The Department for Education has annunced that safe AI tutoring tools co-created with teachers are to be available to secondary schools by the end of 2027, helping to close the attainment gap. Trials of the AI tutoring tools will begin later this year with children in secondary schools across the country, drawing on first-hand experience … Continue reading 450,000 disadvantaged pupils could benefit from AI tutoring tools
Tag: Secondary
Budget 2025: Everything schools need to know
Schools Week have provided a useful summary of what's in the Chancellor's autumn budget for education. Here is the link.
Bridget Phillipson annonces Year 8 reading assessment
In her speech at the Confederation of School Trusts conference on 15 October Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson announced that statutory assessment in year 8 to assess reading fluency and comprehension is to be introduced. She followed this up with an open letter explaining her reasoning. You can read it on the DfE … Continue reading Bridget Phillipson annonces Year 8 reading assessment
New statutory guidance on RHSE comes into force
From September this year a new set of statutory guidance for RHSE has been published by the DfE. In paragraph 61 it states: "As well as fulfilling their legal obligations, governing boards and proprietors of academy trusts should also make sure that: all pupils make progress in achieving the expected educational outcomes teaching is accessible … Continue reading New statutory guidance on RHSE comes into force
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
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.
Use of drugs and alcohol by pupils contributing to violence and disruption in schools
A NASUWT surecy of nearly 4,000 teachers has found that students in secondary schools are using a range of drugs both in and out of school. These include cannabis, nitrous oxide and spice, as well as nicotine pouches and high-caffeine (energy) drinks and alcohol. They also report on use of gambling websites and apps. You … Continue reading Use of drugs and alcohol by pupils contributing to violence and disruption in schools
The Age 11 Dip
We all know that transition from primary to secondary school is a big change and challenge for young people, so it's no surprise - but very alarming - that this new report based on 80,000 children's responses, shows that more than one in four pupils begin to disengage from school during Year 7. The findings … Continue reading The Age 11 Dip
Secondary pupils in England among the least emotionally engaged with school
A new report from UCL researchers who analysed data in the recent Trends in International Maths and Science study finds that pupils in English secondary schools have some of the lowest school engagement rates around the world, with rates dropping amongst the fastest following the pandemic. Furthermore, girls in year 9 in participating countries around … Continue reading Secondary pupils in England among the least emotionally engaged with school
School capacity 2023-24
The latest government statistics on school pupil numbers shows that the trend of diminishing pupil numbers since 2018/19 is continuing. The total anticipated number of primary pupils forecast by local authorities in England shows a decline of around 1% per year until the end of the forecast period (2028/29). In contrast, the total number of forecast … Continue reading School capacity 2023-24
Worsening speech and language skills
A YouGov survey commissioned by assessment provider GL Assessment (a Renaissance company), shows that teachers are grappling with increasing numbers of children starting school who have poor speech and language skills. 44% of primary school teachers say up to 1 in 5 children struggle to communicate at the expected level for their age, and a … Continue reading Worsening speech and language skills
Schools’ responses to financial pressures 2023
This newly published report from the DfE is based on last year's figures so is not entirely up to date, but it tells a story we are all familiar with, and which has not improved since then. The research and analysis was carried out by BMG Research and CooperGibson Research. Most schools felt they were … Continue reading Schools’ responses to financial pressures 2023
How Schools Can Close the Digital Skills Gap
This is a new report from ProjectEVOLVE based on an annual research review conducted by Professor Andy Phippen. The report highlights most teachings with ProjectEVOLVE happens in primary schools, with by far the biggest proportion being in Key Stage 2. There is a significant tail off around aspect use in secondary schools. The report identifies … Continue reading How Schools Can Close the Digital Skills Gap
What happens to bright 5-year-olds from poor backgrounds?
The results of a longitudinal study by John Jerrim and Maria Palma Carvajal of the UCL Social Research Institute conclude that "We find that "the cognitive skills of bright 5-year-olds from low-income families keep pace with those of children from high-income families through to the end of primary school. However, the transition into secondary is … Continue reading What happens to bright 5-year-olds from poor backgrounds?
Understanding current practice and research priorities in teaching Writing
A new report from The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) focuses on furthering the understanding of current practice and research priorities in teaching Writing. Key findings include: Similarities in schools between all key stages in terms of their approaches and/or programmes to teach Writing, and how the decisions on the approach to Writing are made and … Continue reading Understanding current practice and research priorities in teaching Writing
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