A look back at the last week in education, a peek at what's coming up, plus lots of other bits and pieces ...

LOOKING BACK AT THE WEEK THAT WAS The main stories from the papers Independent: More than 20,000 students told they must pay back loans of up to £30k after funding blunder Guardian: ‘Excessive’ financial risks threaten survival of many English universities, report warns ITV: Stricter home schooling rules prompt warnings about overstretched councils Independent: Millions of graduates to have student loan interest capped at 6% BBC: Schools in knife crime hotspots to get specialist training   Visit EdNews to view all this week's education news 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: Tackling knife crime. The government included training and support for some 250 schools most at risk of knife crime as it confirmed plans to halve such crime over the next decade using dedicated ‘mapping technology’ to identify areas most at risk along with training and support. Employment Rights. HR body, the CIPD, highlighted the main features of the Employment Rights Act which came into force this week, running through some of the implications of the changes to statutory sick pay and parental leave among others. New Agency. The government outlined its initial expectations for the new Fair Work Agency, set up under the Employment Rights Act with a remit to bring together and enhance labour market compliance and enforcement as part of a phased introduction over the coming year. SCHOOLS: Big Listen. Ofsted published a progress report (as of Feb 2026) of recommended actions taken following the Gilbert Review, showing nearly 100 of the 132 actions now completed. AI and marking. The BBC reported on the experiences of a school in Yorkshire that had used AI for the first time in its marking of its mock exams, highlighting some of the challenges let alone initial unease felt by many but indicating some positives about its use as a tool in providing student feedback. Alternative Provision. The House of Commons Library Service issued a report on Alternative Provision (AP) used for pupils outside mainstream provision, showing a significant 156% increase over the last ten years in non-state funded AP while highlighting that most pupils are aged 13-15, male and with special needs. SEND. The NFER examined the pros and cons of Inclusion bases – specialist bases that can provide extra support for SEND pupils – suggesting that they can be valuable but need commitment, funding and integration to become more than just bases. FE/SKILLS: Living Wage. The Living Wage Foundation reported on the latest Real Living Wage and how it’s calculated as well as how it compares to the minimum wage and the National Living Wage in light of the latest changes. New partnership. The Digital Learning Institute and the Association for Learning Technology announced they would work together in a new strategic partnership aimed at sharing expertise and providing skills development and professional recognition for learning tech professionals. HE: Student loans. The government moved to head off fears about the possible impact of the current global crisis on inflation by announcing it was capping the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and 3 student loans at 6% from this September. Building a more resilient sector. Education expert Tom Richmond highlighted in a new report for HEPI some of the ‘excessive risk taking’ that has bedevilled the HE sector in recent years generating concerns about future financial resilience, setting out a ‘toolkit of measures’ that could help limit such behaviour in future. Digital moves. The Social Market Foundation argued in a new report that universities could save money, increase efficiencies and bring increased benefits to both students and institutions if they moved more swiftly in adopting digital technologies. Access all issues of Steve Besley's Education Eye Research, reports and studies published this week Combatting new forms of extremism | UK Parliament What impact has 20 years of policy change had on apprenticeship starts? | Gatsby Foundation 10 key findings about the outcomes of initially high-achieving children from disadvantaged backgrounds | FFT Education Datalab Byte the Budget? Digital transformation in UK higher education | SMF A degree of regulation: Building a more financially sustainable and resilient higher education sector | HEPI Using genetic data to study social inequality in education: findings from three British birth cohorts | IOE Search our education research section COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK Important reports, deadlines and government events MPs return from Easter Recess (Monday 13 April) MPs Backbench debate on SEND provision and reform (Monday 13 April) Education Committee Evidence Session on SEND reform (Tuesday 14 April) Spectator Event: ‘Is AI a threat to humanity?’ (Tuesday 14 April) Consideration of Lords Amendments to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Wednesday 15 April) All Party Parliamentary Group on ‘The Future of Work’ and the impact of tech disruption on young people’s prospects (Wednesday 15 April) Conferences and CPD opportunities Tuesday 14 April: Big questions, Big Answers: using disciplines in RE / BQIC – Primary | NATRE (online event) Wednesday 15 April: Using disciplines in RE: tools, methods and resources / BQIC – Secondary | NATRE (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. If we believe it's relevant to our readers we will consider publishing it. See all upcoming events A fact for each day MONDAY 13 APRIL On this day in 1742 George Frideric Handel's oratorio Messiah was performed for the first time at the New Music Hall in Dublin.   TUESDAY 14 APRIL On this day in 1865 US President Abraham Lincoln was shot in the head by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in Washington and died of his injuries a day later.   WEDNESDAY 15 APRIL On this day in 1755 Samuel Johnson's A Dictionary of the English Language was published in London.   THURSDAY 16 APRIL On this day in 1943 Swiss scientist Dr Albert Hofmann discovered the psychedelic effects of LSD.   FRIDAY 17 APRIL On this day in 1970 Apollo 13 safely returned to Earth after suffering a severe malfunction on its journey to the moon. Share Tweet Forward Not already an EdCentral member? If you're interested in sharing ideas and collaborating with your peers we provide a safe environment where that can happen. You can register here If you would like to receive an email copy of this weekly round-up you can opt in here Steve Besley's education policy updates are also available via email. Head over to this page if you'd like to sign up