Regulation - EdCentral - Results from #20

First round of consultation on future TEF sees movement on the implications of a Bronze award

The Office for Students has published the outcomes of the first round of consultation on the future Teaching Excellence Framework. Debbie McVitty sets out what's new – and what's still to be decided.

Low expectations aren’t the same as high satisfaction in student housing

With OfS leading on headline satisfaction scores, Jim Dickinson reads an underlying research report on student housing – and finds a regulator that has mistaken tolerance for quality.

Mobile phones to be banned in schools across Edinburgh

Mobile phone use in schools across Edinburgh will be banned from bell to bell from August.

Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, spoke at the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Conference 2026 in Liverpool.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Rushed social media ban for under-16s in UK could ‘unravel’, charity warns

A rushed under-16s social media ban in the UK could unravel and families would be left to count the cost, a leading child safety charity has warned.

Starmer ‘set to announce under-16s social media ban’

Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly poised to announce a ban on social media for under-16s within the next 10 days as the children’s tsar called for an extension to cover teenagers up to 18 years old.

Graduate outcomes have become one of the defining measures of success in higher education.

There is a particular clarity that comes from distance. After 25 years inside UK higher education’s quality architecture, reviewing institutions for the QAA; serving on the subject benchmark panels; directing undergraduate programmes through to professional doctorate...

15,000 sign petition demanding review into A-Level exam over claims it was harder than previous papers

England’s exams regulator, Ofqual, is "closely monitoring" the marking of an A-level maths paper after a petition demanding a review garnered over 15,000 signatures in less than 24 hours.

Managed moves could be “consigned to the history books” by new government guidance preventing oversubscribed schools from prioritising them in admissions.

High dropout rates to trigger sponsor license action, UK unis warned

The UK government has reiterated that universities risk having their sponsor license revoked if they do not keep within new compliance requirements.

Universities face international student ban if visa abuse is suspected

Universities will be stripped of the right to recruit international students if too many drop out from their courses over fears they are being exploited for visa abuse.

Following government’s confirmation of tighter compliance measures, the Russell Group has published new recommendations to reinforce confidence in the student visa system.

On 9 January 2026 the Office for Students (OfS) opened an investigation of Global Banking School Limited and Oxford Brookes University, specifically in relation to Oxford Brookes University students taught by Global Banking School Limited through a partnership between the...

Social media ban must exclude educational content, MPs warn

With ministers considering a ban on social media for under-16s, a parliamentary group highlights the educational value of some content.

Ofqual must move ‘really fast’ on smart tech cheating, says chief regulator

Ofqual must “move really fast” to tackle the threat of smart glasses and other tech being used to cheat in exams, its chief regulator has said.

First round of consultation on future TEF sees movement on the implications of a Bronze award

Low expectations aren’t the same as high satisfaction in student housing

Mobile phones to be banned in schools across Edinburgh

Martyn Oliver's speech at the National Day Nurseries Association

Government to review screen time in schools

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

Ofsted to 'crackdown' on notifications by early years settings

New value for money rules ‘disproportionate’, say universities

Rushed social media ban for under-16s in UK could ‘unravel’, charity warns

Starmer ‘set to announce under-16s social media ban’

Is it time for a Graduate Excellence Framework?

Built for stability: quality assurance in an age of uncertainty

15,000 sign petition demanding review into A-Level exam over claims it was harder than previous papers

Managed moves could be ‘consigned to the history books’

High dropout rates to trigger sponsor license action, UK unis warned

Universities face international student ban if visa abuse is suspected

Russell Group urges targeted action on study visa fraud to protect and support genuine students

Investigation into Global Banking School Limited and Oxford Brookes University

Social media ban must exclude educational content, MPs warn

Ofqual must move ‘really fast’ on smart tech cheating, says chief regulator