Education Media - EdCentral - Results from #200

AI can help providers read and act on the student feedback they never usually get to

Thousands of open-text survey comments go unread every cycle. Daniel Robson and Helena Lim argue that AI can help universities hear what students are actually saying, and act before the next survey closes.

Schools lack scope to cut exam time as most pick shorter papers

Ofqual says schools can cut exam times by choosing different awarding bodies, but Tes analysis reveals that, in most cases, this isn’t an option – and school leaders are now calling for the number of exams to be reduced instead.

Let birthday pupils skip lunch queue to cut absence, schools told

Schools will be provided with new tools highlighting absence patterns over the year, and new communications guides to improve engagement with families.

Inspired takes ‘significant step’ with Caribbean expansion

The group has acquired Island Primary and Island Montessori in Grand Cayman, the largest of the Cayman Islands.

Government to review screen time in schools

Consultation will result in guidance on children’s screen time in and out of school, and the government is also planning safety certification for AI products for schools.

Struggling academy trust with £9m deficit names new CEO

The academy trust in the largest financial hole in England has named its new chief executive, days after the resignation of its last boss.

Schools ‘expected’ to use government route to buy MIS from 2027

Schools will be “expected” to secure management information system (MIS) suppliers through a new government framework from next year.

CITB launches fast-track apprenticeship ‘hub’ grants

A construction skills quango has launched an “accelerated apprenticeships” grant programme that will fund its network of 20 training “hubs” first promised in late 2024.

No silver bullet: A social media ban alone will not be not enough

School leaders are not opposed to the government expanding age restrictions on children’s social media use, but doing so must be part of a much broader effort to boost safety.

Fracturing of society: The antidote to the age of rage

It is hard to deny that our society is fracturing and that hate and division are increasingly taking hold.

Ofsted to 'crackdown' on notifications by early years settings

Ofsted's chief inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, has said the inspectorate is to ‘crackdown’ on notifications, looking at patterns of no or lots of notifications by early years settings.

CMA investigation to inform Government's Early Education and Childcare Review that will consider funding rates, confirms minister

Findings from the Competition Markets Authority investigation (CMA) into childcare costs will inform the Government’s Early Education and Childcare Review, which is currently underway, the minister for Early Education, Olivia Bailey, told Nursery World.

Early years support key focus of Government’s £1.8bn SEND intervention programme

Support for under-fives is a key focus of a new government programme designed to increase access to early intervention support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), new Department for Education guidance reveals.

Local authorities to pilot early years data sharing project

Councils in three areas are set to pilot new Government plans for data sharing between early education providers, health visitors and local authorities.

New value for money rules ‘disproportionate’, say universities

Proposed regulatory conditions are ‘too broad’, lack clear guidance and will increase burden on institutions, say sector groups.

Buckingham offers cut-price business courses to win back students

‘Time is right’ to lower tuition fees for some accelerated degrees, says UK’s oldest private institution.

UK sector wants to double industry spin-out investment

UK can become ‘most attractive place in the world’ to invest in innovative companies, say v-cs.

Cut university student numbers by 30 per cent, thinktank says

Five-year tuition fee freeze, ban on franchising and introduction of new national entry test among other recommendations from Policy Exchange.

Universities are the missing partners in local resilience

Local resilience forums are one of the UK’s key ways to organise emergency responses.

Being a department head has never been more complex

The head of department role is arguably where the pressures shaping higher education are most visible.