Tes magazine
@tesmagazine.bsky.social
Award-winning journalism for schools, including news, analysis, research reviews and teaching and learning guides.
‘You have the most amount of control, but the least amount of knowledge’: one new headteacher reflects on what he’s learned in his first term in the job
What I’ve learned in my first term as a headteacher
From realising that you can’t do it all to the importance of taking your time with new initiatives, these are the key lessons one new head has taken from the past three months
www.tes.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:35 AM
‘You have the most amount of control, but the least amount of knowledge’: one new headteacher reflects on what he’s learned in his first term in the job
✅ How accurate is the marking of GCSEs and A levels? Author Dennis Sherwood reveals the key insights from the new Ofqual data on marking reviews
What Ofqual’s new exam data reveals about grading errors
New Ofqual data on the number of GCSE and A-level marks changed on review after the summer 2025 exams provides more clarity on the accuracy of marking, explains Dennis Sherwood
www.tes.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:05 AM
✅ How accurate is the marking of GCSEs and A levels? Author Dennis Sherwood reveals the key insights from the new Ofqual data on marking reviews
Pupils with SEND have far higher absence rates than those without, but a focus on attendance won’t change anything – it needs to be structural, says this headteacher
Why we need to pay more attention to the social side of attendance
Pupils with SEND have far higher absence rates than those without. We need systemic change, not simply a focus on attendance, argues this headteacher
www.tes.com
December 15, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Pupils with SEND have far higher absence rates than those without, but a focus on attendance won’t change anything – it needs to be structural, says this headteacher
The government announcement that up to 77 free school projects could be dropped risks favouring mainstream provision ‘at the expense of special schools’, sector leaders warn
SEND spending favours mainstream ‘at expense of special schools’
Leaders question government decision to drop special and alternative provision free schools amid pressure for specialist places
www.tes.com
December 14, 2025 at 8:05 AM
The government announcement that up to 77 free school projects could be dropped risks favouring mainstream provision ‘at the expense of special schools’, sector leaders warn
Most of the 44 new mainstream free-school projects look set to be scrapped after the conclusion of a government review
Eton-backed free schools among projects spared in DfE review
Two maths schools have also been given the go-ahead but most of the 44 mainstream free-school schemes that were on hold look set to be scrapped
www.tes.com
December 13, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Most of the 44 new mainstream free-school projects look set to be scrapped after the conclusion of a government review
Only 7% of school leaders will spend more time on creative subjects despite the removal of the EBacc, a survey reveals
Only 7% of heads will spend more time on arts post-EBacc
School leaders are not planning changes to arts provision, despite the scrapping of the EBacc, polling reveals
www.tes.com
December 13, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Only 7% of school leaders will spend more time on creative subjects despite the removal of the EBacc, a survey reveals
A safeguarding review that strongly criticised the impact of school behaviour policies on vulnerable students has sparked a major row involving the DfE
Safeguarding review sparks national row
Hackney safeguarding chair will write to education secretary Bridget Phillipson to voice concern over criticism made by DfE behaviour ambassador Tom Bennett
www.tes.com
December 12, 2025 at 4:10 PM
A safeguarding review that strongly criticised the impact of school behaviour policies on vulnerable students has sparked a major row involving the DfE
The shift to a new five-grade inspection framework risks ‘inadvertently painting a picture of decline’ in schools, a sector leader warns Ofsted and DfE
Ofsted and DfE warned of grade shift in new inspections
Inspectorate and government warned they need to mitigate against risk that the move to new inspection framework will ‘inadvertently’ look like a decline in standards
www.tes.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:35 PM
The shift to a new five-grade inspection framework risks ‘inadvertently painting a picture of decline’ in schools, a sector leader warns Ofsted and DfE
Tackling the ‘3% issues’ that add to teachers' workload is the key to enabling them to focus just on teaching, says this international leader, who explains how a simple app has helped to free up staff at his school
Tackling the ‘3% issues’ to cut teacher workload
An international leader determined to reduce the time teachers spend on non-teaching tasks explains how a simple app has helped to free up staff at his school
www.tes.com
December 12, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Tackling the ‘3% issues’ that add to teachers' workload is the key to enabling them to focus just on teaching, says this international leader, who explains how a simple app has helped to free up staff at his school
With new Ofsted inspections underway, @steverollett.bsky.social reveals trusts' experiences so far – and warns many schools may be disappointed with their new gradings
Ofsted inspections: 5 changes MATs want to see
With the new Ofsted inspections underway, CST deputy chief Steve Rollett reflects on trusts’ experiences so far and explains why many schools may be disappointed with their new gradings
www.tes.com
December 12, 2025 at 7:05 AM
With new Ofsted inspections underway, @steverollett.bsky.social reveals trusts' experiences so far – and warns many schools may be disappointed with their new gradings
With pupil numbers set to fall by 400,000 by 2030, do we need to change the way schools are funded to avoid closures? @jabedahmed.bsky.social investigates the alternatives to per-pupil funding ⬇️
Can per-pupil funding keep schools afloat as rolls plummet?
