Tag: Department for Education

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 12 November 2025.

Every school to be set an individual minimum target to improve attendance and set up every child to achieve and thrive.

Children stand to gain millions more days of learning as the Education Secretary has set every school an individual minimum attendance improvement target – part of an urgent drive to restore absence to pre-pandemic levels. 

Last year saw the biggest improvement in overall attendance in a decade, with the government overseeing 5.3 million more days in school and 140,000 fewer persistently absent pupils as part of its Plan for Change.  

But with 1 in 3 schools failing to improve, the Department for Education is today (Wednesday 12th) setting out a roadmap for every school to double down on its efforts to support pupils back to class, as research shows the importance of every day in school for children’s opportunity in life and future earnings.

From this month, every school will be issued with AI-powered minimum attendance improvement targets to ensure children are in school and ready to achieve.  The attendance baseline improvement expectation (ABIE) will be based on schools’ circumstances – including location, pupil needs and deprivation. 

The department is also using AI and data to give more support to schools to meet the minimum expectations, by linking them up with high performing schools with similar circumstances. These top schools will be identified within each school’s ABIE report.

This comes alongside 36 new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs launching today, which will offer direct one-to-one support reaching tens of thousands of pupils across hundreds of schools, as wider sharing of best practice through events and open days. 

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

We can only deliver opportunity for children in our country if they’re in school, achieving and thriving. That’s why I want every school to play its part in getting attendance back to – and beyond – pre-pandemic levels.

We’ve already delivered the biggest improvement in attendance in a decade and now we’re building a school system for the future with free breakfast clubs, more mental health support and a curriculum and enrichment offer to match. But we must go further. 

By working jointly with schools to set individual targets, we’re tackling variation head-on. Our best schools already have a brilliant approach to attendance, and now we’re driving that focus everywhere so that all children are supported to attend school and learn.

Research also identifies a significant attendance drop-off during Key Stage 3 as pupils struggle to settle in to secondary school life and emerging issues start to surface. 

That is why schools will now receive a best practice toolkit targeting these critical transition moments – like the jump from primary to secondary and Year 7 to 8 – giving them proven strategies to keep children engaged. 

At CHS South in Manchester, the school encourages strong starts to secondary school by creating a sense of community with parents and pupils. Parents say the strategies, like family cooking classes in the summer before year 7 have eased anxiety around the transition.  

Sue Burke, Deputy Headteacher and Attendance Lead, CHS South, Manchester: 

Our ambition is that no-one is left behind or left on the outside looking in. We welcome and celebrate our young people and their families from their very first interaction with us, which in turn creates a community of belonging.   

Attendance is a whole staff team effort and we are particularly proud of our attendance team, who work with relentless drive offering support and empathy to students and their families, while also providing skilful and personalised challenge when needed.

King’s Leadership Academy Warrington, one of the best practice examples in the new toolkit, creates an environment where all children can belong and thrive with weekly enrichment sessions where pupils choose activities including crochet, gardening and sign language.

This work to offer more enrichment opportunity has seen huge success in improving pupil attendance with one severely absent pupil now coming in to school more regularly so she can be part of the school’s community outreach programme to deliver reading support to younger children. 

Umar Hussain, Kings Leadership Academy headteacher, said: 

At King’s every day and every lesson counts. We create many opportunities to interact with our students and it’s those moments that build a genuine sense of belonging.  

Our students matter to us, every child is noticed and greeted throughout the day, whether during lesson transitions, break times, or with a handshake and words of praise in lessons. Through these daily interactions, our students feel valued and connected, which helps them become happy, confident learners who want to attend school every day. 

The government is tackling barriers to attendance head-on: from calling for schools to provide a base level of enrichment opportunities getting more children excited to attend, limiting branded uniform items to minimise social and financial pressure, and rolling out free breakfast clubs so no child starts the day hungry. 

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 4 November 2025.

Government to set out plans to bring the curriculum into the modern day and help young people step into the future.

