The Education Brief: Reading Too Quickly?

The Education Brief: Wednesday 11 November 2026 - Top stories include:ASCL has warned that schools “cannot deliver alone” on the NEET crisis.Ministers are updating mobile phone guidance again for September 2027.Lucy Powell talked about Ofsted, SEND, assessment, and falling rolls at her first appearance before the Education Select Committee.According to a DfE survey, schools are dealing with record levels of harmful sexual behaviour.HEP Insightshttps://teacherhead.com/2026/10/11/learning-through-talk-if-talking-helps-learning-that-means-everyone-needs-to-talk/ https://daviddidau.substack.com/p/oracy-floats-on-a-sea-of-knowledge https://amvspielman.substack.com/p/groundhog-day-in-education https://teacherhead.com/2026/10/25/towards-powerful-oracy-for-all-policy-and-practice-possibilities-and-pitfalls/ https://substack.nomoremarking.com/p/oracy-and-the-forgotten-third Coming up at HEP:Inclusion and SEND Conference tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hep-inclusion-send-conference-2027-making-sense-of-all-the-change-tickets-1999479456880Watching - https://email.nurseryworld.co.uk/c/112xmvAqg0hi3C0u0bK0U2gHjtmFW Listening - https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HNnfojaNGXYrrMB0jmABL Reading - https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2026/jul/talking-time-programme-improves-young-childrens-language-skills-months-national-trial-finds AI Tool - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCbFDwjuBmg ⁠Music by Slo Pony⁠

The Education Brief: Wednesday 4 November 2026 - Top stories include:There has been a legal challenge against the government’s choice of a working definition of antisemitism for schools to adopt.FFT Education Datalab analysis finds belonging has less of an academic impact than once certain factors are controlled for, and encompasses diverse measures.The DfE contracted ICF Consulting Services to find evidence on the impact of inclusion bases.Councils now have statutory targets for the share of Reception children reaching a GLD by 2028.Former education minister Lord Agnew wants England to focus on numeracy.HEP Insightshttps://www.educateventures.com/research-human-intelligence-first-the-tool-is-the-smallest-partComing up at HEP:Inclusion and SEND Conference tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hep-inclusion-send-conference-2027-making-sense-of-all-the-change-tickets-1999479456880Watching - https://scenariospace.org/partners/eefListening - https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/kieran-mackle/episodes/Why-Attention-Comes-Before-Learning-e3qt147 Reading - https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/features/neurodiversity-affirming-practice-part-5-training-is-only-the-beginning AI Tool - https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/space/getting-started ⁠Music by Slo Pony⁠

The Education Brief: Wednesday 21 October 2026 - Top stories include:The DfE has confirmed the new pay scales for teachers and leaders.Ofsted inspections of multi-academy trusts are unlikely to start until 2028.A Tes analysis of Ofsted inspections found only 1.7 per cent mentioned mobile phone policies.The Children’s Commissioner has warned that services for children are in a “state of emergency.”Education Secretary Lucy Powell confirmed oracy will get equal status with reading and writing.HEP Insightshttps://www.tes.com/magazine/teaching-learning/secondary/what-can-teachers-do-if-pupils-are-reading-too-quickly Coming up at HEP:Inclusion and SEND Conference tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hep-inclusion-send-conference-2027-making-sense-of-all-the-change-tickets-1999479456880Watching - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1hob_amyIg Listening - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/equity-in-education-levelling-the-playing-field/id1448601060?i=1000637387343 Reading - https://nationalcollege.com/guides/wellbeing-conversations AI Tool - https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/aila-teacher-choices-trial ⁠Music by Slo Pony⁠

