Schools should ‘self-fund’ building projects, says ex-DfE property boss
Suggestion comes amid reports that school buildings funding will be diverted into defence budget.
Support-staff unions threaten industrial action over pay
GMB, Unison and Unite express ‘profound concerns’ over the direction of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.
Revealed: the most popular GCSE and A-level subjects in 2026
Provisional entries data for this summer has been released by Ofqual – with sharp drops in computing and French among the standout trends.
DfE highlights Taylor Swift gig in crackdown on ‘one-off’ absences
Government publishes the research behind its plans to curb one-day absences, alongside a new parental communications guide for schools to help keep messaging ‘useful’.
Nearly three-quarters of nursery schools to cut costs amid pressures
Many maintained nursery schools are struggling to stay afloat, research shows – at a time when the government is talking up early years’ role in getting children school-ready.
Grants of up to £50k on offer for new ‘early education partnerships’
New partnerships between primary schools and early years settings will be given grants of up to £50,000 to improve reception readiness.
GCSE computing entries drop by 10,000 in two years
More than 10,000 fewer students are sitting GCSE computing compared to two years ago, while French has also seen a sharp decline.
Unions slam ‘lack of meaningful progress’ on support staff pay
Unions representing school support staff have threatened the government with industrial action over a “lack of meaningful progress” on improving pay.
Pupils up to 55% more likely to miss school on their birthday
Pupils are up to 55 per cent more likely to miss school on their birthdays, according to new government absence analysis.
Three colleges land share of £80m defence skills fund
Three FE colleges have won a share of an £80 million government fund to increase defence-related education places and improved facilities.
Treasury reviewing college free meals freeze but offers no VAT decision timetable
The Treasury is “actively looking into” a controversial freeze to free meals funding for college students, while ministers are continuing to review FE’s long-running VAT dispute without committing to a decision timetable.
DWP launches hunt for 25 jobs guarantee national delivery partners
Applications have opened for organisations to deliver the government’s national jobs guarantee, with ministers expecting the scheme to support more than 90,000 long-term unemployed young people across Great Britain.
DfE Early Years Champion urges sector to ‘work as one’ amid claims policy ‘pits school-based nurseries against PVIs’
Sue Robb has urged the early years sector to ‘work as one’ amid concerns that the Government’s Best Start in Life strategy ‘pits private, voluntary and independent (PVI) nurseries against school-based nurseries’.
DfE announces £4,500 bonus for early years teachers in 10 most deprived areas
Early years teachers in 10 of England’s most deprived areas are eligible for a £4,500 annual bonus in a bid to boost recruitment and retention in the sector.
Lack of workforce strategy hinders DfE’s plan for early years, experts warn
The Government’s plan for early years must be coupled with a workforce strategy to offer the best support for children and families, experts have told MPs.
Low-income families with disabled children at risk of 'digital exclusion'
Thousands of low-income families raising disabled children are at risk of being cut off from vital online support, according to analysis which found 93% are either digitally excluded or vulnerable to exclusion.
Hague: Oxford lectures cancelled over protests should go ahead
University chancellor says both academic freedom and legitimate protest must be upheld on campus.
Far-right radicalisation threat ‘only going to get worse’
Updates to UK counter-terror monitoring scheme incoming despite concern Prevent not built to deal with growing problem of extreme right-wing views.
Government to cut university teaching grant by £100 million
Coming reduction in funding for high-cost subjects and access programmes ‘extraordinarily frustrating’, says Universities UK leader.
Universities need to find a way past the current atmosphere of permanent crisis
A decade of shocks has left higher education working conditions feeling like one firefight after another. For Doug Specht, leadership decision-making must recover some degree of strategic calm.