, Calan Gaeaf, D Hamilton Jackson Day, Day of the Dead, Extra Mile Day, Fountain Pen Day, Gumboot Friday, Haryana Day, International Pet Groomer Appreciation Day, Kannada Rajyotsava, Love Your Lawyer Day, National Authors’ Day, National Biologic Coordinators Day, National Brush Day, National Calzone Day, National Cinnamon Day, National Cook For Your Pets Day, National Deep Fried Clams Day, National Family Literacy Day, National Fountain Pen Day, National Jersey Day, National Pâté Day, National Vinegar Day, Prime Meridian Day, Scented Candle Day, World Vegan Day. Share Tweet Forward Not already an EdCentral member? 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