Alongside our best practice section, Headteacher Update features regular news and news analysis articles to keep school leaders up-to-date with the latest policy and sector developments. Our news pieces attempt to tackle issues of direct relevance to primary school educators and offer something different to the mainstream media.

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Pressure builds over inconsistent school safety measures and Covid-19 testing problems

?Some schools are failing to implement consistent Covid-19 safety measures, including social distancing and enhanced cleaning, while on-going delays to track and trace are putting school leaders in an “impossible situation”.

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Local authorities urged to act now on air pollution around schools

Reducing air pollution around UK schools could halve the number of children with lung function so poor it affects their everyday lives, researchers have concluded.

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Pay rises branded 'divisive and inadequate' by both teacher and leadership unions

This year’s teacher pay rise, which gives early career teachers 5.5 per cent compared to a 2.75 per cent uplift for more experienced colleagues, has been labelled “divisive and inadequate” by both teacher and leadership unions.

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Environment design and school building competition inspires young architects

Budding young architects have produced stunning environmental designs with a range of innovative eco ideas as part of our lockdown competition run in conjunction with TG Escapes

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Safeguarding: Councils braced for spike in referrals as ‘Covid lockdown cloak’ is lifted

There was an 18 per cent fall in the number of referrals to children’s social care services at the height of the Covid-19 lockdown, government figures have revealed.

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Food insecurity: Marcus Rashford leads campaign to extend FSM to 1.5 million more pupils

Fourteen per cent of UK families report having suffered from moderate or severe food insecurity in the last six months – affecting an estimated 2.3 million children.

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Back to school: Primary schools report high attendance and positive responses from pupils, parents and staff

Headteachers are reporting high attendances and a positive response from parents and children after the full re-opening of schools following the Covid-19 lockdown and summer break.

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Student wellbeing: Teachers offered specialist support

Teachers are being offered free access to specialist support to help them talk to students about the pandemic, managing anxiety and related wellbeing issues.

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Covid safety measures will hit teaching standards, research warns

A majority of teachers have concerns about being able to teach to their usual standard in the classroom while Covid-19 measures are in place.

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Schools offered Covid-19 mental health support in £8m government programme

Mental health experts are to provide training and support to schools as part of a national programme to tackle the emotional impact of Covid-19 on students and staff.

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Local lockdown guidance: Schools urged to set 'realistic expectations'

Schools getting to grips with the last-minute government guidance on managing education during local lockdowns have been urged to focus on the “art of the possible” and to maintain “realistic expectations”.

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New report: Covid-19 catch-up funding must be weighted towards disadvantaged pupils

The £650 million coronavirus catch-up funding must be weighted towards disadvantaged schools and students, researchers have warned.

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Schools face £10,000 bill for full re-opening in September

Schools face additional costs of around £10,000 in order to allow all pupils to return to the classroom in September – and they are unlikely to be reimbursed by the government.

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Inquiry launched into impact of Covid-19 on SEN young people

An inquiry has been launched into the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown has had on children and young people with SEND.

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Ofsted's September 'visits' are not 'inspection by stealth' – Amanda Spielman

Ofsted’s plan to begin visiting schools again from September is not “inspection by stealth” and is a genuine attempt to offer “constructive challenge” and build a picture of practice across England’s schools.

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Query over key stage 1 tests after Reception Baseline Assessment postponed

Primary school leaders are hoping that the removal of key stage 1 statutory assessments could still happen within the planned timescales despite delays to the national roll-out of Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA).

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Headteachers face up to 'mind-boggling logistics' of full reopening in September

The logistics of keeping apart many different “bubbles” of children in full schools from September is “mind-boggling”, school leaders have warned.

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Crisis in the early years as nurseries and pre-schools face closure

Many early years providers may be forced to close permanently because of the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown, with those in the poorest areas hit the hardest.

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One month on: Schools' experiences of wider re-opening

No NPQH ever prepared headteachers for the decision-making and timetabling that they have had to put into operation over the past few weeks. One month on since wider re-opening of primary schools, headteachers speak to Suzanne O’Connell about their experiences and lessons learned so far

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Children reveal their top 10 lockdown films

Playing outside, watching feel-good films, gaming and baking are among the top activities that have helped pupils to stay positive during the lockdown.

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Full school re-opening? One-metre rule change makes little difference, DfE told

School leaders and teachers have warned that the move to a social distancing standard of one metre will make little difference to the capacity of schools to re-open fully in September.

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Behaviour policies must become trauma-aware post-lockdown

School behaviour policies post-lockdown must take into account the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic and “reflect how behaviour could relate to trauma or emotional distress”.

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Funded support for NQTs hit by coronavirus lockdown

Schools eligible for the one-year funded offer of support for early career teachers whose training has been interrupted by the coronavirus lockdown are to be contacted by providers in due course.

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Frustration at lack of consultation over DfE's £1bn catch-up programme

School leaders have expressed their frustration at being kept in the dark over the government’s plans for a £1 billion catch-up tutoring programme.

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Looming recession will boost teacher recruitment (and retention)

Teacher recruitment is likely to experience a welcome boost caused by the inevitable recession that has been brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

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