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LOOKING BACK AT THE WEEK THAT WAS
Three of the week's headlines ...
Ministers ditch 'shambolic' Covid catch-up plan to give private tutoring to poor pupils.
Read more
Heads condemn confusing guidance for schools on living with Covid.
Read more
Teachers criticise badly flawed evidence for making all schools academies.
Read more
View all this week's education news
Three pieces of policy news - by phase
GENERAL
 
Cyber security. The government published its latest Cyber Security Breaches Survey completed over the last few months, indicating that 39% of UK businesses have experienced a cyber attack over the last year with phishing the most common issue but emphasising that a lack of technical knowhow and prioritisation was hampering security in some businesses.

Learning loss. UNICEF issued a new report highlighting the continuing impact of the pandemic on school children around the world, indicating that in many countries schools have yet to reopen suggesting some '2 trillion hours of lost in-person learning globally' with vulnerable and marginalised children most at risk.

Supporting Ukraine education. UNESCO reported on the global events being mobilised to support teachers and learners in and from Ukraine, where it’s estimated some 730+educational institutions have been damaged or destroyed.
 
SCHOOLS

Living with Covid. The government confirmed that routine testing will no longer be expected in all education and children’s social care settings as of today (1 April,) but that preventative measures such as good hygiene and access to vaccines remain, as well as staying at home for 3 days for 18 yr olds and under who test positive.

White paper. The government published its white paper for schools with a range of proposals, some old, some new and focused on raising levels of English and maths, supporting and developing teachers, extending tutoring and curriculum resource support, strengthening the school system and ensuring a national average length of school week.

National Tutoring Programme. The government announced that from next academic year, funding for the national tutoring programme would be directed straight to schools and a procurement process launched in April to find a new agency to manage the contract. 

FURTHER EDUCATION & SKILLS
 
Skills Bill. The Commons considered the latest amendments to the Skills Bill from the House of Lords, accepting the amendment on careers guidance that would ensure young people had a minimum number of sessions on technical education and apprenticeships but rejecting the proposal to delay the withdrawal of public funding for L3 options.

Adult education. The government issued the grant determination letters, including the L3 Free Courses for Jobs funding, for the devolved authorities for the 2022/23 financial year. 

Digital functional skills. The government and Ofqual set out guidelines for the design, provision and assessment of digital functional skills which become available for teaching from August 2023.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Government priorities. The government added its priorities for the Office for Students for the coming year highlighting the importance of HE’s role in helping levelling up, high-quality tech education and flexible provision, in ensuring quality provision and outcomes, and in continuing to monitor and support access and participation, admissions procedures and freedom of speech. 

Turing. The Turing Scheme opened for applications for the second of its current three-year funded package with schools, colleges and universities invited to submit bids by 29 April.

Chinese studies. The HE Policy Institute (HEPI) published a new report highlighting the lack of prioritisation attached to the teaching and research on China, especially at a time of needing to recognise the importance of China, calling for a new strategy and focus on Chinese Studies to help remedy the situation.

You can catch up with previous policy round-ups and/or sign up to receive an email version every Friday via this link.
Read all the policy news for this week (compiled by Steve Besley)
Latest research, reports and studies
Evidence into action: Teaching reading - the reading comprehension house | Education Endowment Foundation
Do disadvantaged students choose different subjects from their peers at Key Stage 5? | FFT Education Datalab
Report: Fulfilling its potential? How well does the careers information, advice and guidance serve the people it is meant to support in England? | Social Market Foundation
Vocational computing qualifications: BCS landscape report | Computing at School
Working with worked examples: Simple techniques to enhance their effectiveness | Education Endowment Foundation UKRI publishes governance of good research practice policy | UKRI
Report: Understanding China - The study of China and Mandarin in UK schools and universities | HEPI
IOE at 120: Seeking the best way to educate the 'whole child', 1922-1932 | IOE
Improvements to evidence standards | Best Evidence In Brief
Does a preschool intervention work? | Best Evidence In Brief
An intervention for high school chemistry and physics | Best Evidence In Brief
Reading fluency practice in the primary classroom | Education Endowment Foundation
New evidence on the relationship between poverty and child abuse and neglect | Nuffield Foundation
Research into supporting science teachers to engage with and carry out research | NFER
Why has DfE chosen such an unusual measure as its GCSE target in the new White Paper? | FFT Education Datalab
How pandemic closures prompted children to change their perspectives about school | IOE
EPI research for the Department for Education on pupil learning loss (March 2022) | EPI
Serious risk levelling up will make lives of disadvantaged children even tougher | NFER
Why we need an anti-racist approach in early years education | Nesta
Search our education research section
COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK
Parliament and elsewhere
Parliamentary Easter Recess (1 April to 19 April).
Events and CPD opportunities
Tuesday 5 April: Leading on: Cymru - Estyn Framework and Educational Settings | ASCL

Wednesday 6 April: Leading on: Managing Risk Part 3 - the ESFA Approach to Risk | ASCL

Wednesday 6 April: Data Protection Obligations and Best Practice for Schools and Academy Trusts | Schools North East