Children and young people will leave school fully equipped to thrive in the modern world of work under reforms to breathe new life into the national curriculum unveiled today.  

Responding to the recommendations of Professor Becky Francis’s Curriculum and Assessment Review (5 November 2025), the government has confirmed steps to ensure every young person has a cast-iron grip on the basics of reading, science and maths, alongside the knowledge and skills required for life and work over the next decade – raising school standards and boosting opportunity under the Plan for Change. 

The revitalised curriculum is a core part of how the government will deliver the Prime Minister’s target of two-thirds of young people participating in higher-level learning by age 25, ensuring they have the skills needed to get on in life.

For the first time, primary aged children will gain vital skills like how to spot fake news and identify misinformation and disinformation, helping them develop the critical thinking needed to challenge what they see and protect them from online harms. Primary pupils will also learn more about the fundamentals of money, recognising that children are now consumers often before they reach secondary school, while bringing important changes to strengthen children’s reading.

The government will introduce a new statutory reading test in year 8 and a strengthening of writing assessment in year 6 to spot pupils who need extra support at a crucial point in their development. Currently around 1 in 4 children leave primary school without being able to properly read and too many are leaving school without passing their GCSE English. The new year 8 test will pinpoint those who could benefit from further stretch, while repairing falling standards in the “lost years” at the start of secondary, when too many working-class young people fall behind.

Under the new arrangements, arts GCSEs will be given equal status to humanities and languages, recognising their value in boosting confidence and broadening skills for a competitive job market. To complement this, a new core enrichment entitlement will offer all pupils access to civic engagement, arts and culture, nature and adventure, sport, and life skills to build resilience and opportunity.

Schools will also be expected to work towards offering triple science GCSE as standard, which comes alongside the government exploring a new qualification for 16-18 year olds in data science and AI – helping more young people succeed in the science and tech careers that power our economy.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

It has been over a decade since the national curriculum was updated, and it’s more crucial than ever that young people are equipped to face the challenges of today, so they can seize the exciting opportunities that life has to offer.

The path to our country’s renewal runs through our schools: they must be an epicentre of the strongest possible foundations of knowledge, and the skills to excel in the modern world. 

From the fundamentals of reading to the present danger of spotting fake news, as part of our Plan for Change, these landmark reforms will help young people step boldly into the future, with the knowledge to achieve and the skills to thrive as the world around us continues to rapidly evolve.

The government will publish a new oracy framework to ensure more young people become confident and effective speakers, building on the success of the reading and writing frameworks, and help teachers strengthen their teaching of oracy through practical tips, tried-and-tested strategies and examples of best practice.  

Evidence shows that increased participation in extra-curricular activities is associated with higher academic outcomes, so the government is also setting out a new core enrichment entitlement, so that every child – wherever they go to school – has access to sport, the arts and more. 

The government will publish a new set of enrichment benchmarks with schools asked to ensure every child has access to activities across five categories of enrichment. Ofsted will consider as part of routine inspection how this expectation is being met, with information also made available to parents through a new information service – school profiles.  

Key reforms include: 

• Making citizenship compulsory in primary, ensuring all pupils learn media literacy and financial literacy, law and rights, democracy and government, and climate education early on. 
• Replacing the narrowly focused computer science GCSE with a broader, future-facing computing GCSE and exploring a new qualification in data science and AI for 16–18-year-olds.  
• Changes to school performance measures – removal of the EBacc and reforms to Progress 8 – to encourage students to study a greater breadth of GCSE subjects including the arts, humanities and languages alongside English, maths and science. This follows the failure of the EBacc measure to encourage take up of subjects including languages and constraining student choice. 
• Supporting schools to develop a triple science offer, ahead of introducing a statutory entitlement for all GCSE pupils. 
• A new primary oracy framework, and a new combined secondary oracy, reading and writing framework so these are embedded across the whole curriculum.  
• Exploring a new language qualification which banks progress and motivates pupils to want to continue studying, complementing existing GCSEs and A levels. 
• A new core enrichment entitlement for every pupil – covering civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; sport and physical activities; and developing wider life skills.   

