- House of Commons written answer: Independent school closures
- Ofcom finalises regulations to safeguard children online
- Secondary school job adverts drop by nearly a third, research finds
- Judge orders Scottish schools to offer single-sex toilets
- Universities to increase lower grade entry offers for disadvantaged students
House of Commons written answer: Independent school closures
PoliticalIn 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.
Ofcom finalises regulations to safeguard children online
Online safetyOfcom has published the final version of rules it says will offer children in the UK “transformational new protections” online. The new rules mean websites will have to change the algorithms that recommend content to young people and introduce stricter age checks by 25 July or face significant fines. Platforms which host pornography, or offer content which encourages self-harm, suicide or eating disorders, are among those which must take more robust action to prevent young people from accessing their content. Ofcom boss Dame Melanie Dawes said it was a “gamechanger” but critics say the restrictions do not go far enough, calling them “a bitter pill to swallow”. By Hafsa Khalil, BBC News.
Secondary school job adverts drop by nearly a third, research finds
Recruitment and retentionTeacher 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.
Judge orders Scottish schools to offer single-sex toilets
Gender identityA 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 to increase lower grade entry offers for disadvantaged students
Higher educationUniversities 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.