Secondary school children from low-income families are starting the new school year bounced out of some subjects and learning by costs, research from Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) shows. A survey of over 1000 secondary school children in England found: 23% of those on free school meals (FSM) say the cost or worries about the … Continue reading Back-to-school but blocked from learning – secondary pupils excluded by costs
Author: Bruce Levitan
Martyn’s law for education settings
The DfE have this month published a policy paper on how to implement the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, commonly known as Martyn's law. You can download the report here.
National behaviour survey report: 2023 to 2024 academic year
The DfE have recently published the latest report on school behaviour (for the academic year 2023-24). It covers school behaviour culture and policies, pupil experience, frequency and impact of misbehaviour and response. You can download the full report from the DfE website here, and some of the findings include: 98% of school leaders said they … Continue reading National behaviour survey report: 2023 to 2024 academic year
GCSE 9 to 1 grade scale explained
From DfE here's a guide to the GCSE 9 to 1 grade scale and how it compares to the previous A* to G scale. Link to DfE website.
Government speeds up reforms to protect children from harm
Vulnerable children are to be better protected from harm after the government speeds up children’s social care reforms that prioritise prevention through its Plan for Change. An extra £18 million will be spent on rolling out early intervention child protection reforms to councils in England to stop families from reaching crisis by strengthening leadership and … Continue reading Government speeds up reforms to protect children from harm
Special needs overdiagnosed, says Derbyshire council leader
Leader of Derbyshire County Council, Alan Graves, stated in an interview with BBC Derby's Georgia Roberts that: I personally think there are too many people in the [SEND] system, I think there are reasons for that and it's to do with schools getting extra money for dealing with that. Most people are just about on … Continue reading Special needs overdiagnosed, says Derbyshire council leader
The Well Check
Youth Support Trust's Well Schools provides a free-to-access self-review tool and get a tailored development plan to help you on your journey to becoming a Well School. You can access it, and other resources, on their website, here.
The Education Policy Institute (EPI) Annual Report
The Education Policy Institute (EPI) Annual Report looks at the state of education in England, with a focus on the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. EPI’s 2025 Annual Report considers the attainment of vulnerable groups of students at the ages of 5, 11, 16 and by 18. The report analyses attainment gaps based … Continue reading The Education Policy Institute (EPI) Annual Report
Statutory guidance on relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education
The DfE have issued updated Statutory guidance on relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education - you can download it here.
Security Checklist
Derbyshire's Education Data Hub has produced a security checklist infographic. You can download it here.
Zero Carbon Schools
Zero Carbon Schools helps schools transform the way they respond to the climate and nature crisis, putting climate education and action at the heart of school life. Schools can now register for the 2025-2026 cross-curricular programme for Years 4 – 8 on the Green Schools Project webiste, here.
RISE teams: everything you need to know
Earlier this year, the DfE launched Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams. These teams, also known as regional school improvement teams, are a key part the DfE's strategy to drive up education standards in classrooms across England. RISE teams are currently working with over 200 schools identified by Ofsted as needing to improve. … Continue reading RISE teams: everything you need to know
NATRE Survey – Secondary 2025
NATRE is conducting its 8th secondary survey to obtain information about the current state of RE/RME/RVE in all types of schools. The survey can be accessed here.
National Year of Reading for 2026
The DfE and National Literacy Trust have joined forces to launch a National Year of Reading, starting in January 2026. Bringing together parents, schools, libraries, businesses and literacy experts, the campaign aims to foster a love of reading for pleasure in children and young people, ensuring all children get the best start in life. Find … Continue reading National Year of Reading for 2026
Keeping children safe in education 2025
Keeping children safe in education is the government's key guidance for Safeguarding and is updated each year. This year's update - which comes into force in September - is now available: you can find a link to it on our Key Documents page here, where there is also am link to a useful summary of … Continue reading Keeping children safe in education 2025