For the first time, the new national curriculum will be digital and machine-readable, to support teachers to more easily sequence their school curricula. 

The new curriculum will be implemented in full, for first teaching from September 2028. Government will aim to publish the final revised national curriculum by spring 2027 – giving schools four terms to prepare for the changes.

Supportive quotes:

Ruth Marvel OBE, Chief Executive, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said:

We are delighted that the Government has pledged to create a new enrichment entitlement. This is a watershed moment that will ensure every pupil, no matter their background, can experience an enriched education and have equitable access to the activities and experiences that engage, inspire and develop, as a complement to the academic curriculum.

At DofE we see every day the positive impact enrichment opportunities have on young people and their communities: they boost confidence and essential life skills, develop independence and social capital, improve wellbeing and resilience, and support belonging, school attendance and attainment.

We look forward to continuing to work with Government to make the vision of an enrichment entitlement a reality for all.

Jane Gratton, Deputy Director of Public Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said: 

It is essential that every young person finishes their education with the knowledge and skills to move successfully into working life. 

Business will welcome curriculum changes that improve employability – such as team working, oracy, literacy, digital and financial skills. It’s crucial that every student can access an appropriate qualification pathway to help keep them engaged – and in education or work.  

With business, education providers and Government working together – we can ensure our future workforce is ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Kate Varah, Co-CEO and Executive Director, National Theatre, said:

The National Theatre welcomes the government’s commitment to put the arts and creativity back at the heart of school life and ensure that every child has access to high-quality education, wherever they grow up.

Access to drama and arts subjects are an essential part of a broad, rich and inclusive curriculum. They introduce a huge body of knowledge and skills, helping students to build their understanding of the world, and supporting them to develop independence alongside key skills including confidence, problem solving, collaboration and self-expression.

Removal of the EBacc, a stronger Drama curriculum at Key Stages 1-3, ensuring that content studied is representative of modern society, and entitlement to extra-curricular arts enrichment are all vital steps towards equal access to arts education.

Our Artistic Director Indhu Rubasingham and I look forward to working with the government and partners across the country to ensure all young people can enjoy a high-quality Drama education, and benefit from the essential skills for life and work that it provides.

Sir Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, said:

The Government’s response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review shows principled determination to build on the very best practice that has been developed by schools. It spurs ambition and innovation while recognising the increasingly complex challenges faced by the sector.

The demands that reform places on teachers have been acknowledged, with a sensible implementation timeline and signposting of reputable sources of support.

Prof. Andrew Charlton-Perez OBE, University of Reading, said:

It’s brilliant that all children will now learn about climate and nature at school. This will help the next generation to be better informed and choose their own future path. It will put young people, and the UK economy, in a stronger position to benefit from the green transition that the world is already going through. I can see many opportunities to shape the core climate education content in Science and Geography. The rare opportunity to ensure the detail in the curriculum is up to date with the latest science should not be missed.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 28 October 2025.

Bridget Phillipson wants all schools and colleges to be RAAC-free as she sets timelines for complete removal.

Every single child in England to be learning in classrooms free from RAAC as the Education Secretary sets out timelines for removing Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) from all schools and colleges- calling time on the crumbling school estate. 

The government is rebuilding pride in our education system, setting out plans to permanently remove the dangerous concrete from all schools and colleges with RAAC, except those in the School Rebuilding Programme, ahead of the next general election. 

For schools with RAAC being rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP), all will be in delivery in the same timeframe, with more than half already underway. 

The move, part of the government’s plans for national renewal, will help break down barriers to opportunity by removing RAAC for good, with more than 42,000 pupils already learning in RAAC free classrooms. 

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:    

We inherited a crumbling education estate, but I won’t let that be our legacy. 

After years of neglect we are giving every child a safe and high-quality classroom where they can focus on learning – by setting clear timelines for the permanent removal of RAAC from schools and colleges. It’s what parents expect, it’s what children deserve and it’s what we are delivering.    

