Education Focus: News in Brief

It has been a busy start to the academic year and with the plans already laid out by the Government, it looks as though it will be a hectic time for the sector ensuring the implementation of new plans and policies.

What to expect from the New Government

The Labour government came into power following their general election win on Thursday 4 July 2024. In her first speech as Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson pledged that education is once again at the forefront of national life. The pledges and policy changes of the Labour government were held out to reshape the future of education.

The Government has already been busy laying out several changes for the sector and we have set out below just some of the issues which the Government has been considering:

Teacher Recruitment

One of the Government’s key priorities is the recruitment and retainment of more teachers, with a pledge to recruit 6500 new teachers, identifying increased funding and support together with enhanced career pathways as a means to achieve this.

Academy Trust Handbook 2024 published

The new Academy Trust Handbook took effect on 1 September 2024. Although there are minimal updates in comparison to previous years, it aims to extend greater freedom to manage resources and a shift towards the use of professional internal audit function for those trusts in receipt of higher levels of funding.

5.5% above inflation pay award announced September 2024

School teachers and leaders have received a fully funded 5.5% pay award with schools to receive almost £1.2 billion additional funding to fully fund this increased cost. The award applies to maintained schools with academies retaining freedom over their pay and conditions.

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) updated 2024

The Department for Education published an updated version of the statutory safeguarding and child protection guidance for schools in England. The update includes amendments to the definition of ‘safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children’ in line with Working together to safeguard children 2023, additional information around when children may require early help, a recommendation for school staff, governors and trustees to use the DfE Data Protection guidance for schools to understand data protection, and clarification that schools continue to be responsible for the safeguarding of pupils they place with an alternative provision provider.

Overhaul of Ofsted inspections

A new inspection framework for schools, early years and further education, which will have greater focus on pupil outcomes to drive higher standards, alongside a range of measures to reduce anxiety for those being inspected. Consultation will begin in early 2025.

Single word overall school inspection grades have been scrapped. A new scorecard approach to school ratings will be introduced. The school report card is set to be introduced in September 2025. In the meantime, schools inspected from September will only receive the four grades across the existing sub-categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

Updated attendance guidance applies from 2024

The Department for Education has issued new statutory guidance for maintained schools, academies attendance. “Working Together to Improve School Attendance” which came into effect on the 19 August 2024.

New governance guides published

The Department for Education (DfE) published new governance guides to replace the longstanding Governance Handbook. The guides are designed to cater separately for academies and maintained schools.

Mobile phones in schools guidance published

The Department for Education published “Mobile phones in schools, Guidance for schools on prohibiting the use of mobile phones throughout the school day” in February 2024. The guidance recommends that pupils do not use their mobile phones during the school day and that phones should not in normal circumstances be brought into primary schools.

At the Labour Party Conference Bridget Phillipson made clear that further plans were in the pipeline including changes to curriculum, work  experience, and SEND.  Whilst we may not know all the details yet, what is clear is that schools and college resources (both financial and time) are likely to be challenged in implementing the new policies and procedures.