Department for Education

Government to extend free breakfast clubs to 2,000 more schools

The government has announced that its free breakfast club scheme will be rolled out in 2,000 additional schools from April 2026.  The expansion is expected to give around half a million more children access to free breakfasts, while parents could save time and childcare costs. The scheme is backed by…

Read More »

Letter campaign launched urging disadvantaged pupils to try uni

Almost 10,000 teenagers from some of the country’s most disadvantaged areas are set to receive letters from students at Kings College London encouraging them to consider university or an apprenticeship. The initiative, backed by the Department for Education (DfE), targets pupils at schools and colleges with the lowest progression rates…

Read More »

Medicine safety education added to school guidance in England

The importance of medicine safety and how to report side effects is now part of the statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance for schools in England. The update, announced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on World Patient Safety Day, means pupils will be taught…

Read More »

School leaders welcome RAAC progress but warn of wider funding gap

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has welcomed government progress in removing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) from schools but warned that wider problems with crumbling buildings demand far greater investment. It comes as the Department for Education (DfE) said more than half of schools and colleges affected by…

Read More »

DfE issues financial notice to improve at Goldington Green Academy

Goldington Green Academy has been issued with a formal notice to improve by the Department for Education (DfE) over “serious failures” in financial management. In a letter to trustees dated 26 June, the department said the academy had breached multiple provisions of the Academy Trust Handbook, including rules on deficit…

Read More »

LocatED to integrate with Department for Education

LocatED will be brought into the Department for Education (DfE) by April 2026 as part of plans to consolidate government property functions. The move follows the Cabinet Office’s review of all Arm’s Length Bodies across government announced in April 2025.  It will combine LocatED’s commercial property expertise with the department’s…

Read More »

Parents must ‘do more’ to tackle pupils’ bad behaviour, says DfE

The education secretary has told parents and caregivers that they must “do more” to help schools tackle bad behaviour and poor attendance in class.  It comes as the Department for Education (DfE) has unveiled a package of support for schools to help address a behaviour and attendance crisis following “shocking”…

Read More »

Education Authority adds 1,300 SEN places at Northern Irish schools

The Education Authority has announced it has delivered more than 1,300 additional places for children with special educational needs (SEN) in Northern Ireland for the 2025-26 school.  News comes as the education body urges that all Northern Irish schools must play a role in supporting children with SEN.   The authority…

Read More »

Olympus Academy Trust pays tribute to CEO following sudden death

Olympus Academy Trust has announced the unexpected death of chief executive officer Dave Baker, which prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and education leaders across the south west.   Baker, who founded the South Gloucestershire-based trust in 2012, led the organisation through more than a decade of expansion and was…

Read More »

Govt extends Youth Guarantee scheme with £45m boost

The Department for Work and Pension (DWP) has announced that thousands more young people will receive tailored training and employment support, as the government extends its Youth Guarantee scheme with a further £45m in funding.   The one-year extension aims to help reduce the number of 18 to 21-year-olds not in…

Read More »