It’s about more than just buildings – it’s about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter, and this government is determined to give them the best possible start in life. 

There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England and 237 had confirmed RAAC, all of which are providing full time face-to-face education for all pupils. One hundred and twenty three schools with RAAC will be rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme and 108 schools and colleges are getting government grants for RAAC removal, with works delivered through their responsible body – usually the local authority or Trust. Six schools and colleges have alternative arrangements, including buildings not being part of their estate in the longer term. 

Last month, the Department for Education updated on progress on RAAC removal in schools and colleges in England. Today, the government has confirmed that RAAC has been permanently removed from 62 schools and colleges.   

It comes following the Department for Education announcing £38 billion in education capital investment over the next 5 years, taking it to levels not seen since 2010.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 15 October 2025.

Education Secretary confirms all pupils will sit a mandatory reading test at age 13 to drive up reading standards.

A national focus on reading at the start of secondary school will drive up standards to ensure every young person can achieve and thrive, as the government announces a mandatory reading test for all children at age 13.  

The Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson will tell a major schools conference today that for millions of young people, reading is “the passport to the rest of their lives,” with too many currently held back from the rest of their education – and the wider world – by an inability to read. 

All pupils will take the test in year 8 – marking a significant step forward in driving up standards in core literacy skills which will help young people to unlock everything else school has to offer.

This new measure will set clear expectations to support parents, teachers and pupils alike – identifying gaps early and targeting help for those who need it, while enabling the most able to go further.

Speaking at the Confederation of School Trusts conference today, the Education Secretary will set out the core tenets of the government’s forthcoming schools white paper, which will lay the path for national renewal to take schools into the 2030s.

 Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: 

There is one barrier in particular I worry is locking young people out. Because before a child can even begin to engage in everything their school has to offer, they must first be able to read.

When they can’t, the sense of dejection sets in. Engagement seeps away. Attendance follows.

Reading holds the key to so much. There is no foundation more important.

So we will introduce a statutory assessment in year 8 to assess reading fluency and comprehension. 

We’ll test progress at this key point when too many children either spin their wheels or fall further behind. 

Invaluable data for schools to make sure no child’s need for more, for a helping hand, can slip through the cracks.

Children’s reading journey begins in the earliest years, and the government will build on the success of the phonics programme, setting a new ambition for 90% of children to be meeting the expected standard in the Phonics Screening Check. 

The government is expanding its support in reception year through the English Hubs programme, putting a laser-focus on the children that struggle the most, alongside reforms to boost the quality of education in the early years, and wider family support through Best Start Family Hubs.  

Chief Executive, Lift Schools, Rebecca Boomer-Clark, said:

Reading is the key that unlocks everything, both learning and engagement.  Having a national ambition for 90% of children passing the phonics check and the introduction of reading tests at Year 8 are both very positive steps forward. 

We set ourselves a network 90% goal for primary phonics in 2021 and have been testing reading ability across our mainstream schools from Year 2 – Year 10 for the last few years. This has provided us with invaluable information and insight on how to get children back on track – it has driven significant leaps forward in how our children and young people read and as a result how they can engage fully in their learning. This work is critically important for all children, but especially so for those from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, Jonathan Douglas, said:

The National Year of Reading 2026 will be a pivotal moment to make reading feel relevant, exciting and rewarding. In collaboration with the Department for Education and multi-sector partners, we are excited to spark a movement that puts reading back at the heart of our culture.

Our research shows that twice as many children and young people who enjoy reading in their free time have above average reading skills than children who don’t enjoy it. This finding is important at a time when children and young people’s reading skills are cause for concern, particularly for those from disadvantaged communities. Reading for enjoyment is one of the most powerful drivers of a child’s academic success and wellbeing, but it’s also about so much more than attainment. The joy of getting lost in a story, of discovering new ideas, or seeing yourself reflected in a book, should be an everyday part of school life. Embedding that joy into education enriches childhood and builds the foundation for lifelong learning,

Data from the new statutory assessment will be made available to Ofsted and government, but individual schools’ results will not be published – as with the phonics check. Schools will make children’s results available to parents. 

