The Latest Breaking News from Pepe DiIasio

Every year, more pupils are granted special ‘access arrangements’ to give them a fairer chance in GCSEs, A-levels and other exams. But with more than 600,000 arrangements in England alone, can the schools keep up? And are some students gaming the system?

More schools also reducing spending on trips, IT, extracurricular activities and GCSE subject choices

School attendance policies should ‘prioritise encouragement and support over sanctions’, the NFER paper has said.

More than 171,000 pupils missed at least half of possible school sessions in 2023/24, Department for Education statistics show.

Commons approves Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – to mixed reviews from education experts

Thinktank says unauthorised absence is ‘a leading cause’ of performance gap between disadvantaged pupils and peers

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, will say fines ‘often deepen tensions’ with parents.

Knife crime involving teenagers is a ‘national crisis that needs a national response’, the former children’s commissioner for England has suggested.

Unions as well as school leaders say proposed changes to replace four-grade approach in England are ‘demoralising’

The reforms come after criticism of the inspection system following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry.

Exclusive: Researchers say poverty and special educational needs are main reason – but equality campaigners urge caution