The Education Brief: Wednesday 14 October 2026 - Top stories include:Health professionals are warning that schools’ growing use of screens and edtech could be creating a serious child-health problem.New research from PF Global argues that Key Stage 3 still lacks a clear identity.School leaders’ union ASCL has passed a motion of no confidence in Ofsted’s leadership.Councils are warning that SEND deficits could climb to more than £10 billion by 2028.HEP Insightshttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ac76fa5e8ef5609e7c93373/Ofsted_renewed_EIF_and_ITE_inspection_frameworks_evaluation_summary_of_interim_findings.pdf Coming up at HEP:Inclusion and SEND Conference tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hep-inclusion-send-conference-2027-making-sense-of-all-the-change-tickets-1999479456880Watching - https://www.mariecollinsfoundation.org.uk/What-We-Do/Events/Access-Webinar-Series Listening - https://www.naht.org.uk/News/Latest-comments/The-School-Leadership-Podcast/ArtMID/557/ArticleID/3150/Improving-outcomes-for-white-working-class-pupils Reading - https://substack.nomoremarking.com/p/what-is-going-on-in-education-in AI Tool - http://gemini.google.com/students ⁠Music by Slo Pony⁠

The Education Brief: Wednesday 7 October 2026 - Top stories include:Ofsted extended its pause on inspections of NPQ and ECT Entitlement providers.The government’s new £174,000 cap on academy trust executive pay comes into force.New research shows severe pupil behaviour may be taking a physical health toll on teachers.Oak National Academy’s AI lesson-planning assistant, Aila, cut primary teachers’ planning time by almost a quarter in a new EEF trial.HEP Insightshttps://teacherhead.com/2026/09/24/powerful-habit-changes-for-more-inclusive-teaching/https://hailihughes.substack.com/p/why-i-hate-popsicle-sticks-for-coldComing up at HEP:Big 7: What Every Teacher Needs to Know https://hepbookinghub.co.uk/calendar/big-7-what-every-teacher-needs-to-know-2/Inclusion and SEND Conference tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hep-inclusion-send-conference-2027-making-sense-of-all-the-change-tickets-1999479456880Watching - https://youthendowmentfund.org.uk/yef-toolkit-what-works-to-prevent-youth-violence/ Listening - https://www.npr.org/2026/10/01/nx-s1-5985907/new-college-degrees-designed-to-job-proof-graduates Reading - https://home.edurio.com/resources/insights/school-staff-experience-report/ AI Tool - https://canva.link/jpi3vp1s58lep04 ⁠Music by Slo Pony⁠

The Education Brief: Wednesday 30 September 2026 - Top stories include:Education secretary Lucy Powell promises further reform of Ofsted.New research shows misogynistic language remains widespread in secondary schools.Teach First is shifting its focus away from inner cities and towards coastal and rural communities.New vocational GCSEs could widen inequality if they become a lower-status route.HEP Insightshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-workforce-modelsComing up at HEP:The Mini Bro Code Launch: For HEP member schools: https://hepbookinghub.co.uk/calendar/the-mini-bro-code-launch/For non-members: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-mini-bro-code-launch-prevention-starts-in-primary-tickets-2001190213800?aff=ebdssbdestsearchFoundational 5 for TAs: https://hepbookinghub.co.uk/calendar/foundational-5-what-every-teaching-assistant-needs-to-know/Inclusion and SEND Conference early bird tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hep-inclusion-send-conference-2027-making-sense-of-all-the-change-tickets-1999479456880Watching - https://wmctraining.co.uk/resources/video/003-aideen-mccartney/ Listening - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mind-the-gap-making-education-work-across-the-globe/id1516532537 Reading - https://ifs.org.uk/publications/outlook-school-funding-england AI Tool - https://app.teachmate.com/tools/inclusion-strategy-generator ⁠Music by Slo Pony⁠