The test will provide a snapshot in time and the government’s expectation is that it is not an assessment children need to revise for.

The plans build on the Government’s National Year of Reading, which will unite parents, schools, libraries and businesses to get people reading and help reverse the decline in reading for pleasure among young people. 

The government is already supporting an improvement in reading and writing skills, including through new training for teachers in secondary school to support young people to read, and a £1million fund to support schools with the greatest need to purchase reading programmes and other resources to support struggling readers.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 6 October 2025.

Aspiring teachers can get up to £31,000 tax free through bursaries and scholarships, as the government boosts efforts to attract more great teachers.

Talented people with the potential to become brilliant teachers are being offered bursaries and scholarships worth up to £31,000 to train to teach in subjects including chemistry, maths, physics, and computing that will help boost outcomes for young people across the country.

The government has made tangible progress to fix the foundations of education through its Plan for Change – attendance is up, with over five million fewer days of absence this year compared to last, and teacher recruitment and retention is also up, with over 2,300 more teachers in secondary and special schools across England.

In particular, the government has seen an increase in those training in Physics and Computing up by 33 per cent and 42 per cent, alongside languages and maths up by around 15 per cent compared to last year.

As part of today’s package, bursaries for teacher trainees in further education will also be available, with £31,000 for those teaching in key shortage STEM subjects, £15,000 for SEND-specialist trainees and £10,000 for those training to teach English. This reflects the importance that the government places on supporting colleges and other FE institutions to train and recruit high-quality teachers.

We are also offering schools up to £29,000 to cover the cost of training apprentices in mathematics, chemistry, physics, and computing, as well as £20,000 in modern foreign languages, meaning apprentices pay nothing for their training and will earn a salary while they are training before moving on to a qualified teacher salary. The Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA), a popular route into teaching, has seen a 55 per cent growth offering a brilliant way for people to gain the hands-on skills and experience they need in the classroom from day one to become expert teachers and build a successful career in teaching. PGTA funding will for the first time, will be equivalent to the ITT incentives in all subjects.

Getting more exceptional teachers in front of every classroom with a passion to inspire the next generation will drive high and rising standards in schools and boost outcomes for every young person, so no child is left behind. Recent data shows that more than one in ten maths lessons in the last year was taught by a non-specialist teacher, whilst only 72.2 per cent of physics lessons were taught by a teacher with a relevant post A-level qualification. Funding announced today will make sure that children and young people have high-quality, specialist teachers in these key shortage subjects.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said:

Inspirational teachers changed my life and change the lives of millions of children every day – this government is determined that we have more brilliant teachers, in more schools, improving the life chances of more children and young people.

Through our Plan for Change we’ve already begun to move the dial, with more teachers in our schools this year than last, and big increases in people accepting teaching training places in subjects including chemistry, physics, and maths.

But there is more to do, and we need talented people with the passion and drive to inspire the next generation – working their magic, making school a place pupils want to be, boosting outcomes and transforming the lives of our young people.

Action is already being taken to tackle the systemic challenges that the sector faces which drive high workload and poor wellbeing, with the government announcing teacher pay awards of almost 10% over two years and working with schools and colleges to improve staff wellbeing and workload through the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter, setting out commitments from government, schools, and colleges.

The launch of the new teacher training incentives today, comes ahead of the Education Secretary addressing teachers and school leaders from across the Southwest of England to highlight that there are still groups of children for whom school just isn’t working.  

This includes children with special educational needs and disabilities, children from disadvantaged communities and white working-class children who have historically poor outcomes year on year, with wide variations in outcomes across the country. Too many pupils feel disengaged from school and that education just isn’t for them.

She will call on teachers and leaders to work together to break that cycle and set these children up for success.

