The Latest Breaking News from DfE

Concrete scandal: Minister issues ‘unreserved apology’ to schools after headteachers blamed

Exclusive: More than 400 school leaders laid out their ‘grave’ concerns about how the government was handling the RAAC concrete crisis

Evening Standard · Sep 7, 2023

Where are Britain’s missing schoolchildren?

School attendance is failing to return to pre-pandemic levels as data shows that more than one in five children in England are still frequently absent.

The Week · Sep 7, 2023

Schools concrete crisis: A timeline of crumbling infrastructure, chances missed and warnings ignored

‘Cowboy builders’ Rishi Sunak and Gillian Keegan under fire as government publishes list of 147 institutions of concern over the use of sub-standard material in their construction

The Independent UK · Sep 6, 2023

Keir Starmer likens government to ‘cowboy builders’ over concrete crisis

Labour leader accuses prime minister of neglecting pupils at state schools during combative PMQs

The Guardian - UK · Sep 6, 2023

Anxiety levels in school communities ‘high’ due to concrete crisis – union

Headteachers are feeling ‘a very heavy sense of responsibility’, according to the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.

The Independent UK · Sep 6, 2023

Concrete in schools: how missing data and poor funding contributed to today's closures

In September 2022, schools in England were at risk of bankruptcy as their day-to-day spending threatened to overtake their regular income. A hasty autumn budget included additional revenue funds for schools, coming as a relief to many school leaders.

The Conversation · Sep 6, 2023

Leicester school told by DfE to close building finds it has no Raac

Willowbrook Mead primary will now shut for a day to move furniture back after scramble to create new spaces

The Guardian - UK · Sep 6, 2023

Gillian Keegan’s department ‘gave £1m from schools rebuilding pot to company linked to husband’

‘Questions to answer’ claims Labour, after Michael Keegan’s connection to firm with IT contract revealed

The Independent UK · Sep 6, 2023

Three-quarters of schools hit by concrete crisis are in Tory areas

Guardian analysis of newly published government list shows that 109 of the 147 affected schools are in Conservative constituencies

The Guardian - UK · Sep 6, 2023

Schools say concrete surveys were sent back month ago after receiving ‘telling off’ letter from government

The row over crumbling concrete is growing as schools claimed they filled in safety surveys “months ago”, after the Education Secretary told headteachers to “get off their backsides” and send back the forms.

Evening Standard · Sep 6, 2023