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 ... Lack of support for Send children is ‘timebomb’ for public services, MPs told Read more 'Madness' to allow home schooling when abuse suspected Read more UK universities urged to provide better support for students from China 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: UK-EU finance reset. The Chancellor addressed Eurozone finance ministers highlighting the importance of growth to both the UK and EU and pointing to three ways in which the UK and EU could work together to achieve this, including facing shared challenges, being more open and ‘deepening our economic ties.’ System reform. Cabinet minister Pat McFadden addressed the issue of public sector reform in a major speech, calling for new ways and new people to come in and help the government ‘test and learn’ different ways of tackling long standing problems around public service delivery. Childcare. The IPPR think tank and Save the Children called for the setting up of new, not-for-profit nursery trusts and for pooled funding to be used to support childcare in the areas of greatest need as they published a new report showing huge variation in the provision of childcare with deprived areas missing out the most. SCHOOLS: Teacher’s pay. The government set out its evidence to the teacher’s pay body acknowledging concerns over workloads, pay comparability and teacher recruitment but pointing to two recent years of substantial awards and arguing that in the current financial circumstances, an award of 2.8% would be ‘appropriate.’  SEND concerns. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IfS) called for ‘urgent reform’ of the SEND system in England as it reported on the huge increase in the number of pupils with highest needs and the soaring costs that this involves, leading to a build-up of large deficits in local authority budgets. KS2 performance. The government published revised attainment figures for KS2 assessments this year, confirming the earlier figures of a slight increase in the percentage of pupils reaching the expected stand in reading, writing and maths this year but an attainment gap of 3.13. FE/SKILLS: L3 qualifications. The government reported on its L3 review following intensive discussions, confirming that 157 current other qualifications such as BTECs would be retained, at least for the short-term, while some 220 qualifications with poor enrolments would have their funding withdrawn from next August and the Onsite Construction T level would be dropped. Adult skills. The government reported on UK performance in last year’s OECD led survey of adult skills covering skills in literacy, numeracy and problem-solving and resulting in scores above the OECD average in each case, particularly in numeracy and particularly among young (16-19) adults and those in professional jobs but with a long tail of low proficiency among some working-age adults. English Language scheme. The government confirmed that it was scrapping the Refugee Employability Programme, a Programme set up last year by the previous government to help eligible refugees learn English and find a job. HE: 5-year strategy. The Office for Students (OfS) set out a new 5-year strategy to run from 2025-2030, to focus on six goals listed within three set priorities of quality, the wider student experience and sector resilience, and which will remain open for consultation until 20 February 2025. 2024 Uni admissions. UCAS published its traditional roundup of facts and figures on this year’s HE applications pointing among other things to greater use of the Clearing system this year, a drop in international applications but a rise in the number of 18-year-olds, including those from disadvantaged areas, accepting a place this year. Freedom of speech. Universities UK reported on its survey among members on freedom of speech and academic freedom, revealing that the majority (93%) of universities have codes of practice on the matter and that 81% have reviewed their codes since May 2023 with ‘positive outcomes.’ Access all issues of Steve Besley's Education Eye Latest research, reports and studies Where Next? Who applies for Level 4 and 5 qualifications? | UCAS Priced out? The Accommodation Costs Survey 2024: London Edition | HEPI Bridging the gap between policy and pedagogy: building a stronger FE and Skills system | ETF Spending on special educational needs in England: something has to change | IFS The childcare challenge: How can the new government deliver a real childcare guarantee? | IPPR Using background colours on Powerpoint slides | Teacher Toolkit Survey of Adult Skills 2023: national report for England | DfE What is primary teaching like in England today? | Teacher Tapp Do adults have the skills they need to thrive in a changing world? | OECD Understanding skill gaps in firms | OECD How can UK universities improve their strategies for tackling integration challenges among Chinese students? | HEPI ChatGPT in lesson preparation – Teacher Choices trial | EEF Childcare funding