The Education Brief: Wednesday 17 December 2025 - Top stories include:
A safeguarding review triggered national dispute over strict behaviour policies.
Headteachers are warning of an “exponential rise” in AI-generated parental complaints.
Google DeepMind is developing a DfE-approved version of its Gemini chatbot.
The DfE will scrap 46 free school projects, with a further 58 special and AP schools left in limbo.
Ofqual confirms on-screen GCSE and A-level exams could begin appearing by 2030.
HEP Updates:
Book sessions on the https://hepbookinghub.co.uk/
Attend our SEND Conference: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hep-inclusion-send-conference-2026-neurodiversity-in-the-classroom-tickets-1758147629889
WalkThrus Coaching course: https://walkthrus.co.uk/latest-events/coaching-with-walkthrus-summer-te-kakwd-r2264
WalkThrus Coaching One Day Masterclass: https://walkthrus.co.uk/latest-events/coaching-with-walkthrus-summer-te-kakwd-r2264-42yn4
Watching - https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/north-london-shines-in-ks2-attainment-data/
Listening - https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Snowflake-Myth-Audiobook/B0G4NN8FSM
Reading - https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25670374.new-resource-developed-help-tackle-misogyny-schools/
AI Tool - https://vimeo.com/1136057496
The Education Brief: Wednesday 10 December 2025 - Top stories include:
The government is set to overhaul how disadvantage funding is allocated with income data.
The DfE has unveiled how its newly merged behaviour and attendance hubs will operate.
The DfE refused to release the full ICO audit that found it had broken data protection law.
London wants to expand free school meals.
HEP Updates:
Book sessions on the https://hepbookinghub.co.uk/
Attend our SEND Conference: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hep-inclusion-send-conference-2026-neurodiversity-in-the-classroom-tickets-1758147629889
Watching - http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zk4n9ty
Listening - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002mz6w
Reading - https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/policy-making-left-behind-groups-boys-low-income-families
AI Tool - https://notebooklm.google/
The Education Brief: Wednesday 3 December 2025 - Top stories include:
Teachers and leaders are reporting better wellbeing, according to the DfE Working Lives survey.
Parent allegations against teachers have surged by a third in the past year.
Plans to move religious education onto the national curriculum face “really big” hurdles.
Assistive technology use in schools has surged, yet half of teachers report no training.
This Week’s Deep Dive: Schools and the Budget 2025
HEP Updates:
Book sessions on the https://hepbookinghub.co.uk/
Watching - https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/labour-run-public-services
Listening - https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/episodes/7DrvV5D/
Reading - https://uk.bettshow.com/school-absenteeism-2025-report
AI Tool - https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-for-teachers/
The Education Brief: Wednesday 26 November 2025 - Top stories include:
A school in Camden offers parents ‘attendance awareness courses’ instead of issuing fines, and three-quarters of participating families have seen attendance rise.
Ofsted will resume routine inspections in state schools from 1 December.
Male secondary headteachers earn £5,000 more a year than their female counterparts on average.
Teachers get a far poorer maternity deal than many other public sector workers.
Many councils are unable to say how many home-educated children are subject to child protection enquiries, raising safeguarding issues.
HEP Updates:
Book sessions on the https://hepbookinghub.co.uk/
Watching - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyYhKHOxFvk
Listening - https://educationrickshaw.com/2025/11/10/s5e08-doug-lemov-on-what-to-do-and-active-observation-techniques/
Reading - https://carlhendrick.substack.com/p/is-a-noisy-classroom-a-thinking-classroom
AI Tool - https://fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/oxed/secondary/Teaching_the_AI_Native_Generation.pdf
The Education Brief: Wednesday 19 November 2025 - Top stories include:
Teacher wellbeing has hit a new low, according to Education Support’s latest Wellbeing Index.
The government’s new AI-generated attendance reports have been pulled just days after launch.
The DfE have named 36 new attendance and behaviour hub lead schools.
Councils say the high-needs funding system is on the brink of “total collapse”, while some primaries now have six times as many pupils with EHCPs as others.
Teachers and leaders say extra enrichment is impossible.
