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/
The Education Brief: Saturday 24 May 2025 - Top stories include:
Teachers are set for a 4% pay rise from September.
The STRB wants every school to publish a flexible working policy.
The House of Lords is flooding the government’s schools bill with amendments.
Ofsted is quietly overhauling the toolkits behind its upcoming ‘report card’ inspection system.
This week’s deep dive:
The SEND System: Crisis, Reform, and the Path Forward
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=J-25neDdO9k
Listening - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/whats-in-the-curriculum-review-so-far/id1714972358?i=1000705810724
Reading - https://www.suttontrust.com/our-research/the-opportunity-index/
AI Tool - https://connectsafely.org/
The Education Brief: Saturday 17 May 2025 - Top stories include:
Labour has torn into the Conservatives’ £70 million SEND improvement plan for being too little.
The government is merging its behaviour and attendance hubs into a single support scheme.
School-based mental health teams will be expanded to nearly a million more pupils by 2026.
SEND sport is getting a boost with a three-year extension of its inclusion initiative.
This week’s deep dive:
Opportunity in London… and Beyond
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-2-teaching-behaviour
Listening - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m002bswl
Reading - https://www.sec-ed.co.uk/content/best-practice/adaptive-teaching-explained-what-why-and-how
AI Tool - https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_uk
The Education Brief: Saturday 10 May 2025 - Top stories include:
Ofsted may delay its controversial school report card inspections until 2026.
The government is shortening the postgraduate teaching apprenticeship from 12 to nine months.
Funding for England’s acclaimed maths hubs will drop by 20% this September.
218 'stuck' schools will receive support from the newly expanded RISE teams.
This week’s deep dive:
School Absence: What the past can teach the present
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=Pc6r8ZxJeig
Listening - https://uk.bettshow.com/edtech-unwrapped
AI Tool - https://www.anthropic.com/education
IfG Report link: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-04/School-absence-innovation-lessons-last-labour-government.pdf
The Education Brief: Saturday 3 May 2025 - Top stories include:
Trainee teacher numbers rise by 8%, with surges in STEM subjects like physics and computing.
Education unions are taking the Teaching Regulation Agency to court.
NAHT are taking Ofsted to court over its new inspection regime.
Interim EHRC guidance ruled trans pupils must use toilets matching their biological sex.
82% of school leaders report having children stuck in mainstream schools despite EHCPs mandating specialist provision.
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=sElN9Axzcm8
Reading - https://thinkingflexibly.com/2025/04/19/powerpoint-and-iwbs-its-time-to-reclaim-analogue-teaching/
AI Tool - https://academy.openai.com/home
The Education Brief: Saturday 26 April 2025 - Top stories include:
Teacher job adverts are down, and the education sector is bracing for a staffing squeeze.
Pupil suspensions surged by 12% last spring, with the North East topping the exclusions charts.
An Inspector Calls reigns supreme for literature GCSEs, but calls for change are growing louder.
School budgets are under fresh strain as pay rises and food costs outpace funding.
This week’s deep dive:
Why CPD fails
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.bbc.co.uk/teach/live-lessons/articles/z7mdp9q#zrfwvj6
Reading - https://home.edurio.com/resources/insights/culture-driven-recruitment/
AI Tool - https://gemini.google/overview/deep-research/?hl=en-GB
Welcome to HEP Talks: Roundtables, where we take the big questions in education to our member schools.
In this second episode on Ofsted, we're diving into the recently proposed changes to the inspection framework—what they say, what they really mean, and whether they hit the mark.
Joining us for this episode, we have:
The roundtable covers the rise of report cards and toolkits, and whether ‘exemplary’ is just the new ‘outstanding’ in disguise. Spoiler alert: it’s complicated...