Education News

The Government announced that disposable vapes will be banned in the UK “as part of ambitious government plans to tackle the rise in youth vaping and protect children’s health.”

Welsh Government publishes “Peer-on-peer sexual harassment in education settings: action plan.” The guidance document is described as an action plan to prevent and respond to peer-on-peer sexual harassment in education settings.

Deadline to apply for primary school admission places in England, to start in September 2024.

Derby City Council has been ordered to pay compensation following delay in implementing an Educational Health Care Plan. A report from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman concluded the delay “caused a significant injustice”. The council was ordered to pay £6,000 compensation.

Reported that the pass rate for GCSE maths resits in England had fallen. The examinations, which were taken in November 2023, showed that 22.9% of the maths entries were marked at grade 4, a standard pass, or above, down from 24.9% in 2022 and 26.9% in 2019. In contrast, the pass rate for GCSE English resits rose to 40.3%, which was an improvement on 38% and 32.3% in previous years.

Following an investigation by the Financial Times, which reported the University of York was preparing to approve applications from overseas university students who did not achieve top grades, the university responded. They said the university was taking a “more flexible approach” to recruiting overseas students. The vice chancellor said, “What we’ve done is authorised our academic departments to take a more flexible approach if applicants fall short of the published grades. That’s exactly what we do for our home students every year.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found Essex County Council to be responsible for delays in undertaking Health Care and Education assessments and implement plans.

The BBC reported that the Ombudsman said, “This fault caused Mrs X an injustice. It not only delayed her right to appeal the school but left her with avoidable uncertainty, over a long period, about what school her son might go to. The delays and uncertainty have also left her with avoidable distress and concern about the impact this has had on Y’s development and social mixing.” Payments were made between £250 and £600 to four families to reflect “continued injustice.”

Deadline to apply for primary school admission places in Wales, to start in September 2024.

Following the inquest into the death of Ruth Perry, Head of Caversham Primary School in Reading, Sir Martyn Oliver, the Chief Inspector of Ofsted (appointed 1 January 2024) said, “Ultimately we have to be about high standards and say to parents ‘these are the standards that are being provided’. But I think we can do that in a way that is far more empathetic.”

Publication of briefing by the House of Commons Library, providing an overview of the current rules and recent reforms to relationships and sex education in English Schools

Government announces the subject content of the GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL). The Government reported that parents, teachers and organisations from the deaf and hearing communities provided overwhelming support for the introduction of the BSL GCSE.

Government publishes Consultation on Guidance for Schools and Colleges: Gender Questioning Children. Consultation to close on 12 March 2024.

Publication of briefing by the House of Commons library, on Sexual Harassment in Schools (England). This paper provides information on the requirements on schools and discusses recent developments, following concerns about sexual harassment in English schools.

Government published a consultation on how best to implement minimum service levels in school, meaning that schools will be required to stay open on strike days. The proposals are due to come into force by September 2024.

Department for Education has asked the examinations regulator, Ofqal, to extend support to GCSE students in respective of their mathematics exams. The students will receive formulae and equations in their maths, physics and combined science exams, in plans to limit the impact of Covid.

This is repeating the provisions for the 2023 examinations. The consequence of this provision is that students will not have to memorise formulae.

Long serving Schools Minister Nick Gibb announced he was resigning and would step down as an MP (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) at the next election.

It was reported that he was a strong advocate of phonics and claimed England’s children could “now boast of being some of the most accomplished readers in the world.”

Damian Hinds returns to the Department for Education as Minister of State.

Cambridge University Press & Assessment publish “Sex gaps in education in England”.

The report is described as the largest study of its kind, in terms of the number of stages of education covered. Analysis of the data revealed more female students meet or exceed expectations, even in Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage I. It is stated that these differences do not diminish over time. At the point of undergraduate degrees, a greater percentage of female students achieve first class degrees, than male students. However, despite success at the academic stage, these advantages shown by girls and women in education are not necessarily carry through to employment, with gaps in pay and opportunities still common in the labour market.

Deadline to apply for secondary school admission places in England and Wales, to start in Year 7, in September 2024.

Children’s Commissioner for Wales publishes report on “Racism within Secondary Schools”.

Rocio Cifuentes MBE, Children’s Commissioner for Wales, reports, “that sadly, very many children and young people experience racism and racist incidents within secondary school, and few have confidence in how this is dealt with.” She goes on to write that these themes are familiar and recurrent and echo those reports she has, herself, authored.