HEP Updates:
Book sessions on the https://hepbookinghub.co.uk/
https://register-national-professional-qualifications.education.gov.uk/
Watching - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2025/oct/21/why-the-manosphere-clicked-for-young-men-a-visual-deep-dive
Listening - https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/podcasts
Reading - https://demos.co.uk/research/inside-the-mind-of-a-16-year-old-from-andrew-tate-to-bonnie-blue-to-nigel-farage-what-do-first-time-voters-think-about-social-media-politics-the-state-of-britain-and-their-futures/
AI Tool - https://www.thinglink.com/
The Education Brief: Wednesday 12 November 2025 - Top stories include:
Schools should appoint a named staff contact for families needing support with uniform costs.
Ofsted has made last-minute changes to how performance data will be used.
England still has 850 stand-alone trusts - with many untempted to join a MAT.
RE will join the national curriculum, but only if the sector can reach consensus on how to do it.
Bridget Phillipson admits the triple science entitlement will need more specialist teachers.
This week’s deep dive: The Curriculum and Assessment Review
HEP Updates:
Book sessions on the https://hepbookinghub.co.uk/
https://register-national-professional-qualifications.education.gov.uk/
Watching - Watch the Zoom recording here
Listening - https://evidenceintoaction.podbean.com/
Reading - https://tdtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/CPD_Report_Digital.pdf
AI Tool - https://research.google/blog/learn-your-way-reimagining-textbooks-with-generative-ai/
The Education Brief: Wednesday 5 November 2025 - Top stories include:
The DfE’s pitch to the STRB is a 6.5% teacher pay rise over three years.
The NAO warns Labour’s SEND reforms must squarely tackle home-to-school transport.
The DfE has lifted the lid on the Strategic School Improvement Capital Budget.
School referrals to children’s social care hit a record in 2024–25, topping 130,000.
Round Up for Schools:
The DfE and Ofsted are both leaning heavily into SEND, highlighting the need for reform in the system.
Absence at primary is just over 4% in primary and 7% in secondary.
New research on summer-born pupils has been released.
The plan is to remove all RAAC from affected schools and colleges before the general election.
Ofsted has refreshed its AI guidance as well as information on workforce transparency and pupil/parent voice.
A/T/V Levels are in focus due to the new Post-16 White Paper.
New guidance has been released on students who may be arriving from Gaza.
HEP Updates:
Watching - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YTTJPez4zw
Listening - https://www.ppfideas.com/episodes/fixing-democracy%3A-tiktok%2C-disinformation-and-distraction
Reading - https://www.ippr.org/articles/breaking-the-cycle-send-reform
AI Tool - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/groups/cgk3rj0kl55t
The Education Brief: Wednesday 22 October 2025 - Top stories include:
Grammar schools surged to the top of this year’s GCSE league tables with schools now ranked by Attainment 8.
In Parliament on Monday, the education secretary and her team answered MPs' questions.
A new report warns “hundreds of millions of pounds” are being wasted on teacher development.
The CST has called for Ofsted’s upcoming multi-academy trust inspections to be ungraded.
Artificial intelligence could soon help analyse lessons by new teachers under a pilot programme.
Deep Dive: Post-16 education and skills white paper
Round Up for Schools:
Secondary accountability measures (including Progress 8 and Attainment 8)
Focus on reading in secondary years to drive up standards
Key stage 4 performance 2025
Destinations of key stage 4 and 5 students: 2024
STA Assessment Update
Parents supported to navigate early years misinformation online
Buy musical instruments, equipment and technology
Estimating pupil numbers: how to complete your return for 2026 to 2027
HEP Updates:
Watching - https://events.hyve.group/today-is-world-mental-health-day-1
Listening - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002k4ln
Reading - https://jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-of-the-post-literate-society-aa1?r=1x9c3z
AI Tool - https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/a-personal-assistant-for-your-inbox
The Education Brief: Wednesday 15 October 2025 - Top stories include:
Ofsted’s top brass defended their new “report card” inspection system before MPs.
ASCL is considering legal action against Ofsted over fears its “report card” inspection system could harm school leaders’ wellbeing.
Three in four teachers say misogyny is now a major problem in schools.
There has been a “vacuum of information” around the long-awaited SEND reforms.
Only 6 per cent of SEND coordinators say they can complete their work within contracted hours.
Round Up for Schools:
Book staff on NPQs now and share bursary and scholarship info to boost recruitment.
