In the news: your weekly round-up

Top stories

School contributions towards teachers’ pensions will rise by more than 20% from April, with the rise funded by the government. The government has committed to funding the increase, which only applies to state schools, for 1 year [Schools Week]. 

Support from GovernorHub Knowledge: Use our list of questions to help you scrutinise the budget and feel confident to approve it.

Majority of school leaders want to continue with tutoring programmes, but won’t be able to once government funding ends. Reviews carried out by Ofsted and the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) highlight concerns around the sustainability of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) [Tes Magazine]. 

Support from GovernorHub Knowledge: Understand what funding your school could receive for tutoring programmes, and how to monitor that it’s being spent appropriately.

Ofsted to pause MAT evaluations until at least next April. Instead, its focus will be on inspections it has a statutory responsibility for [Tes Magazine]. 

Support from GovernorHub Knowledge: Find out how your trust board should use the trust quality descriptions to inform effective governance across your trust.

This week's headlines

Schools Week

• DfE pledges another £2m to Oak National Academy for AI quizzes and lesson planner
• Most schools have changed their Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum as a result of reforms

Tes Magazine - registration required

• School hardship fund dismissed as 'tokenistic' by sector leaders
• 9 in 10 teachers say Ofsted is not 'reliable' or 'valid'

The Guardian 

• Letter to headteachers reveals plan for more visible patrols in London by Met police amid Israel-Gaza tensions

The Telegraph - registration required

• Schools trans guidance should be published by Christmas, assures education secretary

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