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16 October, 2026
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Key Education News Stories – What’s New
Keeping up with the news can be a challenge. See our summary of must-read news stories in education from the last two weeks to stay informed and empowered.
Read more1. New Ofsted complaints review service can recommend reopening inspections
Chief inspector pledges ‘appropriate action’ where ‘we have not acted reasonably and fairly’, writes Schools Week.
Ofsted’s new independent complaints review service will be able to recommend reopening inspections when it finds the watchdog’s handling of a complaint was not “fair and reasonable”.
The inspectorate has announced new details about the Independent Complaints Review (ICR) Service, which it says will add “greater independent oversight” when schools are unhappy with how Ofsted handled a complaint.
Ofsted said a pilot of the service will begin “shortly” and will run throughout this academic year.
It comes after three unions have passed a vote of no confidence in Ofsted’s leadership in the past week.
It comes after a study commissioned by the watchdog revealed almost nine in 10 schools warn that Ofsted inspections are having a negative impact on staff wellbeing, following which three unions – ASCL, NAHT and NEU – have passed a vote of no confidence in Ofsted’s leadership. Moreover, ASCL is to survey its members over potential industrial action.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said the independent complaints service was “welcome” but that it “does nothing to deal with the fundamental issue that we have a framework that has failed in its own terms.”
Source: New Ofsted complaints review service can recommend reopening inspections (schoolsweek.co.uk)
2. Powell: Oracy will have ‘equal status’ with reading and writing
Education secretary also reiterates the ‘need for change’ with Ofsted inspections, saying school leaders are being ‘penalised or downgraded for doing the right thing for their children’, writes Tes.
Pupils’ ability to articulate themselves verbally will be given “equal status” to reading and writing as part of the revised curriculum, the education secretary has announced at the Confederation of School Trusts’ (CST) annual conference in Birmingham last week.
Lucy Powell said the rise of AI means greater emphasis should be placed on developing skills that make us “human”.
Oracy – the ability to articulate oneself “fluently and confidently” through spoken language – is key to success in work and life, she said.
Ms Powell pledged to make spoken language a “core part” of the refreshed curriculum and assessment system for schools – up to and including GCSEs.
She warned oracy has been “a marker of privilege” for too long. Hands-on skills are “disappearing” from practical subjects “when the world demands the opposite” in a new age of technology, Ms Powell said.
“That’s why we’re hardwiring oracy into the revised national curriculum. And I can announce today that I will give oracy equal status to reading and writing, as a brand-new strand of the English curriculum.”
Source: Powell: Oracy will have ‘equal status’ with reading and writing (Tes.com)
3. 1 in 3 schools considering redundancies or restructuring
Heads’ leaders urge the government to put more investment into education in the Budget to prevent staff cuts and school closures, writes Tes.
One in three school leaders is considering redundancies or restructuring, an NAHT school leaders’ union survey reveals.
The union has warned that funding shortfalls risk causing “enormous damage” to children’s education if they are not addressed in the government’s upcoming Budget.
The survey of more than 5,300 NAHT members in England (74% of whom were primary school leaders) suggests 35% of leaders are aware of consultations or discussions about possible redundancies or restructures.
When asked to identify the factors contributing to possible job losses, 78% cited “insufficient funding”, while 56% said “falling rolls” in schools.
Around 14% NAHT members surveyed said there had been a formal consultation about redundancies and/or a restructure at their school or trust, while 7% cited informal consultations and 15% said there had been discussions about it.
Ahead of the upcoming autumn Budget, the NAHT is urging the government to provide immediate additional investment into schools to prevent reductions in teachers, teaching assistants and leadership teams.
“[These cuts] can cause enormous damage to children’s learning,” said Mr Whiteman. “It can affect pupil-staff ratios and lead to bigger class sizes, making it harder to ensure children – including those who need support the most – get the attention they deserve.
Source: 1 in 3 schools considering redundancies or restructuring (Tes.com)
4. New RSHE curriculum introduced without promised training grants
Union leaders say lack of support for new relationships and sex education lessons is ‘disappointing’, writes Schools Week.
School staff have called for “urgent support” in teaching new relationships and sex education, after promised training grants did not materialise before the new guidance was enforced. Schools have had to teach the new curriculum from last month.
The guidance “strongly encourages” primary schools to teach about same-sex parents, and says secondaries should make sure there is an “equal opportunity” to discuss healthy same-sex and heterosexual relationships.
It also places greater emphasis on misogyny, requiring schools to teach lessons on deepfake images and sexual violence, including strangulation and sextortion.
The DfE previously said training grants would be available to some schools from early this year to help “staff tackle these challenges with confidence”.
The DfE has now said the funding has been “incorporated” into the separate violence against women and girls’ (VAWG) prevention programme, which will “test and trial the best ways to support schools” from this month until 2029. The DfE also said schools would receive the same financial support, but that they were not “formally” grants.
Union leaders have criticised the DfE, with the PSHE Association warning support was “needed urgently, not in three years’ time.” Margaret Mulholland, the SEND and inclusion specialist at ASCL, said schools “desperately need support and space to prepare” for the new lessons.
Source: New RSHE curriculum introduced without promised training grants (schoolsweek.co.uk)
5. National curriculum consultation delayed until ‘later this year’
School leaders voice frustration as delay to consultation on study and subject content confirmed, writes Tes.
Draft proposals for the national curriculum and GCSE subjects have been delayed until later this academic year.
The DfE had repeatedly said that it would publish the draft programmes of study and subject content for public consultation in September, with schools minister Georgia Gould publicly committing to the timeline earlier this year.
However, it is now understood that the proposals are planned to come “later this year”.
The move has been described as “disappointing” by unions, while one curriculum drafter who spoke to Tes Magazine has urged the government to stop “chopping and changing”.
The DfE has said: “We will consult on curriculum and assessment reform arrangements by the end of the year and publish the final content as soon as possible next calendar year, giving schools time and support to prepare for first teaching in September 2028.”
The government has said previously that it will implement the updated national curriculum for first teaching from September 2028 and that it will “aim” to publish the final revised national curriculum by spring 2027 – giving schools four terms to prepare for the changes.
Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at the NAHT school leaders’ union, described the timeline slip as “disappointing”.
“Even under the original proposals, schools would have had only four terms to prepare for significant curriculum changes across all subjects and year groups. If that implementation period is reduced further, schools will need additional practical support to prepare effectively,” she said. Other union leaders shared these concerns.
Source: National curriculum consultation delayed until ‘later this year’ (Tes.com)
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