In an article for Independent School Management Plus, Emma Garrett, development director at Eastbourne College, reflects on the challenges independent schools are facing, including financial pressures, increased scrutiny and shifting parental expectations. "Rather than retreat, we’re asking for support. And what we’re discovering is that our communities; alumni, parents, staff, and pupils are not only willing to support us, they’re determined and eager to help shape the future of our schools," she writes.

Lord Black of Brentwood, president of the Boarding Schools' Association (BSA), asked the government how many independent schools have been visited by ministers at the Department for Education since July 2024. In response, Baroness Smith of Malvern referred to a previous answer from schools minister Stephen Morgan, in which he said: "The Secretary of State for Education prioritises visits to state schools, which serve 93% of pupils in England. The Secretary of State for Education and the wider ministerial team visit a wide variety of education settings, including to private schools." Hansard.

The NASUWT teaching union will hold a contested leadership election after a challenger to Matt Wrack, the former firefighters' union general secretary, emerged. Mr Wrack was named as the preferred candidate for the role in March, and under the NASUWT's rules would have automatically filled the position if no other candidate received enough nominations from local branches. Neil Butler, an NASUWT official, won a legal battle against the union's national executive to run, and has passed the threshold required to be a candidate. The election will begin on 19 June and close on 23 July. By Richard Adams, The Guardian. 

A 140 per cent increase in the number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) over the past decade is driven by an "overreliance" on diagnoses such as ADHD, experts have warned. Amanda Allard, director of the Council for Disabled Children, said a "perfect storm" of factors often compel parents to pursue formal diagnoses for their children: "It’s a combination of the lack of inclusivity, of parents being told that the school can’t meet their child’s needs and the only way of fixing that is to get a diagnosis... You get the help when you get the label." By Georgia Lambert, The Times. 

The government has pledged to create 120,000 new apprenticeship and training opportunities in England before the next election, with the aim of boosting the workforce and reducing reliance on migrant workers. From January next year, funding will be shifted away from masters-level apprenticeships to focus on training at lower levels, though support will be maintained for those aged 16-21 and existing apprentices. On the importance of this investment, education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "A skilled workforce is the key to steering the economy forward, and today we’re backing the next generation by giving young people more opportunities to learn a trade, earn a wage and achieve and thrive." By David Hughes, The Independent. 

Downing Street has endorsed a suggestion by Bridget Phillipson that Labour wants to allow parents to claim universal credit for more than two children, according to The Times. The education secretary said that her message to charities campaigning to end the two-child limit was that the government "wants to make this change happen". She added that the "moral purpose of this Labour government" is to "bring down the numbers of children growing up in poverty". By Daisy Eastlake.

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