Plans to make sure every young person, wherever they grow up, have the opportunity to succeed will be set out in the Schools White Paper later this autumn. This will drive a once in a generation reset between those left behind, pupils and schools, to give every child the opportunities they deserve in life.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 24 September 2025.

Almost 10,000 high-achieving young people will receive letters from students at Kings College London encouraging them to consider a university education.

Thousands of teenagers in some of the country’s most deprived and under-represented areas are being inspired by their peers to apply for university through personalised letters in the post. 

The letters contain real-life success stories written by current university students with similar upbringings, showing how it is possible to break the link between background and success. 

Almost 10,000 pupils at schools and colleges with the lowest progression rates to higher education have been identified through Department for Education data and will be targeted by the initiative. 

The letters, all written by students at King’s College London, will share personal stories and challenge the perception that university is only for the privileged.   

They highlight how higher education, or an apprenticeship, can open the door to life-changing opportunities, as part of the government’s Plan for Change. 

On average, disadvantaged pupils are more than a third less likely to go to university compared to their peers, according to the latest data. 

The postcode gap is even greater, with teenagers in Redbridge in London being almost three times more likely to progress to higher education than those growing up in Knowsley, Merseyside. 

The letters come ahead of major reforms to higher education that will boost access and participation as part of government’s Plan for Change.   

The Department for Education is already expanding opportunities for young people from all backgrounds through the Youth Guarantee, encouraging them to take up high-quality technical qualifications and apprenticeships, ensuring choice is broadened and every pathway leads to success. 

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 

Talent, aspiration and hard work – not postcode or background – should decide a young person’s future. 

Universities need to do more to make sure they’re reaching the most talented people in our country wherever they come from – youngsters who need a bit of encouragement to see that a degree isn’t only for a privileged few. 

I’m proud that we’ve been able to support this brilliant initiative – which comes ahead of further steps from government to break the link between young people’s background and success through our Post-16 and Skills White Paper.

Significant postcode divides exist not only in the number of pupils going to university, but also in the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training.  

For example, the latest estimates shows that young people in Blackpool in the North West are almost twelve times more likely to be NEET at age 16 or 17 compared with young people in Barnet in North West London. 

Through the government’s pioneering new Youth Guarantee, every 18-21-year-old in England will have help to access an apprenticeship, quality training and education opportunities or help to find a job.

The government is also recruiting 6,500 new teachers, rolling out careers advice, increasing opportunities through Skills England, improving mental health support in schools and delivering a cutting-edge curriculum to ensure pupils are set up for life, work and the future.

To tackle entrenched inequalities in higher education, the Department for Education has ringfenced funding to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Government has invested £265 million this financial year to help universities give extra support to students facing the toughest barriers. 

This funding also supports Uni Connect, a programme which delivers targeted interventions aimed at increasing the number of young people from under-represented groups going into higher education. 

Kemi Adeyemi, a letter writer from Kings College London said: 

It’s so important that young people know that their background doesn’t determine where they can study. 

It should be based purely on you, your grades and your choice alone, which I feel isn’t a message reiterated enough to pupils in state schools. 

As a result of the letters I hope students feel empowered to apply for university and that they know they deserve to be there just like anyone else.

The University of Bristol recently opened a micro campus in a deprived area of Bristol in Hartcliffe to bring higher education into the community, supporting local people into work or further study.  

Whilst some universities have taken positive steps like this, the Education Secretary is calling on the sector to go further and play a stronger role in tearing down barriers to opportunity and driving real improvements in outcomes for disadvantaged students.

Research shows young people from disadvantaged backgrounds remain far less likely to apply to university, held back not by ability, but by the absence of role models and peers who have taken that path. 

Michael Sanders, Professor of Public Policy at Kings College London said: 

One of the biggest barriers is young people feeling like university ‘isn’t for people like me’. This project sees current students act as role models, which helps to create a bridge between people’s current lives, and what they can experience at university. 

A previous similar study showed that receiving letters like these made students significantly more likely to go to university, with around a third more likely to attend a Russell Group.  

