England’s largest academy trusts made nearly £24m in investment income last year, Tes analysis shows. Some generated millions, while others saw income fall as interest rates dropped. @jabedahmed.bsky.social @tesmagazine.bsky.social www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Nearly one in five KS4 students were identified with a special educational need in 2024-25, DfE data shows. @mmulholland.bsky.social tells Tes there’s “no simple explanation”, though improved recognition of available support is a factor.

Gov't “particularly keen” to recruit more male teachers in schools, says early education minister. Olivia Bailey said the DfE wants to see male teachers “stay and thrive” in schools and early education settings. @tesmagazine.bsky.social

Reading for pleasure is back under scrutiny, with MPs told it needs a stronger place in the curriculum. Evidence presented to the Education Select Committee highlighted links between reading for enjoyment, attainment and wider wellbeing. @tesmagazine.bsky.social:

New research from Professor John Jerrim finds 'feeling in control' can accelerate students' progress in reading by up to two months. Prof Jerrim tells me there are 'similarities' between his work and the findings of Carol Dweck. For @tesmagazine.bsky.social:

Exclusive: DfE appoints nine Regional Attendance and Behaviour Advisers & confirms remaining 36 lead hub schools - bringing total to 93. Speaking exclusively to @tesmagazine.bsky.social, DfE ambassador Jayne Lowe discusses their role & SEND schools' future in hubs.

Excellent piece on the growth of 'mixed' trusts and what it might mean for inclusion from @johngroberts.bsky.social

No Progress 8. New accountability pressures. Old questions about fairness. In the absence of P8, @tesmagazine.bsky.social explores how schools have managed without it, how they’re being judged and what this means looking ahead. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Has a world without P8 been as damaging as many believed it would be for those schools in disadvantaged areas? @ktorm-social1.bsky.social has looked at the data, talked to the sector and looked at the fallout, particularly with Ofsted - and the picture is mixed. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Great piece by @ktorm-social1.bsky.social showing Covid ripple effects after Sats were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 - meaning England is now in a two-year spell without the crucial Progress 8 measure of how far students have come since then. www.tes.com/magazine/new... @tesmagazine.bsky.social

House of Lords backs Lord Nash’s amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to ban under‑16s from social media. It now goes to the Commons, where MPs would need to remove or vote against it to stop it becoming law.

Don’t deny special schools new libraries, government told - @ktorm-social1.bsky.social reports www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Teachers increasingly supportive of social media restrictions for under-18s, reports @cerysturner.bsky.social after exclusive polling for @tesmagazine.bsky.social www.tes.com/magazine/new... @teachertapp.bsky.social

On Tuesday, Ofqual's chief regulator Sir Ian Bauckham told the Education Select Committee that while AI may have a role to play, it cannot be the "sole marker" of students' work. Writing exclusively for @tesmagazine.bsky.social, Sir Ian explains why:

Really interesting to read the concerns of the chief regulator of exams in England about use of AI in coursework - @ktorm-social1.bsky.social reports www.tes.com/magazine/new... @tesmagazine.bsky.social

Education Select Committee Chair @helenhayes.bsky.social has urged the government to update its guidance on supporting students with medical conditions before the Schools White Paper is published. @johngroberts.bsky.social latest:

Ofqual Chief Sir Ian Bauckham tells the Education Select Committee that the regulator is assessing the risks of students using AI for A-Level coursework. He told MPs that Ofqual is considering potential reforms to the qualifications to combat the issue.

📲 Excl: Teachers are overwhelmingly supportive of social media restrictions for under 18s 70% now strongly agree, up from 62% in 2024 and 49% in 2021. Primary teachers are also more supportive. Whether the govt goes ahead with a full ban, or introduces restrictions, it appears teachers will back.

Education committee chair @helenhayes.bsky.social has written to Ofcom with urgent concerns about Grok: committees.parliament.uk/publications...

Exclusive: A new partnership aimed at helping schools to reduce suspensions and repeat room removals is being launched by @thedifferenceed.bsky.social which will provide £150k worth of support to ten schools over the next three years. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Do schools get too much pushback on exclusions? Superb investigation by @ktorm-social1.bsky.social this morning - he digs into the data, the appeals process and talks to heads to find out what is really going on. www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

"While some say schools have become too quick to exclude, others point to worsening classroom behaviour and argue that, if anything, heads face too much “pushback” on removing students." @ktorm-social1.bsky.social explores a fierce debate on exclusion. www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

Much has been made of permanent exclusions reaching record levels last year. But what happens next? Exclusion reviews are rising every year - so what does this mean for schools? Are heads facing more scrutiny? My latest for @tesmagazine.bsky.social:

Writing exclusively for Tes, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson shares the reasons behind plans to introduce inspections of multi-academy trusts. EdSec says best MATs will be "celebrated" but commits to "stepping in" when standards aren't being met.