Drop AI and data posters into this week’s staff briefing and update your privacy notice templates.
Finalise your PE premium plan — focus on sustainability and inclusion.
Secondaries can launch The Bro Code discussions with Heads of Year or RSHE leads to implement the anti-misogynistic resources into your curriculum.
HEP Updates:
Watching - https://community.stem.org.uk/browse/scl-od
Listening - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002kf52
Reading - https://substack.nomoremarking.com/p/why-education-can-never-be-fun
AI Tool - https://openai.com/index/sora-2/
The Education Brief: Wednesday 8 October 2025 - Top stories include:
Former Ofsted chief Amanda Spielman blasted the watchdog’s new “report card” reforms.
The DfE has announced sweeping cuts to teacher-training bursaries from 2026.
The government has commissioned new “best practice” guidance to help mainstream schools set up and run SEN and pupil support units.
The DfE is scrapping funding for state schools offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
AI-written questions will be trialled in SATs moderator tests to cut costs and reduce workload.
Round Up for Schools:
Ofsted’s inspection engagement programme
refreshed DfE privacy notice templates
2025–26 assessment calendar (KS2 tests 11–14 May 2026)
the NPQ application deadline on 16 Oct (single window this year)
HEP Updates:
Watching - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAaH3pH9--Y
Listening - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/memory-is-the-residue-of-thought-daniel-willingham/id1516532537?i=1000729829579
Reading - https://schoolsweek.co.uk/the-quiet-ofsted-plan-that-could-revolutionise-inspection-fairness/
AI Tool - https://artlist.io/
The Education Brief: Wednesday 1 October 2025 - Top stories include:
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged a library in every English primary school by 2029.
Ofsted insists it can fund as many monitoring inspections its new ‘report card’ system will trigger.
Teacher recruitment applications for training are up 10 per cent, but secondary recruitment will still fall 15 per cent short of target.
An independent review has urged Oak to drop its “National Academy” label.
The government plans to expand free breakfast clubs to 2,000 more primary schools from 2026.
Round Up for Schools:
HEP Updates:
Watching - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF3mg4sMdkU
Listening - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002jgm7
Reading - https://www.faireducation.org.uk/report-card-2025
AI Tool - https://uk.bettshow.com/ai-in-education
The Education Brief: Monday 22 September 2025 - Top stories include:
Just 11 per cent of 10,000 surveyed teachers feel positive about Ofsted’s new framework.
Councils are accusing schools of shutting out vulnerable pupils during in-year moves.
A Schools Week investigation has uncovered “serious concerns” over Catholic schools refusing places to children in care by prioritising those of their own faith.
More than half of academy trust bosses are considering cuts to classroom staff and reducing teaching assistant hours.
This week’s deep dive: HEP’s Improvement Partner and Support Partner Conference
Watching - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-inspection-framework-engagement-programme
Listening - https://www.insideyoured.com/
Reading - https://www.alexatherton.com/snowflake-myth
The Education Brief: Monday 15 September 2025 - Top stories include:
The DfE has introduced a new accountability framework alongside Ofsted’s new toolkit.
TES reports the hidden attendance crisis is internal truancy - pupils in school but not in lessons.
The IFS calls England’s SEND system “broken” and warns that quick-fix reforms risk backlash.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has entered the race to be Labour’s deputy leader.
This week’s deep dive: Ofsted’s new inspection framework
Watching - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa_vniz4Hzw
Listening - https://freshedpodcast.com/shore/
Reading - https://carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-paradox-of-memory-why-forgetting
AI Tool - https://notebooklm.google.com/
The Education Brief: Saturday 19 July 2025 - Top stories include:
Ofsted will stagger the rollout of its new inspection framework this November.
England’s school population will shrink by nearly 400,000 fewer pupils by 2030.
The DfE’s latest annual report has escalated SEND cost pressures to a “major issue.”
The digital divide between state schools and private schools has widened with AI.
This week’s deep dive:
Challenging Misogyny and Sexism
We’ll also tell you what’s happening at HEP this week and what we’ve been watching, listening to, and reading!
