Steve Besley's Education Eye: week ending 26 June 2026

What's happened this week?

Important stories across the board:

Two big stories have dominated the news this week. Perhaps three if you include the World Cup.

Each has implications for education.

The two include the heatwave and its impact on classroom learning and a change of prime minister and its impact on education generally.

In other news, the government announced the creation of inclusion bases in schools for SEND pupils while new research suggested that halving the disadvantage gap at KS4 would be ‘a big challenge.’ A ‘new deal’ was promised for young people and according to new analysis, returns on university degrees have held up well for many graduates.

But back to those two top stories starting with coping with the extreme heat.

As the BBC highlighted this week, there is no legal maximum temperature for classrooms but education unions are recommending a maximum of 26C.

The Climate Change Committee recently recommended a similar figure.

In its guidance on the Education Hub, the DfE says “we don’t normally advise schools to close during hot weather” but school leaders should ‘make sure they take any steps necessary to make sure children are safe and comfortable.”

Easier said than done, according to many headteachers on social media, given the unhelpful state of many school buildings with, as The Guardian explained, “long flat roofs, inadequate windows and little thought given to orientation.”

Other tips from the government include relaxing uniform rules, limiting physical activity, keeping hydrated and the intriguing, ‘adapting lessons for hot weather when sedentary activities are more appropriate.’ Who’s asleep at the back?

Nor should we forget all those who work in education buildings.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) point to employer obligations. “Employers must conduct health and safety risk assessments for extreme heat and ensure the workplace is safe and free from risks to health.”

The HSE is currently reviewing its guidance which dates back to the 19902 while the government is said to be looking at the case for a legal maximum temperature ahead of its Climate Change Risk Assessment due next January.

Second, a change of political leadership and what impact this might have for education.

Key concerns being aired at the moment include how far this will signal any great change in direction; yet more upheaval perhaps? What happens to important priorities currently in the pipeline – think SEND and NEETs – and, will things be left in limbo at a crucial time over the summer?

As FE News put it “the sector faces a summer of suspended decisions at a moment when several major reforms are still being implemented.”

For schools in particular, there’s the need to ensure a smooth exams results season but also to manage the planned work on regulations over social media restrictions, an Education for All Bill and those ‘generational reforms of the SEND system.’

And that’s before mentioning teachers’ pay, halving the disadvantage gap at KS4, curriculum changes and continued inspection developments.

Top of the agenda for many in FE is responding to the final Milburn Review report due in October, as well as tackling the whole youth employment issue. There’s also the Timms Review, post-16 qualification reform, apprenticeship developments, sector funding and enhancing the voc/tech pathway.

Former skills minister Rob Halfon sounded positive.

“On the evidence of Manchester, he has treated technical education as a first-order economic and social priority, built genuine infrastructure around it, and backed measurable results in T Levels and degree apprenticeships.”

What price increased devolution options and a new industrial strategy? Even a TechBacc perhaps?

As for HE, as James Coe wrote for Wonkhe this week, the next PM’s job ‘is not to try and rebuild the sector as it is today.  His job is to steer a sector, which is remarkably difficult to steer, toward a different future.’

“Practically,” he explained, “there needs to be a dedicated transformation fund with explicit legal permissions for greater exploration of mergers, collaborations, groups, and federations. Politically, there is a vacuum for a politician to explain their vision for the higher education sector, and align the machinery of government to make it happen.”

Part of that vision according to the Times Higher is likely to be an emphasis on the role of universities in driving forward research and innovation and in particular in contributing to local economic growth.

No suggestion of major reviews of university financing or of student loans as yet.  

On to other news this week.

In schools, the government set out plans to create more inclusive spaces in mainstream schools for SEND pupils.

Inclusion bases, as they’re known, move on from SEN units and in the words of the education secretary, “will be run by a qualified teacher, never used as a sanction, and allow access to an adapted, broad, ambitious curriculum to meet the needs of every child, serving as a bridge to school life rather than a barrier to it.”

The announcement came with non-statutory guidance full of case studies, parental support and key principles for schools and authorities in establishing such bases.

ASCL welcomed the reforms but added “this cannot be done on the cheap.”

In other news, what would it take to meet the government’s ambition of halving the disadvantage gap at KS4 by 2040?

According to FFT Education Datalab which did some analysis this week “We’d need to see attainment increase nationally to something like the levels seen in 2021 under TAGs, but disadvantaged pupils would need to see a much greater share of the increase.”

“Definitely a big challenge,” they concluded.

Elsewhere, the Gatsby Foundation reported on teacher recruitment reporting ‘a complex picture’ for England.

Basically the number of advertised posts down but schools still facing challenges over recruiting all the qualified teachers they need.

As it concluded “the report is a reminder that fewer vacancies do not necessarily mean staffing challenges have been solved.”