Wednesday 6 April: Leading on: Sharing Good Practice in Coaching Improvement and Enhancing Employability and Workplace Behaviours

Thursday 7 April: Supporting the Effective Delivery of Functional Skills In Maths - Level 1 and 2

Thursday 7 April: Leading on: Cymru - Complaint and Allegations - How to Run an Investigation | ASCL

Friday 8 April: Aspiring to Headship | ASCL

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
SUNDAY 03 APRIL
  1. On this day in 1721 Sir Robert Walpole was appointed first lord of the Treasury and chancellor of the exchequer, effectively making him Britain’s first prime minister.
  2. On this day in 1922 Stalin was appointed general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party.
  3. On this day in 1987 jewellery belonging to the Duchess of Windsor wolf for £31 million, six times the estimated sum. 
MONDAY 04 APRIL
  1. On this day in 1949 12 nations signed the North Atlantic Treaty for defence against Soviet Aggression.
  2. On this day in 1958 the CND symbol was displayed for the first time.
  3. On this day in 1968 Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, aged 39.
TUESDAY 5 APRIL
  1. On this day in 1951 Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to death in the US for passing secrets to the Russians.
  2. On this day in 1955 Sir Winston Churchill resigned as prime minister, aged 80, due to failing health.
  3. On this day in 1982 a British Task Force set sail for the Falkland Islands after the invasion by Argentina.
WEDNESDAY 6 APRIL
  1. On this day in 1895 Oscar Wilde was arrested for gross indecency after losing a libel case against the Marquess of Queensberry.
  2. On this day in 1896 the first modern Olympic Games began in Athens.
  3. On this day in 1917 the US declared war on Germany.
THURSDAY 7 APRIL
  1. On this day in 1141 Matilda, daughter of King Henry I became the first woman ruler of England, although she was never crowned.
  2. On this day in 1939 Mussolini invaded Albania.
  3. On this day in 1984 the South African runner Zola Budd, aged 17, was granted British citizenship after only a few weeks in the UK, provoking controversy.
FRIDAY 8 APRIL
  1. On this day in 1838 Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s steamship, the Great Western, left Bristol for New York, the first transatlantic crossing by a steam vessel.
  2. On this day in 1913 China’s first parliament opened in Peking (now Beijing).
  3. On this day in 1986 Clint Eastwood won 72 per cent of the vote to become mayor of Carmel, California.
SATURDAY 9 APRIL
  1. On this day in 1483 Edward V (aged 12) succeeded his father Edward IV as King of England. He was never crowned and disappeared, presumed murdered, following incarceration in the Tower of London with his younger brother Richard (the ‘Princes in the Tower’).
  2. On this day in 1992 John Major was elected prime minister after his Conservative party won the most votes in British electoral history.
  3. On this day in 2003 Saddam Hussein’s government was ousted from power in Iraq.
SUNDAY 10 APRIL
  1. On this day in 1820 the first shipload of British settlers arrived in South Africa.
  2. On this day in 1912 RMS Titanic set sail from Southampton on her maiden voyage.
  3. On this day in 1998 Northern Ireland peace talks ended with the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
Awareness days from around the world
APRIL IS:

UK:
Child Abuse Awareness Month, Stress Awareness Month, Pet Month,  Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.
INTERNATIONAL:
IBS Awareness Month,  Caesarean Awareness Month, Parkinson’s Awareness Month, 
US:
Jazz Appreciation Month, Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month, Move More Month.

MONDAY APRIL 4 IS:
 
World Rat Day (International), Carrot Day (International), Vitamin C Day (US), Walk Around Things Day (US), D.A.R.E. Day (US), Chicken Cordon Bleu Day (US).
 
TUESDAY APRIL 5 IS:
 
First Contact Day (US), Read a Road Map Day (US), Caramel Day (US), Hospital Admitting Clerks Day (US), Go for Broke Day (US), Library Workers Day (US), Deep Dish Pizza Day (US).
 
WEDNESDAY APRIL 6 IS:
 
Tartan Day (International), New Beers Eve (International), World Table Tennis Day (International), Childhelp National Day of Hope (US), Plan Your Epitaph Day (US), Caramel Popcorn Day (US), Army Day (US), Bookmobile Day (US). 
 
THURSDAY APRIL 7 IS: 
 
World Health Day (International), Beaver Day (International), Beer Day (US), Tell a Lie Day (US), No Housework Day (US), Making the First Move Day (US).
 
FRIDAY APRIL 8 IS: 
 
Pyjamas for PanCan Day (UK), Romani Day (International), Zoo Lovers Day (US), Pygmy Hippo Day (US), Day of Silence (US), Draw a Picture of a Bird Day (US).
 
SATURDAY APRIL 9 IS:
 
Record Store Day (UK), USMR Day (International), Winston Churchill Day (US), Unicorn Day (US), Name Yourself Day (US), Cherish an Antique Day (US).
 
SUNDAY APRIL 10 IS:
 
Palm Sunday (International), Safety Pin Day (International), Siblings Day (US), Golfer’s Day (US).
 
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