Education Media - EdCentral - Results from #140

Oasis Restore recruits new principal ahead of expected reopening

The government’s flagship secure school, Oasis Restore, is recruiting a new principal as it prepares to reopen following a year-long closure caused by security failings.

Students without English GCSE ‘to be locked out of loans’

DfE reportedly considering introducing minimum entry standard, potentially blocking tens of thousands of applicants from accessing student finance.

Social class ‘key’ to diversity efforts as white students shun HE

Charity says access agenda has stalled, as less than one in five disadvantaged white British pupils progress into university.

UK research collaboration ‘hampered by poor transport links’

Faster rail services between major UK research hubs and stronger incentives to work together could deliver innovation benefits, says report.

More Nottingham-style cyberattacks a ‘case of when, not if’

Experts warn of increasing threat to systems used by universities at crunch points in the academic year after hundreds of thousands of student records compromised.

Opportunity is shaped by where you live, who you are, and how much money your family had

David Kernohan reads in to a new report from the Sutton Trust on how ethnicity, gender, place, and poverty combine to determine opportunity.

The Code of Higher Education Governance has had a complete rewrite

The Committee of University Chairs has refreshed the higher education governance code. Iain Cornish, who chaired the review’s steering committee, sets out what’s changed and why.

Ofqual fines Cambridge English £875k over IELTS marking errors

UK qualifications regulator Ofqual has fined Cambridge English £875,000 following an investigation into automated marking errors that led to incorrect IELTS results being issued to more than 62,000 learners worldwide between 2023 and 2025.

Falling primary rolls will ‘narrow curriculum’, Lords warned

The government must financially support schools and councils to manage demographic upheaval, hears inquiry into the falling number of pupils in primary schools.

‘Limited’ evidence for AI tutoring tools, government admits

Google is among eight tech firms awarded a contract to pilot AI tutors, with the DfE planning to roll out the technology to help disadvantaged students.

Treasury could claw back savings from reduced teacher pension contributions

The Treasury could claw back any savings made by schools from an anticipated fall in employer contributions to teachers’ pensions, Schools Week understands.

Ringfencing post-16 SEND funding not ‘right approach’, says DfE

Ringfencing funding dedicated to college learners with SEND would create significant administrative burdens and risk fragmenting provision, the government has said.

Rejected: 1 in 10 offers of extra attendance and behaviour help

Schools targeted for help under DfE scheme may feel ‘unfairly stigmatised’, says heads’ leader.

Trusts ‘left in limbo’ over delayed budget guidance

Academy trusts are being left with less time to finalise and scrutinise their budgets because key DfE documents remain unpublished, experts warn.

Mental health teams face ‘moral dilemma’ on who to help, experts warn

Teams set up provide early help for pupils’ mental health issues face a “moral dilemma” on whether to support youngsters with more severe needs, experts warned MPs.

Social media ban: Implications for schools

The debate is raging over whether Kier Starmer’s social media ban will be effective – and whether it is enforceable. Meanwhile, the implications for schools are unclear.

Number of pupils with EHCPs rises by 100,000 in two years

There are now more than 1.85 million children in England’s education system with recognised SEN – an increase of more than 91,000 in the last year.

Concerns over South Tyneside Council review of early years provision

Trade unions, MPs and opposition councillors have hit out at a northeast council’s plan to ‘review’ its early years provision amid fears nurseries could close.

Kido Schools has acquired a 269-place nursery in South West London.

Scottish education minister condemns 190 more job cuts at Dundee

University says further savings needed to ‘survive’ but Màiri McAllan urges pause to ‘interrogate the evidence’.