Ofsted in the headlines for an overhaul of its inspection regime—Nando’s-style ratings spark backlash. UK’s schools watchdog in the spotlight.
The government has announced £132.5m to fund after-school clubs and enrichment activities in schools, aiming to broaden access to music, engineering, debating and sports. Ofsted will weigh a school's enrichment offer in personal development assessments, and the move responds to the State of the Nation survey highlighting loneliness among digitally connected youth. Ministers are preparing for anticipated online-safety restrictions on under-16s, with a possible Australian-style social media ban.
The SNP has vowed to deliver a brand-new, year-round childcare system from nine months to end of primary school, funded by a £500 million package if re-elected. The plan aims to extend support to every family, with free provision for the lowest-income households and a tapered rollout for others.
The UK government has announced that existing guidance on mobile phone restrictions in schools will be made statutory. This move formalises policies most schools already enforce, aiming to strengthen child safeguarding legislation amid ongoing debates about technology's impact on young people. The legislation is part of broader child protection reforms.
The NAHT has criticised Ofsted at its Belfast conference, arguing the new inspection scorecards do not raise standards and endanger headteachers’ wellbeing. The union notes the legal challenge to the reforms has been dismissed, and calls for sustained funding for SEND reforms while acknowledging some government measures. The speech follows developments since November 2025 when Ofsted rolled out its new framework.