The Brief: 28 February 2022

Monday 28 February - Top stories include: DfE published new advice on testing and self-isolation for education settings. TES has reported that new special schools aren’t being built quickly enough to cope with the rising demand for places. DfE attendance survey data estimates that on-site attendance has risen to above 90%, but staff absences remain high. The Prince’s Trust NatWest Youth Index, released on the 23rd of February, highlights the devastating emotional effects of the pandemic on young people. This week’s deep dive: We examine ‘The Gove reforms a decade on: What worked, what didn’t, what’s next?’ The Institute for Government report by Sam Freedman, focusing on the structure of the education system, SEND support, and teacher recruitment/retention. We’ll also tell you what’s happening at HEP this week and what we’ve been watching, listening to, and reading! Links to content: Latest advice on testing and self-isolation in education settings from DfE https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2022/02/21/what-the-latest-advice-on-testing-and-self-isolation-means-for-education-settings/ SEND Review by Simon Knight for TES https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/specialist-sector/send-review-special-school-places-problem Prince’s Trust NatWest Youth Index https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/about-the-trust/news-views/princes-trust-natwest-youth-index-2022?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=YouthIndex2022 Attendance data https://schoolsweek.co.uk/school-attendance-at-highest-since-november-as-covid-absences-fall/ Sam Freedman’s Report https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/gove-reforms Watching - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8opg6U-_bc Reading - https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-black-history-thought-and-culture-through-art Listening - https://soundcloud.com/freshed-podcast/270-sowton