rates largely protected in real terms - with a big uplift for disadvantage premium | IFS Deaths of children in need | Children's Commissioner for England Low oral reading fluency at the end of Key Stage 1 | FFT Education Datalab Only 1 in 4 apprenticeship vacancies now open to applicants without GCSE maths and English | AELP Search our education research section COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK Parliament and elsewhere MPs Christmas recess (Thursday 19 December – Monday 6 January) Events and CPD opportunities Tuesday 17 December: Education and Resilience in Crisis: Challenges & Opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa | UKFIET (online event) Wednesday 18 December: Influencing without Authority | The Hub Events (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 MONDAY 16 DECEMBER On this day in 1653 Parliamentarian General Oliver Cromwell was appointed as Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland. On this day in 1773 the Boston tea party incident took place when Sons of Liberty protesters threw tea shipments into Boston harbour in protest against the British imposed Tea Act. On this day in 1937 prisoners Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe successfully escaped from US federal prison Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay with neither ever being found.   TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER On this day in 1790 the Aztec calendar stone, also known as the Stone of the Five Eras, was excavated in Mexico City. On this day in 1900 the Guzman Prize was created offering first prize of 100,000 francs to the first person to establish interplanetary communication. On this day in 1967 Harold Holt, Prime Minister of Australia, vanished in mysterious circumstances while swimming near Melbourne.   WEDNESDAY 18 DECEMBER On this day in 1642 Abel Tasman's expedition was the first European voyage to reach New Zealand. On this day in 1912 the fossilised remains of 'Piltdown Man' were discovered in a gravel pit in Sussex. On this day in 2009 James Cameron's film 'Avatar' was released in the US and became the highest-grossing film of all time.   THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER On this day in 1783 William Pitt the Younger became the youngest ever British Prime Minister aged twenty-four. On this day in 1843 Charles Dickens’ classic story 'A Christmas Carol' was published with the first edition sold out by Christmas Eve. On this day in 1984 Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang and British PM Margaret Thatcher signed an agreement committing Britain to return Hong Kong to China in 1997.   FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER On this day in 1820 the US state of Missouri imposed a $1 bachelor tax on unmarried men aged between twenty-one and fifty. On this day in 1960 the National Liberation Front, better known as the Viet Cong, was officially formed in South Vietnam. On this day in 2007 Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-living British monarch when she surpassed the reign of Queen Victoria. Awareness days from around the world DECEMBER IS UK: Decembeard. WORLDWIDE: Advent begins, Bingo's Birthday Month, Blue Christmas, Gift of Sight Month, International Sharps Injury Prevention Awareness Month, Learn A Foreign Language Month, National Car Donation Month, National Cat Lovers’ Month, National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, National Giving Month, National Human Rights Month, National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, National Pear Month, National Tie Month, National Write A Business Plan Month, Operation Santa Paws, Quince And Watermelon Month, Root Vegetables And Exotic Fruit Month, Safe Toys And Gifts Month, Spiritual Literacy Month, Tomato And Winter Squash Month, Universal Human Rights Month, World Twin To Twin Transfusion Syndrome Awareness Month, Worldwide Food Service Safety Month.   THIS WEEK IS WORLDWIDE: Christmas Bird Count Week, Las Posadas, Saturnalia.   MONDAY 16 DECEMBER WORLDWIDE: Barbie and Barney Backlash Day, Chocolate-Covered Anything Day, Day Of Reconciliation, Stupid Toy Day.   TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER WORLDWIDE: Device Appreciation Day, Maple Syrup Day, Pan American Aviation Day, Say It Now Day, Wright Brothers Day.   WEDNESDAY 18 DECEMBER WORLDWIDE: Answer The Phone Like Buddy The Elf Day, Arabic Language Day, Bake Cookies Day, Flake Appreciation Day, International Migrants Day, Roast Suckling Pig Day, Twin Day.   THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER WORLDWIDE: Emo Day, Hard Candy Day, Heroes and Heroines Day, Look for an Evergreen Day, Oatmeal Muffin Day, Re-gifting Day.   FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER WORLDWIDE: Cathode-Ray Tube Day, Games Day, Go Caroling Day, International Human Solidarity Day, Mudd Day, Sacagawea Day, Sangria Day, Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, Underdog Day. 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