Catch up on the latest education, teaching and recruitment news below:

Older News

• Councils granted a two-year reprieve on SEND deficits, but wider reforms still awaited

  Tuesday, June 24, 2025

  England’s local authorities have been granted a crucial two-year extension on the “statutory override” that hides rising deficits in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) spending from their balance sheets. This pause, delayed from its original end date in April 2026 to April 2028, buys vital breathing space for councils but stops short of resolving the long-term financial crisis plaguing high-needs education.

• Celebrating Our Flourish Champions of the Summer Term

  Wednesday, June 18, 2025

  At Flourish Education, we are incredibly proud of the passionate teachers and teaching assistants who bring energy, compassion, and excellence into the classrooms and communities they serve. Every term, we invite schools and academies across the West Midlands and surrounding regions to nominate standout members of our team who have gone above and beyond in their roles.

• SEN in England: Numbers Continue to Climb, Reforms Take Centre Stage

  Thursday, June 12, 2025

  The Department for Education has today published its official statistics on Special Educational Needs (SEN) in England for the 2024/25 academic year, revealing a sustained and substantial rise in pupils requiring support.

• Total Number of Pupils in England Falls by 0.7% in 2025

  Friday, June 6, 2025

  The Department for Education has released its School Pupils and Their Characteristics 2024/25 data, showing that the number of pupils in England’s schools has dropped by 59,600 since last year. This marks a 0.7% decrease in the total pupil population – the second consecutive annual drop – mainly due to falling birth rates.

• School Workforce in England 2024: Key Facts and Figures

  Thursday, June 5, 2025

  The Department for Education has released its School Workforce 2024 data, revealing that there were only 524 more full-time teacher entrants than leavers over the last academic year. This means that the total number of full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers in England fell slightly by 0.1%, continuing a concerning trend of stagnation in workforce growth.

• Government Confirms 4% Teacher Pay Rise with Partial Funding Support

  Thursday, May 29, 2025

  The Department for Education (DfE) has accepted the School Teachers’ Review Body's (STRB) recommendation for a 4% pay increase for teachers in England, effective from September 2025. To support this, the government has allocated an additional £615 million in funding.

• Revealed: The Year 7 Dip and the Pupils Most at Risk of Disengagement

  Wednesday, May 21, 2025

  A major new study has highlighted a significant drop in pupil engagement as students move from primary to secondary school, with Year 7 identified as a key turning point.
  The research, conducted by the Commission on Engagement and Lead Indicators and led by ImpactEd Group, is the largest study of its kind in England. It draws on insights from over 100,000 pupils across the country and paints a concerning picture of declining engagement during the early secondary years, especially for girls and disadvantaged pupils.

• New DfE Training Empowers Secondary Schools to Support All Readers

  Wednesday, May 7, 2025

  The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a new, evidence-based training programme designed to equip secondary school staff and leaders with practical strategies to support reading development across all subjects and student abilities.

• ​Mounting Stress and Workload Drive England's Teachers to the Brink

  Wednesday, April 30, 2025

  England's education system is facing a critical juncture as escalating stress levels and unmanageable workloads push teachers toward industrial action. Recent surveys and reports reveal a profession grappling with burnout, mental health challenges, and a growing exodus of educators.​

• Teacher Recruitment in England: A Turning Point Amid Shifting Targets and Rising Applications

  Tuesday, April 29, 2025

  After years of grappling with teacher shortages, England's education sector is witnessing a notable shift. Recent data indicates a surge in applications for teacher training across most subjects, prompting the Department for Education (DfE) to reduce its recruitment targets by nearly 20% for the upcoming academic year. This development suggests a potential easing of the long-standing teacher supply crisis, though challenges persist in certain areas.​