The Education Brief: Wednesday 23 September 2026 - Top stories include:The government says this year’s 3.5 per cent teacher pay rise is affordable, but some schools have already built the pension savings into their budgets.Green and Reform voters share similar rates of dissatisfaction with schools in a new poll.The gender pay gap between headteachers in England’s state schools has reached its widest point since records began.A new report says England’s education system needs a dedicated “rapid response unit” and mandatory school AI strategies by September 2027.Explicitly teaching pupils about their rights may strengthen belonging, safety, and inclusion in schools.HEP Insightshttps://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Dual-Coding-Guide-for-Teachers-one-pager-v2.pdfWatching - https://www.aei.org/events/instructional-illusions-what-we-get-wrong-about-good-teaching/Listening - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/making-coaching-work-in-schools-with-matt-stone-mind/id1516532537?i=1000787774252Reading - https://www.tes.com/en-gb/for-schools/content/school-management-report AI Tool - https://www.nereo.io/ ⁠Music by Slo Pony⁠

The Education Brief: Wednesday 16 September 2026 - Top stories include:Education secretary Lucy Powell wants to end the “dog eat dog” culture between schools.England’s school food rules are getting new standards due from September 2027.A new report suggests schools joining academy trusts improve pupil attainment more, but there are caveats.Ofsted’s new inclusion framework may be penalising the very schools serving the highest proportions of pupils with SEND.Only 59 per cent of parents now say they feel involved in their children’s education.The biggest concern for England’s planned natural history GCSE is staffing.Deep Dive: England’s PISA Resultshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pisa-2025-national-report-for-englandWatching - https://www.suttontrust.com/our-programmes/teacher-work/Listening - https://www.npr.org/2026/09/07/nx-s1-5959775/when-is-your-brain-actually-adult Reading - https://www.faireducation.org.uk/report-card-2026 AI Tool - https://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/back-to-school-2026/ ⁠Music by Slo Pony⁠

The Education Brief: Wednesday 9 September 2026 - Top stories include:Internal exclusions in England’s secondary schools have almost tripled in just three years.The government’s SEND reforms are facing some serious warning signs before beginning.England has strengthened its performance in the latest PISA international rankings.School leaders call for stronger government support to deal with AI deepfakes.Insights:1.From Teacher Quality to Teaching Quality: Instructional Productivity and Teaching Practices2.The Memory Paradox: Why Our Brains Need Knowledge in an Age of AI3.From Gradual Release of Responsibility to Gradual Release of Technology: A Case for the Staged Use of AI in Formal Education4.Interventions to Improve Connectedness, Belonging, and Engagement in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisWatching - https://www.9ine.com/watch/kcsie2026webinarListening - https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/maths-prioritising-problem-solving Reading - https://thedustytsundoku.wordpress.com/2026/07/10/were-not-doing-anything-about-inclusion-heres-why/  AI Tool - https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2026/08/gemini-in-google-classroom-is-expanding-to-users-of-all-ages-with-contextualized-Gemini-starter-prompts-for-students.html ⁠Music by Slo Pony⁠

The Education Brief: Wednesday 2 September 2026 - Top stories include:Young people in poor urban schools are more than twice as likely to be NEET after Key Stage 4 as those in affluent suburban areas.A new pilot is attempting to tackle England’s growing SEND tribunal backlog.England’s GCSE English and maths pass rates have fallen for the fifth year running.Students in least deprived areas are three times more likely to take GCSE PE and drama as those in the most deprived.AI may be easing teachers’ workloads, but not necessarily reducing work hours.Insights:School belonging and attainment at key stage 4: linked data study: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a70a6c7e348732cfe958bdb/School_belonging_and_attainment_at_key_stage_4_linked_data_study.pdf HEP Updates:Get your HEP CPD Package here: https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/professional-development-at-hep/Watching - https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/kcsie_2026 Listening - https://podcasts.apple.com/cy/podcast/science-of-reading-the-podcast/id1483513974 Reading - https://theparentvoiceproject.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Parent Voice Project Report 3.pdf AI Tool - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/blog/2026/05/study-and-learn-ai-built-for-your-student/ ⁠Music by Slo Pony⁠