To take just one example from Teacher Tapp’s evidence, “61% of fee-paying schools and 49% of the most affluent state schools reported appointing a strong candidate to a role this year. This is true in just 36% of the most deprived schools.”

The issue of deprived schools was also highlighted in research from NFER this week looking into the impact of falling pupil numbers in primary schools.

As they explained, disadvantaged primary schools appeared to be the most affected with staffing, resources and potentially the quality of education all likely to suffer.

They called for better understanding of the impact of falling rolls on such schools and formal support to avoid a widening disadvantage gap. ASCL agreed.

Finally this week, the Education and Employers charity highlighted in a new report just how important good work experience can be for many young people in avoiding becoming NEET later on.

The powerful message from their report was that “young people who experience the highest levels of employer engagement before the age of 16 have 80% lower odds of becoming NEET.”

The problem is though, as they went on to say, most of the work experience now is arranged through family and friends, which may work for some but not all and not everywhere.

It called for a much more systematic and properly funded system with reform of the National Careers Service.

The report came in the same week as the government updated its guidance on careers provision.

On to FE where the government announced plans to limit some degree courses and redirect funding towards apprenticeships and other opportunities as part of a ‘new deal’ for young people.

Coming on the day that the PM resigned, the announcement rather got lost among other headlines but signalled a further step in government plans to shape reshape pathways for young people around not just HE but also vocational and technical options.

As the education secretary explained, “For some that will mean going to university, and we are making this more accessible regardless of background, but for others it will mean technical or vocational routes.”

This came as the government announced further developments around apprenticeships calling on Skills England “as an immediate priority,” to determine which apprenticeship standards should be prioritised for a funding band review.

“As you are aware, the Government is determined to boost apprenticeship starts for young people and it is imperative that our funding rates incentivise this rather than hold it back,” the skills minister wrote.

The focus on incentivising young people was welcomed by many. ‘It has the potential to drive meaningful change,’ according to City and Guilds. Others fear it could lead to a ‘reprioritising’ of some schemes. 

Finally for FE and skills this week, an interesting perspective on Skills England, in this case from the Times Higher.

The focus was on higher level skills and the role of universities but its theme was of an agency carrying out lots of research and reports  but as one contributor put it, “it’s difficult at the moment to see what influence or what impact that work is having or has had.”

In HE, as debate continues about whether the costs involved in gaining a university degree is worth it or not, the IfS published its latest analysis indicating that for many graduates, the financial returns have continued to hold up.

The headline to their government commissioned report said it all.

“The average graduate can expect to be around £100k better off over their lifetime for going to university – but a quarter can expect to be financially worse off.”

The analysis is based on the 2002 GCSE cohort and looks at earnings up to age 37 and then up to age 67 on the basis of simulated earnings and employment data.

As ever plenty of caveats apply.

Much for instance depends on gender, background characteristics and subject taken and for those who entered university with lower grade GCSEs, the returns are lower but ‘still positive on average.’

To put it in context, “we estimate around a quarter of graduates – and 40% of men with low prior attainment – end up worse off than they otherwise would have been.”

But the overall message, as Universities UK emphasised, is positive.

“The evidence is clear that a university degree still pays off in a big way for the large majority of people,” they explained.

That said further reform for HE continues with the government announcing it was looking at legislative options for ‘limiting the growth of some courses with consistently poor returns for students’ as well looking at ways to help young people access information about course outcomes and wage returns.

It also intends to consult later this year on whether prospective students should have minimum English language requirements before being able to access student finance.

Whatever the model, young people it appears are looking forward to the experience of going to university as indicated by the latest survey among those looking to go by HEPI and Unite Students.

Most plan to live away from home and while welcoming the opportunity to socialise and be resilient, they also welcome the provision of guidance and support.

The most notable headline perhaps is the number who now recognise that they need to combine study with p/t work to help cover the costs.

“For today’s students,” the report says, “paid work is increasingly seen as a normal part of university life – alongside studying, building independence and preparing for future careers.”

Links to most of these stories below, starting with the week’s headlines.

The top headlines of the week:

• ’Heads criticise ‘brutal’ Ofsted inspection framework’ (Monday)
• ‘Schools shut as heatwave sends UK into meltdown’ (Tuesday)
• ‘Secondaries to be more likely to be marked down for attendance and behaviour’ (Wednesday)
• ‘Teaching recruitment falls to a decade low, but staffing challenges remain' (Thursday)
• ‘Graduates out-earn peers with same GCSEs but no degree’ (Friday)

General:

• Child protection. The government launched consultation on proposed changes to the statutory framework, including Working Together, for helping and protecting for children and families, with a view to strengthening multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.
• Generational change. The Resolution Foundation called for help with housing and employment opportunities as it assessed the living standards of younger Millennials and Gen Zs to see if one group was faring better than another, finding a mixed picture with ‘generational, cohort-by-cohort income progress returning’ but with home ownership and generational support for this as key factors.
• Social mobility. The Social Mobility Commission opened up applications for a new ‘AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize,’ intended to encourage leading ventures using AI and other emerging technologies to improve social mobility for young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds,’ with a showcase event in Parliament set for this October.
• Children in care. The County Councils Network examined children’s journeys through the care system in a new report, concluding that early intervention and multi-agency support could have helped prevent children from entering care, calling for greater upfront investment to help keep families together.

