|
LOOKING BACK AT THE WEEK THAT WAS
|
|
|
|
The main stories from the papers
|
|
|
|
The latest announcements and policy news
|
|
|
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, and all the not-to-be-missed statistics.
|
|
GENERAL:
Flexible working. The government launched consultation on statutory duties, rights and protections (for both employer and employee) on flexible working, including a new ‘reasonableness test’ that could be used for all sides.
First Tech Town. The government announced Barnsley as the trailblazer for the UK’s first Tech Town, with the government set to deploy the full ‘heft’ of AI over the next 18 months to drive better public services, jobs, skills and learning and hopefully provide a blueprint for the use of AI in the future.
Fostering. The government set out ‘an ambitious action plan’ with an accompanying consultation to tackle the decline in foster carers and help reform the system, through enhanced regional collaboration, stronger support and simpler rules.
Economic Outlook. The NIESR outlined the wider economic outlook for the UK for the start of this year, suggesting ‘a more favourable’ set of conditions than previously with growth up and inflation down but with continuing concerns about increased geopolitical tensions and, domestically, about a weak labour market.
Economic Confidence. The Institute of Directors (IoD) published its latest Economic Confidence Index pointing to what it described as ‘a chunky’ rise in confidence among business leaders in the shape of an improving picture around revenue, recruitment and investment expectations.
Welfare 2030. The Centre for Social Justice produced a flurry of headline grabbing figures, such as the number of people for whom benefits now exceed wages, as it launched a major new enquiry into welfare reform. SCHOOLS:
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Parliament reported on the latest developments around this Bill as it concluded its report stage in the House of Lords, securing amendments around mandatory allergy safety policies in all English schools, changes to academy admissions and a ban on smartphones during the school day.
Screen time. The government issued a brief call for evidence on screen time and usage for children aged 0-5 that could be used to support guidance in this area for parents promised for this April.
SEND concerns. The LGA (Local Government Association) reported on its survey showing eight in ten councils worried about the rising costs of supporting children and young people with SEND, with many concerned that they won’t be able to set balanced budgets in future and calling for high needs deficits to be written off.
SEND reform. The Social Market Foundation (SMF) called for EHCPs to be reduced but retained, with funding redistributed to support early intervention and classroom-based support, as it published a new briefing on reforming the SEND system.
Teachers. The House of Commons Library Service published a report on teacher recruitment and retention in England with useful data on numbers (468,000+,) retention (stable,) pay (median £48,000+,) and working hours (51.2 hrs average.)
New report cards. Ofsted provided an easy read guide for families on its new report card and grades (inspection) system, explaining what each of the new grades means and what the report card as a whole can tell a user.
Inspections. The NAHT and Ofsted agreed to set up an independent advisory group to monitor the impact of the new inspection system on school leaders and report back. Completion rates. FFT Education Datalab reported on A level completion rates for the 2022/23 cohort, pointing to a strong correlation evident between KS4 attainment and completion generally, with maths emerging as the subject with the highest completion rate albeit with rates fairly similar across most of the top ten subjects.
Breakfast clubs. The government indicated that some 300,000 children will benefit from its Free Breakfast Club scheme from this April as it invited applications from a further 1500 primary schools in England to join in the scheme from September. FE/SKILLS:
FE teacher training. The Skills Minister confirmed in a letter to the Education Committee, plans to strengthen the quality of FE teacher training with statutory guidance on curriculum and delivery and registration with the DfE.
Consultation response. The Manufacturers’ Organisation Make UK called for a stronger focus on life and employability skills and wider support for apprenticeship provision as it published its response to the Milburn NEETs Review.
Inspections. Ofsted’s Chief Inspector explained the new report card and grading system in an address to the Sixth Form Colleges Association, urging them to see the changes as positive, notably in their work around inclusion, and to use the report cards to share best practice and promote their worth.
Youth employment. The Skills Federation’s Policy Director, Alison Morris, pointed in a new blog to the challenges facing young people seeking to enter the labour market, suggesting that to improve things, policy should focus on three areas including increasing the number of good quality entry roles, improving young people’s preparedness for work and support employer recruitment. HE:
Student loans concerns. HEPI director, Nick Hillman, blogged about the issues surrounding the Plan 2 student loan model, putting forward three options for tackling the concerns, including changing the repayment threshold or covering up balance details, before concluding that none would fully satisfy all sides.
Reasons not to be cheerful. The NUS listed ten reasons as to why the current student loan model is unfair including the fact that the poorest face the greatest debt burden, the parental earnings threshold has been frozen for nearly two decades, and interest rates make it impossible to reduce the debt.
University merger. The Universities of Kent and Greenwich confirmed the arrangements for their ‘super-university’ merger, announced last autumn and due to be formally established from this August and likely to be known as the London and South East University Group.
Research and Innovation. The Chief Exec of UKRI, Ian Chapman, spelt out in an open letter the current situation around UKRI based research funding, acknowledging concerns but equally the need to make savings under the Science and Technologies Council finances but pointing to a rising budget for research and innovation generally over the coming months.
LLE coming. Rose Stephenson, Director of Policy at HEPI, examined the build up to the onset of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) due in a year’s time, suggesting that there was still some way to go with levels of awareness remaining low, regulation needing to be confirmed and system navigation established.
|
|
|
Research, reports and studies published this week
|
|
|
|
COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK
|
|
|
|
Important reports, deadlines and government events
|
|
|
|
National Apprenticeship Week (Monday 9 – Sunday 15 February)
Westminster Hall debate on the Impact of screen time on young children (Tuesday 10 February)
Education Committee evidence session on Early Years (Tuesday 10 February)
AoC English and maths Conference (Wednesday 11 February)
Social Market Foundation event on ‘Fixing the SEND system’ (Wednesday 11 February)
|
|
|
Conferences and CPD opportunities
|
|
|
Tuesday 10 February: Curriculum Conference 2026 | Schools North East (in-person event)
Wednesday 11 February: English and Maths Conference & Exhibition 2026 | AoC (in-person event)
Thursday 12 February: SEND Conference 2026: Illuminating Inclusion | HFL Education (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. If we believe it's relevant to our readers we will consider publishing it.
|
|
|
MONDAY 09 FEBRUARY
On this day in 1972 the British government declared a state of emergency after a month-long coal miners' strike.
TUESDAY 10 FEBRUARY
On this day in 1720 Edmond Halley was appointed as the second Astronomer Royal at the Greenwich Observatory.
WEDNESDAY 11 FEBRUARY
On this day in 1990 Nelson Mandela was released after twenty-seven years of imprisonment in South Africa.
THURSDAY 12 FEBRUARY
On this day in 1700 the Great Northern War began in Northern Europe between Denmark–Norway, Saxony and Russia and the Swedish Empire.
FRIDAY 13 FEBRUARY
On this day in 2000 the last Peanuts comic strip was published in newspapers around the world following the death of its creator Charles M Schulz.
|
|
|
|
|
|
