In a written question in the House of Commons, Conservative MP Peter Bedford asked how many independent schools have closed, or announced their closure, since last July. Responding, schools minister Stephen Morgan referred Mr Bedford to the government's records of school closures, adding that these are publicly available on the Get Information about Schools website. Hansard. 

Teacher recruitment activity in secondary schools has been significantly lower this year, with job adverts down by almost a third, according to research by Teacher Tapp and SchoolDash. The number of adverts for secondary school teachers in 2024-25 has decreased by 31 per cent compared with 2023-24, and is 22 per cent lower than in 2018-19, the last time Easter fell this late in the year. While recruitment levels for schools were typical in the autumn, the research suggests activity has slowed “markedly” since January, which it says could indicate a “quieter spring term for hiring”. By Cerys Turner, Tes.

A judge has ruled that Scottish schools must provide separate toilets for boys and girls, following a legal challenge from parents. The case was brought against Scottish Borders Council (SBC) after a new primary school opened with only gender-neutral toilets. Parents Sean Stratford and Leigh Hurley, whose son previously attended the school, raised concerns but were initially dismissed by the council. However, in court, the council conceded it had a legal duty to provide both male and female toilet facilities. The decision follows a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that defines a woman based on biological sex under equalities law. BBC News. 

Universities are set to expand the use of lower entry grade offers for disadvantaged students, with vice-chancellors encouraged to adopt more “contextual admissions” to improve access for those facing barriers. Universities UK (UUK), which represents 141 universities, has revealed plans for a “more transparent and consistent approach” to contextual admissions that take into account a student’s circumstances and background in order to recognise the barriers they may have faced. Access to Success, the new plan, will see UUK, Ucas and the Sutton Trust launching a joint review of the criteria used for contextual admissions to encourage greater consistency across universities in England. By Neil Johnston, The Telegraph. 

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