How is Australia’s social media ban playing out in schools? After Australia introduced a world-first ban on social media for under-16s, Zofia Niemtus speaks to school leaders in the country about the impact of the new law

While the law isn't perfect, support for Australia's social media ban for under-16s remains high, with one sector leader saying that many have 'faith it will make a bigger difference' over time

Nice front page...

ASCL conference 2026: Schools Week live blog Live updates from our journalists in Liverpool

Di'lasio says ASCL leadership have received 'too many reports' of local disputes in which members 'have been targeted in a way that is personal and vindicitive'

'We will not tolerate this behaviour'.

Read more on our live blog
schoolsweek.co.uk/ascl-conference-2026-sch...

My friend asked if I knew what ‘nihility’ means. I had to admit it means nothing to me. #weakendpun

Pay is a huge part, and also the stress of the job in 2026. Need support of parents and leaders to ensure we move into an era of respect for all professionals working in schools.

Support staff turnover hits record high, report warns Report recommends government action to help schools recruit staff

ICYMI: Three-quarters of school leaders are struggling to recruit teaching assistants, while support staff are leaving at the highest rate since records began, a report has warned

schoolsweek.co.uk/support-staff-turnover-h...

There's nothing selfish about putting yourself first.

Prioritising your wellbeing isn't a 'nice to have' - it's essential.

Watch out webinar for tips and advice: https://ow.ly/Glrj50Yql7c

Lead Trustee for Policy - The Sutton Trust Do you want to use your expertise to shape the future of social mobility in the UK? Join our Trustee Board as our Lead Trustee for Policy!

🚨 We're recruiting a Lead Trustee for Policy!

Influencing national policy change is critical to achieving our mission.

If you have senior experience in policy, research or public affairs, come and help us break the link between background and success ⤵️

Yes, this is a great example of teenagers telling adults,”Don’t believe what you see online.” Teenagers who are older have read through the fakery and the out of date school names and are not engaging in this nonsense. Sadly younger teenagers and parents (and the media) have been scared.

Julie McCulloch to join EPI as new chief executive ASCL policy chief 'hugely privileged' to take over as CEO of think tank EPI

ASCL policy director Julie McCulloch has been appointed as the new chief executive of The Education Policy Institute

schoolsweek.co.uk/julie-mcculloch-to-join-...

wtf is a FIFA peace prize? that's like being an NFL laureate in physics

Ministers refuse to rule out cutting EHCPs Pressure on the government over SEND reforms mounts as campaigners warn that pupils will not survive in mainstream education without statutory support

The uncertain future of Education, Health and Care Plans has become a national political story. Here is the latest from today as pressure mounts on the govt to set out its plans for SEND reform. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Concern over school building impact of Grenfell bans Warning government action against firms could hit 'every' school project, amid 'concerning' DfE emails

Exclusive: Potential bans on building companies involved in the Grenfell Tower disaster could impact 'every' school project, the government’s property arm has warned

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-official...

Sunday morning book recommendation. Spent 2 hours reading it this morning, it caught my attention!

Four ways the Francis review can succeed where others failed In the first instalment of our new series, Chirstine Counsell draws lessons from 35 years of attempted reform

My @schoolsweek.bsky.social piece on curriculum reviews. If we learn from 35 yrs of them, we might avoid the ever-recurring problems. But without strong subject-curricular training, espec for senior/system leaders, the finest rubric will still feed old distortions.
schoolsweek.co.uk/what-a-natio...

Fantastic! Congratulations from @qpcs.bsky.social Jonathan Rowe !

School funding: 4 changes for next year The DfE sets out how local authorities are allocating funding for next year through the National Funding Formula

ICYMI: The DfE sets out how local authorities are allocating funding for next year through the National Funding Formula

I like your piece but I think it’s a bit mean about motivation. In my view all OI s including HMCI have a missionary zeal that they are improving schools. The problem is working in a framework and political & regulatory structure, high stakes, that does the opposite.

Yes! This! But no one at our (English) inspectorate has ever appreciated this point. And for some reason, our DfE has not understood this either. Since 1992 and launch of Ofsted these two have been blurred though all the evidence shows they are incompatible. I wish they would listen.

Headteachers in England threaten to quit as Ofsted inspectors over proposed overhaul Unions urge government to delay and revise changes to way schools are graded or headteachers will stop assisting inspectors

Is it difficult to support and implement #Ofsted reforms? @ascl-uk.bsky.social and @naht.org.uk say yes it is, and here is what members are prepared to do about it. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Thank you for writing this. We would of course love to shut up about children growing up in poverty. And we would be able to if our government addressed this at scale. But until we do, we need to keep shouting that this is NOT RIGHT and highlighting the impact of austerity on our children.

Shut up about poverty? No we won’t. I’m used to reading some breathtaking takes in education interviews, but this one still made me stop and inhale.

open.substack.com/pub/johnsonp...

After a difficult read from Schools Week, I have replied. #thisisAP #edusky

In this video, @judeenright.bsky.social Chair of ASCL Funding Committee, summarises the Committee's recent discussions at #ASCLCouncil including the impact of last week's #SpendingReview on schools and colleges.

See our position statements for all Committees at www.ascl.org.uk/position-statements

"Auto-enrolment is something ASCL and many other organisations have been calling for for some time, and has been shown to work well at a local level."

Our full comment on @edupolicyinst.bsky.social calls for auto-enrolment for #freeschoolmeals: ow.ly/xBbe50W7FQW

#education

But we are in school. Not away days. Also not Saturdays/holidays as lots of the team have small and teenage kids.

When too tired to make a good decision, we agree to discuss it first next week. Avoid any big decisions in late Dec & mid May. We have a strategic planning and (later) an operational planning day every summer. Some of the really big decisions taken then. School days, middle leaders run the school.

Morning tea / coffee for day to day, breaking news & admin catch up. Then SLT starts at 2:45 (in final lesson of day), breaks 3:20-3:35 for end of day and reconvenes with any big thinking items at 3:35 for a proper discussion with fresh (ish) brains. We bring snacks for all on a rota.

NEW: Think you’ve got what it takes to be the Chancellor?

📊 Ahead of next month’s Spending Review, use our new and improved tool created by IFS researchers in partnership with @nestauk.bsky.social‬ to set your own fiscal plans and see the results:

Whitney Museum of American Art The Whitney Museum of American Art. Explore works, exhibitions, and events online. Located in New York City.

Walk over Brooklyn bridge. Book ahead to go up the Statue of Liberty. Combine highline & Chelsea Market with whitney.org

Hey #WomenEd new headteachers, come along to this @ascl-uk.bsky.social event and hear @keziah70.bsky.social and @carolinebarlow.bsky.social speak 💜💜💜