In the news: your weekly round-up

Top stories

Burnout warning as school staff take on extra support work. Teachers and support staff are increasingly providing social, wellbeing and healthcare support for pupils, amid shortage of social services and nurses in schools [Schools Week and Tes Magazine - registration required]. Find out what staff wellbeing initiatives look like in practice, and how you can monitor their impact.

Experts call for better training to help teachers deliver relationships and sex education (RSE). The Commons women and equalities committee also heard that schools need more support to deliver topics around power imbalances, pornography and self harm  [The Guardian - free registration required]. Understand your responsibilities for monitoring RSE, and find out what questions to ask to challenge your school leaders.

Research reveals the cost of sending children to school for low-income families. The Child Poverty Action group found that costs including lunches, uniform and transport add up to £19 a week at state-funded primary schools, and £39 a week at secondary schools [The Guardian - free registration required]. Take a look at our guidance on supporting your school through the cost-of-living crisis.

This week’s headlines

• Schools doing too many “unnecessary” mock tests, says DfE [Schools Week]

• Teacher workload a barrier to professional development, Ofsted report finds [GOV.UK]
• Children’s Commissioner calls for specialist qualification for designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) [Tes Magazine - registration required]
• Cost-cutters find fewer savings this year amid tightening school budgets [Schools Week]
• Artificial intelligence (AI) tools have the power to ‘transform’ teachers’ workload, says Gillian Keegan [The Independent]
• Teachers’ stress levels rise with SATs, but the anxiety is short-lived and not a reason to abolish tests, study finds [Tes Magazine - registration required]
• Think tank warns primary maths outcomes are still behind following COVID-19 [Tes Magazine - registration required]
• Exam appeal numbers fell in 2022, compared to pre-pandemic figures [Schools Week]
• Early Years Alliance joins calls for review of Ofsted grading system [BBC News]

Dates for next week

Wednesday 17 May - International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 

Thursday 18 May - International Museum Day

Thursday 18 May - School Census Day

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