The New Year’s Honours list has been released and school leaders have been recognised for their services to education. @cerysturner.bsky.social for @tesmagazine.bsky.social:

"The financial landscape in education is not just complex; it is constantly moving, shaped by uncertain funding streams, rising costs and competing priorities that rarely align neatly." - @julia-harnden.bsky.social assesses what 2026 could mean for school funding: www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

The DfE has increased its spend on influencers by nearly 1,500% since 2022. But what impact are these ‘very expensive’ adverts having? @ktorm-social1.bsky.social explores

“You mark your own homework. It’s not checked.” Safeguarding leads warn the “onerous” audits that schools have to submit to councils aren’t improving student safety and duplicate work done by trusts. Is it time to drop them? Excl by @ktorm-social1.bsky.social

Excl: Leaders say safeguarding audits heaping pressure on schools and DSLs despite going “unchecked” by local authorities. MAT safeguarding leads have called for a “national approach”, neither LGA nor ACDS wished to provide a comment. For @tesmagazine.bsky.social: www.tes.com/magazine/new...

"To a certain extent, you could say you have a policy and attach it, and it could be blank document" Big investigation into the LA safeguarding audits all schools have to complete - superb work from @ktorm-social1.bsky.social www.tes.com/magazine/new...

OBR documents (somehow!) published ahead of the Budget announcement say all SEND provision costs are to fall within DfE spending limits by 2028-29 and warn that if this is fully funded within the core schools budget, this implies a 1.7 per cent fall in mainstream school spending per pupil.

NEW🚨: Govt to cover SEND funding - possibly out of core schools budget. From 28-29, the cost of SEND provision will be “fully absorbed”, est around £6b. If fully funded by core schools budget, this would be a 1.7% fall in school spending per pupil. obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploa…

Full OBR doc is up here: Reeves must be FUMING obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...

Will the introduction of AI attendance targets really make a difference? Heads have told @tesmagazine.bsky.social that schools are already trying everything they can to improve attendance and more targets will only increase the growing burden on schools. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

The ‘hero leader’ mindset is putting pupil outcomes at risk, warns a new report calling for a more collaborative approach to school leadership. Read more below:

Just 1/18 SEND are inspections by Ofsted and CQC resulted in positive findings this year. Since the start of 2023, 50% of areas were found to have inconsistent experiences or outcomes and 29% were systemically failing. For @tesmagazine.bsky.social

Shake up at @aqaeducation.bsky.social: EPI Chief Exec @natalieperera.bsky.social joins as Chief External Affairs and Communications Officer, Dale Basset returns as new Chief Qualifications Officer and a new role for @annatreth.bsky.social. For @tesmagazine.bsky.social:

Exclusive: Spending by the Department for Education on influencer marketing has increased by nearly 1500% since 2021/22. For @tesmagazine.bsky.social: www.tes.com/magazine/new...

The latest cohort of attendance and behaviour hub schools have been announced, bringing the total to 57. Of the 57 schools, none are dedicated special or AP instituions. For @tesmagazine.bsky.social:

It’s the first day of (volunteer) Ofsted inspections today, but leaders have been told about changes to how the watchdog uses performance data just days before. @ascl-uk.bsky.social say it’s reason enough for volunteer schools to pull out entirely. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Excl: Diversity and anti-racism should be embedded into teacher training, according to an open letter from ITT providers. There should be an "explicit focus” on addressing inequalities within ITT programmes, including in trainees’ reflective tasks. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

How do you persuade single academy trusts with some of the best attainment scores in England to join a MAT, if they’re managing ok financially? And do MATs even want them? @jabedahmed.bsky.social speaks to heads and trust leaders to find out.

As part of its response to the curriculum review, the government has outlined its intention to overhaul Progress 8. How is it proposing the performance measure should change? @tesmagazine.bsky.social explains:

Primary and secondary teachers have been encouraged to apply to the Teacher Reference Group as part of the department’s commitment to “engage teachers in national education policy”. For @tesmagazine.bsky.social www.tes.com/magazine/new...

The much anticipated curriculum and assessment review is out. The EBacc is to be scrapped, and it calls for a new year 8 English test and an entitlement to triple science for all. Great piece rounding it all up here by @cerysturner.bsky.social www.tes.com/magazine/new...

A legal claim against Ofsted's new inspection framework has been thrown out by the courts today. @naht.org.uk say they will consult members about industrial action & are considering appealing the verdict. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

DfE is urged to probe use of persistent disruptive behaviour as a reason for exclusions amid concerns from AP leaders about how schools are using different thresholds to remove students. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

New DfE data shows an increase in wealthiest parents seeking delayed admission to Reception for summer-born children. Data obtained by @tesmagazine.bsky.social suggests schools in affluent areas are more likely to have pupils taught out of their year group.

Schools made nearly 45,000 more social services referrals last year compared with a decade ago. For @tesmagazine.bsky.social -

Schools will need to find savings from their budgets to deliver the pay award, according to the DfE’s pay review submission. Leaders will need to be “proactive” about making the most of their budgets to achieve this (in case they weren’t already…)