For action
Action for all settings: Curriculum and Assessment Review call for evidence open until 22 November
From Key Stage 1 through to Key Stage 5, the Curriculum and Assessment Review will look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, and the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve. This includes those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, or with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
We previously launched the call for evidence on the 25 October 2024. We have now produced an easy read, braille version and BSL version and are asking you to share these with you staff, parents, students and employer networks to fill out the survey before 22 November 2024.
We’re seeking views on the strengths and weaknesses of the current system and how it can be improved.
This is a crucial step in the independent review process as responses will aid the panel in making its recommendations.
Action for schools and further education settings: Free School Meals application fee waiver
This year’s UCAS applicants are already benefiting from the new application fee waiver, for students who have received government-funded free school meals at any point in the last six years.
Teachers and careers advisers can encourage take-up by students, support the process through the UCAS adviser portal, and enable access to the waiver through your centre’s payment configuration.
All eligible students can access the fee waiver ahead of the equal consideration deadline on 29 January 2025.
Further information about eligibility, support for teachers and guidance for students is available on the UCAS website and in the Adviser Guide.
Action for early years settings: Advertise your vacancies on Find a Job for the ‘Do Something BIG’ campaign
The Do Something BIG recruitment campaign continues to highlight the huge impact early years educators have on young children and the rewards of working in the sector.
On average, the campaign website receives over 46,000 visits weekly, which directs potential applicants to DWP’s Find a Job vacancy platform to search for early years roles.
Listing your early years vacancies on Find a Job, which is free to use, is a cost-effective way of ensuring visibility by a large pool of candidates.
If you don’t have a Find a Job account and have current or upcoming roles in your setting, please watch these video tutorials to help you create an employer account and post your vacancies.
Please ensure you include the term ‘early years’ in your job advert titles and select ‘Education and childcare jobs’ as the job category.
Action for schools: Take part in research on offering placements for trainee teachers
The Department for Education is building a new, free tool which aims to make it easier to find placements for trainee teachers. It connects schools and initial teacher training providers, and we are currently piloting it in Leeds.
To make sure this new service meets the needs of schools, we need your help. We want to understand your decision-making behind offering placements.
We would like to speak to schools who:
- are currently offering placements
- used to offer placements, but have not done so for at least 2 years
- have never offered placements
To take part, please sign up to speak to our researchers. If you are invited to a session with us, you will receive a £40 voucher as a thank you for your time.
News and developments
Information for all settings: School Support Staff Negotiating Body announcement
The Employment Rights Bill 2024 was introduced on 10 October 2024, and represents an important step in the government’s Plan to Make Work Pay.
The Department for Education will lead on the measure to reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB), a reform to ensure schools can recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver high-quality, inclusive education and drive high and rising standards, so every child has the best life chances.
Find out more on GOV.UK.
Information for all settings: Cases of clade Ib mpox found in the UK
Three cases of clade Ib mpox have been found in the UK. The risk to the population remains low. Unless an individual has visited an affected region, or had contact with someone with mpox, it’s highly unlikely they have mpox.
If parents, carers or staff are concerned that they or a child have symptoms, they should contact their doctor or NHS 111. Your local Health Protection Team will contact you if any action is required.
Information for schools, further education settings and local authorities: Support National Apprenticeship Week 10 to 16 February 2025
The new National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) website and toolkit is now live, and we need your help to make NAW 2025 the biggest and best yet.
Please get involved by:
- Following our social media channels on X, LinkedIn, and Facebook for all the latest news
- Using the hashtag #NAW2025
Information for schools, further education settings and local authorities: The Seasonal Job Campaign Winter 2024
With over 15,000 seasonal jobs available nationwide, there's potential for young people to gain valuable experience, make new contacts and develop essential skills, while earning some money.
Temporary roles can later lead to full time employment or employment in a desired sector, thanks to transferable skills.
Discover seasonal jobs vacancies or download the stakeholder toolkit to discover more about the DWP Seasonal Job Campaign.
Information for schools and local authorities: Intended changes to the Prescribed Alterations to Maintained School Regulations in relation to nurseries
On 17 October the government announced primary-phase schools can now apply for up to £150,000 of £15 million capital funding as a first step in the government’s commitment to create or expand 3,000 nurseries in primary-phase schools.
To support this commitment, the Department for Education intends, subject to Parliamentary procedure, to remove the requirement to follow the statutory prescribed alterations process when a maintained school wishes to add a nursery.
For all other age range changes of one year group or more, all types of maintained schools will follow the prescribed alteration process.
We will provide further information in due course.
Information for schools: Support for reducing the impact of parental conflict
Conflict between parents is a normal part of relationships. However, when the conflict is frequent, intense, and poorly resolved, it puts children’s long-term outcomes at risk.
Evidence suggests an impact on academic performance, with children from high-conflict homes achieving lower scores in maths, language, and verbal ability tests.
Access further information on why reducing the impact of parental conflict matters for schools.
For support on reducing parental conflict in your area, email rpc.rils@dwp.gov.uk and DWP will direct you to your local RPC Co-ordinator.
Information for schools: View webinar recording for Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence teams
On 5 November, the Department for Education hosted a webinar for trust leaders, local authority directors of children's services and diocesan directors of education.
The webinar provided an update on Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams for schools and included a message from Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education.
You can now view a recording of the webinar.
Recruitment for RISE team advisers is now open. Find out more information on how to apply.
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