Watching - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7G_K4bEH8s&t=59s
Listening - https://educationrickshaw.com/2025/06/08/s4e33-peps-mccrea-on-great-teaching-and-human-flourishing/
Reading - https://www.tes.com/en-gb/for-schools/content/safeguarding-report-2025
AI Tool - https://www.grammarly.com/
The Education Brief: Saturday 12 July 2025 - Top stories include:
SEND inspections are set for another overhaul following government reforms this autumn.
Suspensions and exclusions in England’s state schools have hit record highs.
School budgets have plunged deeper into deficit, with 10% relying on emergency financial support.
School governors say finances have hit “breaking point” and are their number one concern.
This week’s deep dive:
The New Writing Framework
We’ll also tell you what’s happening at HEP this week and what we’ve been watching, listening to, and reading!
Watching - https://steplab.co/watch/great-teaching-unpacked-episode-4-embedding-development
Reading - https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/library/lost-boys
AI Tool - https://turboscribe.ai/
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-writing-framework
The Education Brief: Saturday 5 July 2025 - Top stories include:
Nearly 100 AP settings may be operating illegally, a new investigation has found.
Ofsted chief Sir Martyn Oliver is asking school leaders to reserve judgment until September.
Ofqual is weighing potential action as concerns mount over AI’s impact on coursework integrity.
One year into its government, Labour has made uneven progress on its education pledges.
This week’s deep dive:
HEP ECT Celebration Event
We’ll also tell you what’s happening at HEP this week and what we’ve been watching, listening to, and reading!
AI Tool - https://www.anthropic.com/ai-fluency
The Education Brief: Saturday 28 June 2025 - Top stories include:
The government is preparing new guidance for handling school complaints.
Analysis by NFER found early career bonuses had statistically insignificant impacts on keeping teachers in the classroom.
The 2025 Academy Trust Handbook has landed with fresh rules for MAT leaders.
Internal alternative provision in schools is on the rise, but risks becoming a costly holding pen.
This week’s deep dive:
HEP Headteacher Conference 2025
We’ll also tell you what’s happening at HEP this week and what we’ve been watching, listening to, and reading!
Watching - https://vimeo.com/1086725337?share=copy
Listening - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002dmjc
Reading - https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/stories/strengthening-data-governance-edtech
AI Tool - https://flux1.ai/
The Education Brief: Saturday 21 June 2025 - Top stories include:
Ninety-three educators received Silver Awards in the Pearson National Teaching Awards.
The government will rebuild 250 more schools as part of a £20 billion programme expansion.
Entries for GCSE statistics have nearly doubled since 2021.
Pupils could lose up to 12 teaching days a year by 2100 due to climate change.
This week’s deep dive:
What Might Be in the Autumn Schools White Paper?
We’ll also tell you what’s happening at HEP this week and what we’ve been watching, listening to, and reading!
Watching - https://steplab.co/watch/great-teaching-unpacked-episode-3-securing-success
Listening - https://evidenceintoaction.podbean.com/e/ep-25-retrieval-practice/
Reading - https://thinkingflexibly.com/2025/04/14/learning-to-be-human-ai-and-learning/
AI Tool - https://ai-2027.com/
The Education Brief: Saturday 14 June 2025 - Top stories include:
Christine Gilbert set to be appointed Ofsted chair
Stop Talking About Relevance in the Curriculum
AI guidance for schools: 9 key findings for leaders
This week’s deep dive:
WalkThrus London Conference 2025
We’ll also tell you what’s happening at HEP this week and what we’ve been watching, listening to, and reading!
Watching -https://www.youtube.com/live/lX75lqsxipc
Listening - https://open.spotify.com/episode/59tbDsNcpHcgpg9r42eFur
Reading - https://www.tes.com/magazine/teaching-learning/general/how-to-design-better-subject-specific-cpd
AI Tool -https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/test-and-evaluate/develop-tests
The Education Brief: Saturday 7 June 2025 - Top stories include:
Maths hubs funding drops (but DfE says it’s not a cut)
Teacher supply: why 5 subjects face gloomier forecasts
Schools risk ‘inadvertently’ breaking minimum wage law
Popular schools should prioritise places for poorer pupils, says charity
This week’s deep dive:
Schools and Academies Show 2025
We’ll also tell you what’s happening at HEP this week and what we’ve been watching, listening to, and reading!
Watching - https://researchschool.org.uk/clips-from-the-classroom
AI Tool -https://gamma.app/