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

Older News

• DfE Sets New AI-Powered Attendance Targets to Boost Pupil Attendance Across England

  Thursday, November 13, 2025

  The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a new nationwide attendance initiative aimed at significantly reducing pupil absence and restoring attendance rates to pre-pandemic levels. As part of this strategy, every school in England will now receive an individualised minimum attendance improvement target, powered by AI and tailored to their unique context.

• Year 3 Pupil, Victoria, Wins Flourish Education’s 2025 Christmas Card Competition

  Wednesday, November 12, 2025

  Flourish Education is delighted to announce Year 3 pupil Victoria as the winner of the 2025 Christmas Card Competition. Her charming reindeer design, complete with holly in its antlers and a cosy scarf, captured the magic of the festive season. Victoria receives a £30 high street voucher, and her Stourport-upon-Severn school will be awarded a £100 book voucher. Her artwork will feature on Flourish Education’s official Christmas cards sent across the West Midlands, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Staffordshire.

• DfE Proposes 6.5% Teacher Pay Rise Over Three Years

  Friday, November 7, 2025

  The Department for Education (DfE) has proposed a 6.5% pay increase for teachers in England, spread across a three-year period from 2026 to 2029. The recommendation forms part of its latest evidence submitted to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), the independent body responsible for advising the government on teacher pay. While the proposal signals a continued effort to address teacher recruitment and retention, it has prompted debate over funding, affordability and whether the increase goes far enough to restore teacher pay after years of real-terms decline.

• Curriculum and Assessment Review: What Schools Need to Know

  Wednesday, November 5, 2025

  The Department for Education (DfE) has today published the final report of its long-awaited Curriculum and Assessment Review, setting the course for significant changes to how children and young people will be taught and assessed in schools across England. A phased introduction of a new national curriculum is expected from September 2028. This wide-ranging review has been described as an evolution rather than a revolution. It keeps key components such as key stages and GCSEs in place but proposes major reforms to what pupils learn and how their progress is evaluated.

• Recruiting, Retaining and Supporting Teachers: Insights from the Latest EEF Research

  Tuesday, November 4, 2025

  The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has recently released new research exploring one of the most pressing issues facing schools today: how to recruit, retain and support teachers effectively. The summary brings together the latest evidence on what works in building and sustaining a thriving teaching workforce.

• Fire Safety for Children on Bonfire Night: What Schools and Families Need to Know

  Friday, October 31, 2025

  Discover how to keep children safe this Bonfire Night with essential fire safety advice for schools, parents and carers during firework and bonfire celebrations.

• We’re Expanding with a Dedicated SEN Recruitment Desk!

  Monday, October 27, 2025

  We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new SEN (Special Educational Needs) Desk. A dedicated division designed to support schools and educators working with children who have additional learning needs. This exciting expansion marks another key milestone in our mission to provide specialist, localised recruitment support across the West Midlands. Our SEN Desk will focus on connecting schools with passionate, experienced staff who can make a meaningful impact in inclusive education settings.

• SEND White Paper Delayed Again as IPPR Report Highlights Need for Urgent Reform

  Thursday, October 23, 2025

  The Department for Education (DfE) has announced that the long-anticipated Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) white paper will now be delayed until 2026. The delay comes as a new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) warns that the current SEND system is facing a “crisis of capacity” and needs urgent reform.

• New Year 8 Reading Test Announced to Boost Literacy Progress in Secondary Schools

  Wednesday, October 22, 2025

  The Department for Education has announced a new statutory reading test for Year 8 pupils in England, aimed at improving literacy levels and ensuring all students continue to make progress throughout secondary school. The announcement was made by the Education Secretary during a speech at the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) conference, where she highlighted the importance of reading as the foundation of learning and achievement. The new assessment will focus on both reading fluency and comprehension, ensuring pupils have the core literacy skills required to access the full curriculum.

• We're Expanding Our Primary Education Recruitment Team in Staffordshire!

  Friday, October 10, 2025

  As we proudly celebrate 15 years of Flourish Education, we’re continuing to grow our team to better support our local schools and educators across the West Midlands. This latest milestone sees the expansion of our Primary Education Recruitment Team into Staffordshire, with our recruiter Hannah now heading up our Staffordshire Primary desk.