Our research shows that timely contact with a relatable role model can make a massive difference to young people’s lives and ability to seize the opportunities in front of them.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 24 September 2025.

New data reveals 530,000 children are now benefiting from government-funded childcare as government exceeds target.

New figures reveal over half a million children are now benefiting from the government’s rollout of funded childcare, easing pressure on household finances, giving children access to high-quality early education and supporting parents to work.

Already, the rollout has far surpassed the target of 500,000 children set when the 30 hours kicked off at the beginning of this month, with the government going further and faster to break down barriers to opportunity for every child.

Strong take-up is seen across the country – from over 78,000 validated codes in the North West to almost 92,000 in the South East – helping families save up to £7,500 a year per child and boosting the economy by helping parents get back to work.

And thanks to the continued growth of school-based nurseries, life is getting a little easier for families looking for new childcare places closer to home. According to the latest figures, schools are now providing over 5,000 new childcare places from September, well above the original school forecasts of 4,000.

These nurseries are based on school sites, helping parents manage the daily pressures of family life by making drop-offs and pick-ups easier and helping children familiarise themselves with a school setting.

Schools across the country are being urged to consider applying for the next round of funding for 300 more school-based nurseries which opens today, backed by £45 million to deliver up to 7,000 new places for local families, delivering on the Plan for Change.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

When we launched the 30 hours childcare expansion at the start of September, we said around half a million families were on track to benefit. Today’s figures show we have gone even further.

It is fantastic to see our Plan for Change delivering for families – helping them save up to £7,500 a year per child on childcare costs and supporting parents to balance work and home life. This is real cost-of-living relief that families can feel in their pockets today.

As the next bidding round of school-based nurseries kicks off today, we are not slowing down. This government is giving hard-working parents the support they need and ensuring every child gets the best start in life.

Increasing access to quality early education and making life easier for families sits at the heart of the government’s Plan for Change. Funding for early years entitlements is set to rise to over £9 billion next year to help more parents, especially mothers, balance work and family life. The government will continue to work closely with the early years sector – including private, voluntary and independent providers – whose partnership has been vital to the rollout so far.

And through the Best Start in Life strategy, backed by £1.5 billion to rebuild early years services, recruit more early years teachers and open a Best Start Family Hub in every local area, tens of thousands more children – a record share – will be school-ready at age five.

This will tackle long-standing barriers to early education and help teachers focus on teaching so every child can thrive, while the new Best Start in Life website brings trusted advice and support together in one place for parents from pregnancy through the early years.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 31 August 2025.

Education Secretary makes back-to-school call for parents to ensure children are in the classroom ready to learn.

Hundreds of thousands of children will benefit from improved attendance, calmer classrooms and government support as the Education Secretary tells parents to join a united effort to get children at their desks and ready to learn.

Bridget Phillipson is starting the new school year by calling time on bad behaviour as shocking new data shows seven out of every 30 classroom minutes are lost to kids kicking off.

The Department for Education has today (Sunday 31 August 2025) unveiled a game-changing package of support for schools to help tackle the behaviour and attendance crisis, but the Education Secretary warns “when it comes to getting kids in and behaving – this includes mums, dads and carers too”.

It’s part of the government’s Plan for Change mission to break the link between background and success through education, which is already turning the tide on attendance with five million more days in the classroom and 140,000 fewer pupils persistently absent last year.

This signals the biggest year-on-year improvement in attendance in a decade, equivalent to 1,000 classes of children learning full time for a year – estimated to protect over £2 billion in pupils’ future earnings.

This new school term the Education Secretary is determined that mums and dads also need to do more as the scale of this government’s inheritance has been laid bare. The latest behaviour survey, covering the 2023/24 academic year shows a staggering majority (78%) of teachers reported that poor behaviour had a negative impact on their health and wellbeing.

Further action to tackle this will begin from the start of the new term, as 800 schools – responsible for around 600,000 pupils – will benefit from new RISE Attendance and Behaviour Hubs.

Across the whole programme, 5,000 schools are set to benefit, with 500 of those in most need receiving intensive, targeted help.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

I am calling on parents, schools and families to join us in playing their part to get children in class and ready to learn for the start of the new school term.

We have already made progress with five million more days in school this year and are backing parents and supporting schools through our Plan for Change. But we all need to do more, and when it comes to getting kids in and behaving – this includes mums, dads and carers too.

We know what works – strong leadership, consistent attendance and schools standing shoulder to shoulder with families. That’s why we’re investing in proven expertise so that schools facing the biggest challenges can get the support they need.

The programme will share proven strategies from school leaders that have successfully turned attendance and behaviour around.

This work will be supported by Tom Bennett and Jayne Lowe, announced today as new Attendance and Behaviour Ambassadors to play a key role in ensuring the sector’s voice is reflected in shaping the programme.

DfE Attendance and Behaviour Ambassador Tom Bennett, said:

Every child deserves a school that is safe and calm, where they can be treated with dignity- and so do all school staff.

We’re drawing on the professional experience of some of the best schools in England that have successfully created exactly that.

By helping to build relationships between these schools and their peers, we’ll be building a national network of expertise that can change the futures for generations of children.

DfE Attendance and Behaviour Ambassador Jayne Lowe:

This role is a real privilege, and I can’t wait to work with colleagues across the sector to ensure every child feels connected, supported, and inspired in school.

All children deserve to belong in school, and I am committed to helping schools create safe, inclusive environments where they can thrive.

It is vital that schools hit the ground running in September. I urge school and MAT leaders to prioritise culture-setting with pupils and families.”

The Department for Education’s forthcoming schools white paper will set out plans to crack down on bad behaviour – giving schools support and continued accountability while recognising the vital role that parents and families have to play.

This government’s mission is to give every child – from early years to leaving school – the Best Start in Life.

That is why we are delivering free breakfast clubs across the country, expanding mental health support in schools, investing £1.4 billion to fix the crumbling state of classrooms increased pupil premium funding so that every child has the opportunity to achieve and thrive.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 28 August 2025.

Ellen Thinnesen will lead work to boost college leadership and governance.

Ellen Thinnesen OBE, Chief Executive of Education Partnership North East, has been appointed as the next Further Education Commissioner, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced today (28 August 2025).

Ellen has a wealth of experience and knowledge to bring to the role having been CEO and Principal of Sunderland College from 2016 and Chief Executive of Education Partnership North East from 2019. This includes successfully leading three colleges – Sunderland College, Northumberland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form College – through mergers and transforming them to become one of the strongest groups in the sector in terms of both quality of teaching and financial health.

As Further Education Commissioner, Ellen will lead a team of Deputies and Advisers to support and strengthen the leadership and governance of colleges, ensuring they are well run and continue to offer high quality education and training to the communities they serve.

She will play a key role in driving improvement at pace across the sector and delivering on the Government’s missions through its Plan for Change, with a focus on growing the economy in key sectors and breaking down barriers to opportunity through tackling the rising numbers of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).

Ellen will take up her post in January 2026 for a three-year term.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

I am delighted to appoint Ellen to the vital role of FE Commissioner. Her experience of driving improvement will be invaluable as we work to ensure the FE sector creates the skills our economy and communities need to thrive.

I would like to thank Shelagh Legrave CBE DL for her work in the role over the last three years and I wish her all the best for the future.

Ellen Thinnesen said:

It is a great privilege to be appointed Further Education Commissioner at this crucial time when skills are vital to delivering the Government’s missions for growth and opportunity.

The further education sector plays a critical role in transforming lives and driving economic growth. Looking ahead, it is well-placed to tackle persistent skills challenges, deliver equitable access to quality education, and re-engage those not in education, employment, or training (NEET). By adapting, innovating, and aligning provision with future labour market needs, the sector has a vital role in equipping learners with the skills to thrive in a rapidly changing economy.

I look forward to working with colleges across England to ensure they are in the strongest possible position to change people’s lives for the better and meet the needs of employers and communities.