Autumn Term | 18 November 2025
 DSLS Working Group Representatives
To ensure that the voice of schools is heard, Devon school leaders attend numerous statutory boards and working groups across the county.
Each year, representation on these groups is reviewed and the following representatives were agreed for 2025-26: DSLS Working Group Representatives.
Additionally, the Schools Leadership Group (DSLS SLG Membership 2025-26) acts as a conduit for two-way communication to regularly update schools with key messages and on work being undertaken at local authority groups. See the updates from the various autumn/spring term meetings below.
Please see the working group summary for agenda content, minutes and feedback from groups attended by DSLS representatives.
 Read more about the Devon Education Forum (DEF) objectives, terms of reference, minutes and agendas HERE.
 Read more about the Schools Finance Group (SFG) objectives, terms of reference, minutes and agendas HERE.
 Read more about the Schools Organisation, Capital and Admissions (SOCA) objectives, terms of reference, minutes and agendas HERE.
 Schools Leadership Updates
Updates from Jack Newton, Interim Deputy Director, Head of Inclusion and Learning - 17 November 2025 and 24 October 2025
Please see letter from Julian Brazil (Leader of Devon County Council), Donna Manson (Chief Executive, Devon County Council) and Julian Wooster (Director of Childrens Services, Devon County Council). Read more.
Schools and academies Model Staff Leave and Absence Policy
The Staff Leave and Absence policy for Schools and Academies has been updated in line with the changes made to the Devon County Council Corporate Compassionate Leave Policy (inc. Parental Bereavement Leave), and the Corporate Emergency Time Off for Dependents Policy.
Following feedback from Managers and Trade Unions, and having undertaken benchmarking with other local authorities, it was agreed to increase paid Compassionate Leave entitlement up to 10 working days (pro rata), which includes the statutory entitlement to Parental Bereavement Leave, and to increase Emergency Time Off for Dependents from unpaid leave to up to 5 days paid leave, in a 12 month rolling period.
 Coding Structure Changes from April 2026 (2026/27)
It has been confirmed that, following the recent consultation, schools will be moved over to the Unit 4 coding structure from April 2026. The recent consultation with schools had provided a 60:40 in favour of transitioning across to the new coding structure from April 26, rather than April 27.
The Education Finance Team will work with schools in the conversion of codes to the new Unit 4 coding structure. This will be completed using extracted reports from Bromcom, including cost centre ledger links, CFR and Base Pay Mapping, which will then be converted to the new codes and imported.
Further details will follow with guidance and next steps for schools in this process.
 Evaluation of Ofsted’s renewed approach to education inspection: terms of reference
Ofsted has commissioned independent multi-stage research to evaluate its renewed approach to education inspection. Read more.
Our renewed inspection framework: what we’ve learned from pilots
Ofsted: education blog. Since September, we’ve carried out pilot inspections in 115 schools and taken time to carefully review the findings. Overall, feedback on the renewed framework has continued to be really encouraging. Many providers described the toolkit and methodology as a positive … read more.
School inspection: toolkit, operating guides and information
Guidance for inspectors and schools on inspecting maintained schools and academies in England under the renewed education inspection framework, available for use from 10 November 2025. Read more.
Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence
Ofsted’s policy for considering whether to defer or pause an inspection or visit, or whether additional evidence needs to be gathered. Read more.
Ofsted's code of conduct: collaborative inspection and regulation
Our expectations of inspectors and providers during inspection or other regulatory activity. Read more.
Ofsted education inspections: hearing from children, learners, parents, carers and staff
Findings from research on how stakeholders can share their views during inspections, carried out by the independent research consultancy, the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT). Read more.
Big Listen action monitoring reports
Ofsted’s monitoring reports on commitments made in the Big Listen and its response to Dame Christine Gilbert’s independent learning review. Read more.
 DfE Weekly Newsletters
Read the latest information and actions from the Department for Education about funding, assurance and resource management, for academies, local authorities and further education providers here.
Education Secretary sets roadmap to improve attendance levels
Every school to be set an individual minimum target to improve attendance and set up every child to achieve and thrive. Read more.
Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report
The conclusions and recommendations of the independent review of the curriculum, assessment and qualifications system in England. Read more.
What you need to know about the changes to the National Curriculum
A major review of the curriculum – what children learn at school – and the qualifications and assessment system has just been published, and the government is making changes based on what it found. Read more.
Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report: government response
The government’s response to the independent review of the curriculum, assessment and qualifications system in England. Read more.
Curriculum and Assessment Review
The independent review of England’s curriculum, assessment and qualifications system, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, and the government’s response. Read more.
Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report
The conclusions and recommendations of the independent review of the curriculum, assessment and qualifications system in England. Read more.
New curriculum to give young people the skills for life and work
Government to set out plans to bring the curriculum into the modern day and help young people step into the future. Read more.
Summer-born children: research and guidance
Research and guidance on requests to delay the start of school for summer-born children. Read more.
Surveys of local authorities and of parents and carers of summer-born children requesting delayed admission to reception. Read more.
SEND reform: Education Secretary writes to the Education Select Committee
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson writes to the Education Select Committee following their report on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system. Read more.
Condition improvement fund: guidance for schools
Information for schools and colleges on the condition improvement fund, which aims to keep buildings safe and in good working order. Read more.
Schools and colleges: apply for the condition improvement fund
How eligible schools and colleges can apply for the condition improvement fund, which aims to keep buildings safe and in good working order. Read more.
Read important updates including:
 Consultation events - Working Together to Safeguard Children
As part of its ongoing commitment to regularly review the Working Together to Safeguard Children statutory guidance, DfE are running some focused consultation events in preparation for a proposed update to the publication in 2026. Read more.
Devon Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy Consultation
The Devon Health and Wellbeing Board have drafted a new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
This strategy sets out how we will work together to understand local needs, set shared priorities, and take action to improve people’s health and wellbeing.
The board are keen to ensure that the strategy represents the health and wellbeing needs our communities and organisations and members of the public in Devon are invited to have their say on the strategy through our consultation and help contribute to its development.
The consultation will run for six weeks from Thursday 23rd October to Thursday 4th December.
Please follow this link to the consultation page which includes the draft strategy, a link to the consultation questionnaire and further information.
Please feel free to share widely through your organisations and networks.
 
Read important SEND updates including:
- New school already making a positive impact on its pupils
- New report puts co-production at the heart of Devon’s SEND transformation
- Disappointed, but not surprised by this latest delay to national SEND reform
Read update from Rachel Hearn (Head of Educational Psychology and Specialist Support) and Claire Merchant-Jones (Head of SEND Operations) on the EHC needs assessment process here.
 |
|
Click here to read the latest news from DiAS
|
 Do you receive the latest news and updates from the Early Years and Childcare Service?
Keep up to date:
Contact: Fran Butler Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency Lead, DCC. E-mail: fran.butler@devon.gov.uk
 |
|
DAG Newsletter
Click here to view the latest newsletter from DAG.
|
 |
|
DSLS Spring School Leadership Briefing
12 March 2026 - Sandy Park Conference Centre, Exeter
Online Bookings are being taken for the DSLS Spring School Leadership Briefing on Thursday 12 March 2026.
|
 
|