Demographic decline is squeezing school budgets and forcing political choices. Is it time to rethink the way schools are funded?
www.tes.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:35 AM
With pupil numbers set to fall by 400,000 by 2030, do we need to change the way schools are funded to avoid closures? @jabedahmed.bsky.social investigates the alternatives to per-pupil funding ⬇️
Creating more specialist places in mainstream schools won’t tackle the SEND funding crisis without huge investment, leaders warn ministers
Don’t overestimate resource base savings, heads warn Labour
Leaders question education secretary’s suggestion that creating more specialist places in mainstream schools will address SEND cost pressures outlined in Budget
www.tes.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Creating more specialist places in mainstream schools won’t tackle the SEND funding crisis without huge investment, leaders warn ministers
BREAKING: £3bn for specialist places (mainstream focus), but special free school builds in doubt and some mainstream free school proposals rejected.
Full details, including free school decisions list, here:
Full details, including free school decisions list, here:
£3bn for mainstream SEND places, but special free schools face uncertainty
DfE announces plans to create 50,000 new specialist places but up to 77 free school projects could be replaced, with councils getting funding instead
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:35 PM
BREAKING: £3bn for specialist places (mainstream focus), but special free school builds in doubt and some mainstream free school proposals rejected.
Full details, including free school decisions list, here:
Full details, including free school decisions list, here:
‘We can't expect and ask schools to be a substitute for stable income, warm housing and regular meals’: MAT chief Dawn Haywood says the new child poverty strategy can free up schools to focus solely on education
The child poverty strategy supports schools to focus on teaching
The government's child poverty strategy signals a shift towards a system where schools no longer have the added responsibility of addressing disadvantage, says MAT CEO Dawn Haywood
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:05 PM
‘We can't expect and ask schools to be a substitute for stable income, warm housing and regular meals’: MAT chief Dawn Haywood says the new child poverty strategy can free up schools to focus solely on education
Exclusive: The government has delayed publishing its plan for how it will fulfil its manifesto promise to recruit 6,500 more teachers
Plan to deliver 6,500 more teachers delayed
Government had aimed to publish its plan to fulfil its manifesto promise by the end of the year - but now tells Tes this will be released along with its White Paper
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Exclusive: The government has delayed publishing its plan for how it will fulfil its manifesto promise to recruit 6,500 more teachers
'Across our trust, the equivalent of a full Reception class needs to be changed during the day,' says CEO Gail Brown, who explains why the sector needs to embrace new guides to help schools with this challenge
Potty training for Reception: why we need to embrace new guides
Children in nappies in Reception is a significant issue for staff and pupils alike, but if we embrace new guides, we can begin to tackle this, argues Gail Brown
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:05 PM
'Across our trust, the equivalent of a full Reception class needs to be changed during the day,' says CEO Gail Brown, who explains why the sector needs to embrace new guides to help schools with this challenge
More than one in six local authority-maintained schools were in deficit last year, with the overall balance plunging a further £90 million into the red, DfE figures show
School deficits rise by a third in a year
The balance held by local authority-maintained schools in deficit has dropped more than £90m further into the red, government data shows
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
More than one in six local authority-maintained schools were in deficit last year, with the overall balance plunging a further £90 million into the red, DfE figures show
The number of SEND tribunal appeals has hit another record high, according to government figures that show 99% of resolved cases were decided in parents’ favour
SEND appeals hit record high
The latest data shows that 99 per cent of SEND tribunal cases found in parents' favour, as the government sets out its aims for SEND reforms
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 3:17 PM
The number of SEND tribunal appeals has hit another record high, according to government figures that show 99% of resolved cases were decided in parents’ favour
Reposted by Tes magazine
For anyone wondering, no, the government will not be providing any additional investment for digital exams.
This is despite the chief regulator himself warning that schools had "weak" IT infrastructure...
This is despite the chief regulator himself warning that schools had "weak" IT infrastructure...
NEW: Ofqual gives the green light for digital exams - but it likely won't happen this decade.
Exam boards can submit 2 subjects to trial on-screen, but only under 100k entries. Large-scale subjects like Maths and English are off the table for the foreseeable.
Exam boards can submit 2 subjects to trial on-screen, but only under 100k entries. Large-scale subjects like Maths and English are off the table for the foreseeable.
No on-screen assessment likely until 2030s, says exams chief
Ofqual announces proposals to regulate on-screen assessment – but digital exams unlikely in the most popular subjects for the ‘foreseeable future’
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:09 PM
For anyone wondering, no, the government will not be providing any additional investment for digital exams.
This is despite the chief regulator himself warning that schools had "weak" IT infrastructure...
This is despite the chief regulator himself warning that schools had "weak" IT infrastructure...
After being disappointed by generic AI lesson plans, this science teacher explains how a methodical approach led to outputs that genuinely support practice
Why I gave AI for lesson planning another go
An international science teacher explains how a second, more methodical attempt at using artificial intelligence led to much more positive outcomes
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:35 PM
After being disappointed by generic AI lesson plans, this science teacher explains how a methodical approach led to outputs that genuinely support practice
'We need to hear from teachers about how on-screen assessment could work in practice – not in theory': Ofqual chief regulator calls on school staff to help inform digital exam plans
Teachers hold the key to successful on-screen assessment
Ofqual’s chief regulator writes exclusively for Tes on why he wants frontline educators to share their thoughts on plans for digital exams
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:35 AM
'We need to hear from teachers about how on-screen assessment could work in practice – not in theory': Ofqual chief regulator calls on school staff to help inform digital exam plans
While the rise in applications for teacher training is welcome, schools can only thrive if we take action to keep experienced staff in the profession, writes Sarah Mullin
Getting more new teachers is great – but keeping them is the real goal
While the rise in applications for teacher training is welcome, schools can only thrive if experienced staff remain in the profession, writes Sarah Mullin
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:35 AM
While the rise in applications for teacher training is welcome, schools can only thrive if we take action to keep experienced staff in the profession, writes Sarah Mullin
The curriculum and assessment review marks a shift in how we understand the term ‘knowledge-rich’ that could have big implications for schools, writes @damsoned.bsky.social
Why the curriculum review’s take on knowledge may change how you teach
The curriculum and assessment review marks a subtle shift in how we understand the term ‘knowledge-rich’ that could have big implications for schools, writes Megan Dixon
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:05 AM
The curriculum and assessment review marks a shift in how we understand the term ‘knowledge-rich’ that could have big implications for schools, writes @damsoned.bsky.social
Some schools' behaviour policies are too inflexible for students with SEND, a new Ofsted report warns
Ofsted warns against ‘inflexible’ school rules for pupils with SEND
Too many students with SEND are leaving the school system because of ‘missed opportunities’ to identify their needs early on, says watchdog’s report
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Some schools' behaviour policies are too inflexible for students with SEND, a new Ofsted report warns
Ofqual announces proposals to regulate on-screen assessment in GCSEs, AS and A levels – but says it is unlikely this will happen until the 2030s
On-screen assessment unlikely until 2030s, says exams chief
Ofqual announces proposals to regulate on-screen assessment – but says digital exams unlikely in the most popular subjects for the ‘foreseeable future’
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Ofqual announces proposals to regulate on-screen assessment in GCSEs, AS and A levels – but says it is unlikely this will happen until the 2030s