HE:

• Graduate returns. The IfS indicated that the financial returns on degrees had held up well for at least three-quarters of graduates, particularly those with degrees in medicine and economics, as it published its latest government commissioned analysis into the economic returns on degrees with a more mixed picture for those who went to university with lower GCSE grades.
• Degree course limits. The government announced that it was looking at legislative measures that would limit the growth of some degree courses with poor returns, as well as making it easier for prospective students to access information on course outcomes and wage returns, with the aim of redirecting any funding saved towards apprenticeships.
• What’s Sir Keir ever done for us? The Times Higher reported on reflections from across the sector about the PM’s departure and his impact on HE, with many indicating that despite initial promises, the Starmer government had failed to address many of the problems in the sector, leaving a deeper in-tray for his successor.
• 2026 Applicant Index. HEPI and Unite Students published their latest annual Applicant Index looking at university applicant attitudes and expectations ahead of university, finding many optimistic and looking forward to the experience but also acknowledging the need to combine study with p/t work.

Tweets and posts of note:

• “It's going to be over 30°C for most of the coming week, so what we're going to do is encourage the children to wear a dark blue, heavyweight polyester polo shirt instead of the usual pale, lightweight cotton blouse” -@MBDscience.
• Yeah I'm raging. WTF are working parents meant to do? Why not hold lessons under the trees, teach children about staying cool, make it educational/fun. Just like in lockdown, the poorer kids will suffer. And if schools EVER try to fine parents again they can bloody do one” -@EJWoolf.
• “Some ppl have no idea what trying to manage 30+ teenagers enclosed in a classroom at 30 degrees + at about 2pm in the afternoon after they have already done a day of it is like. Try it yourself then do your 'teachers need to power up' routine” -@RogersHistory.
• “The boy's school is closed so I'm forcing him to practise descriptive writing and he's THRILLED about it” -@NABurkinshaw.
• “The latest debate appears to be should Heads teach. So much is context driven. Ideally no as the job of being a Head is so so vast & poorly understood. But context may dictate someone has no choice. For some it will be about ego. Context & the nature of the school should dictate” -@SamStrickers181.
• “I’ve taught since 1992. I was hardly observed in my first school, it felt like I was trusted to get on with it. In my last school I was observed all the time. It’s very stressful & doesn’t necessarily give a realistic picture of the teaching & learning” -@SarahGi78263526.
• “Idea: work hydration breaks. But in the nearest pub” -@IHPower.

A selection of quotes that merit attention:

• “Protecting young people from social media, and half a million children being lifted out of poverty because of the choices that I made” – Sir Keir Starmer runs through some of his government’s achievements in his valedictory address.
• “Whoever does replace Keir Starmer needs to set Britain on a different economic path and deliver fundamental change. That change must start with our schools and colleges” – the NEU offers its thoughts on the change of political leadership.
• “Yes, he bought universities some more time, but he did not bring them any answers” – the university sector reflects on Starmer’s legacy for them.
• “At a time of persistent skills shortages and productivity challenges, policy should focus not on who can be excluded from higher education, but on how more people can develop the higher-level skills the country needs through a more integrated education system” – Professor Dave Phoenix, VC at the OU, responds to questions about whether there should be minimum entry requirements for university.
• “There is a misconception that if not used by themselves these funds go unspent. In fact the budget is finite and last year, we spent 100% of it” – the skills minister corrects perceptions on the Growth and Skills Levy.
• “Our diagnosis is that the industrial strategy either has too little jam or too much toast: eight sectors covering nearly two-thirds of goods trade cannot all be priorities” – the Resolution Foundation on the need for a rethink on the Industrial Strategy.
• “We are giving schools a clear, practical blueprint to become truly inclusive, from calmer classrooms and sensory-friendly spaces, to specialist support embedded right in the heart of the school, so children can learn alongside their peers rather than miles from home” – the education secretary announces new inclusion bases in schools for SEND pupils.
• “In England, schools that have experienced the largest fall in pupil numbers since 2018/19 have an FSM rate of 30 per cent on average in 2025/26” – the NFER report that falling pupil numbers are impacting more heavily on disadvantaged schools
• “Relax uniform rules (lighter fabrics, shorts)” – the NAHT offers advice to school leaders on coping with the heat.

Everything else you need to know ...

What to look out for in the next couple of weeks: