Tes magazine
@tesmagazine.bsky.social
Award-winning journalism for schools, including news, analysis, research reviews and teaching and learning guides.
London pulls even further ahead of other regions - and boys are now a whole pp ahead of girls when it comes to top grades. More key trends from today's A-level results below:
Tes magazine@tesmagazine.bsky.social · 2h agoThis year’s A-level results show that the regional divide in students getting the top grades in England has widened again – and also reveal an increase in the top grades awarded and in the overall pass rate
This year’s A-level results show that the regional divide in students getting the top grades in England has widened again – and also reveal an increase in the top grades awarded and in the overall pass rate
A-level results 2026: regional divide grows again
Today’s A-level results for England also reveal increases in the top grades awarded and in the overall pass rate
tes.com
"I think we’ve proved that arts and culture can create a robust curriculum for vulnerable young people. I believe we’re really ahead of the curve in terms of understanding EBSA and treating it as something that needs to be taken more seriously."
A new approach to tackling emotionally based school avoidance
One local authority is pioneering a new form of alternative provision that uses heritage buildings and the arts to re-engage children with education
tes.com
A DfE study of thousands of Year 1 pupils has revealed key insights into bullying, behaviour, parent engagement and gaps in teachers' predicted outcomes
How much bullying goes on in Year 1?
DfE study of 9,000 five- and six-year-olds reveals findings on behaviour, predicted outcomes and parent engagement
tes.com
ICYMI: Most teachers to pay less into their pension under new plans www.tes.com/magazine/new... @jabedahmed.bsky.social @tesmagazine.bsky.social
Most teachers to pay less into their pension under new plans
DfE launches consultation on cutting employee contribution rates for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme across most salary bands
tes.com
Like it or not, AI has crept into school systems, so all schools need a clear, dedicated policy that sets out how AI should be used, explains Alex Dave of @lgfl-ngfl.bsky.social. But what exactly should your school AI policy cover?
How to create an AI policy for your school
The potential benefits of AI in schools can only be realised if use of the technology is structured, says Alex Dave - that’s why having a dedicated policy is so important
tes.com
AI has the potential to boost teacher development by saving time and resources – but we need to tread carefully to avoid unintended consequences, writes Melissa Bond from the National Institute of Teaching
AI could transform teacher development. But should it?
Time and cost savings are enticing reasons to use AI to support teacher development, but more efficient doesn’t necessarily mean more effective, says Melissa Bond from the National Institute of Teaching
tes.com
In striving to tackle attendance problems, one local authority has come up with an innovative approach involving the arts and heritage buildings, finds @jasminenorden.bsky.social
A new approach to tackling emotionally based school avoidance
One local authority is pioneering a new form of alternative provision that uses the arts and heritage buildings to re-engage children with education
tes.com
Getting parent volunteers into school - to help with reading, for example - has largely been a hassle-free process. But this is set to change from September, explains Shezleen Salaam.
What new safeguarding rules mean for parent volunteers in schools
From next month, new safeguarding guidance will make it more difficult for people to volunteer in schools to support reading, among other things. Shezleen Salaam explains the impact of the changes
tes.com
Jewish schoolchildren are suffering ‘regular and hostile abuse’, and Jewish faith schools are having to put in place ‘extraordinary’ security measures, says the head of a review looking at antisemitism in education
Jewish pupils face ‘regular and hostile abuse’
Former Ofsted chief highlights the ‘extraordinary’ security measures required in Jewish faith schools as he reveals the interim findings from his review into antisemitism in education settings
tes.com
Cambridge International AS- and A-level results have been released today, with the number of entries growing 5% compared with last year
Exam results 2026: Cambridge International A levels released
More than 360,000 students in 128 countries received their Cambridge International AS- and A-level results today, with the number of entries up 5 per cent on last year
tes.com
From next term, volunteers in schools will need to undergo stricter safeguarding checks – here Shezleen Salaam explains what schools will need to do
What new safeguarding rules mean for parent volunteers in schools
From next month, new safeguarding guidance will make it more difficult for people to volunteer in schools to support reading, among other things. Shezleen Salaam explains the impact of the changes
tes.com
Tens of thousands of 18-year-olds won’t get A-level results this week because they have dropped out of education or training, says the DfE, with @lucympowell.bsky.social promising a ‘revolution in vocational and technical qualifications and education’
No A-level results for 58,000 students who dropped out
Education secretary Lucy Powell prioritises tackling the Neet crisis and insists the newly announced technical education routes will not create a ‘two-tier system’
tes.com
‘You cannot simply “culturally transplant” a school from England to Malaysia’: Lorraine Machaj, primary leader of a new overseas campus, shares advice for UK private schools thinking of expanding into another country
Why private schools opening overseas must adapt to thrive
As more UK independent schools look to open campuses in other countries, this primary leader shares examples of how to lean into local customs and cultures to ensure that the new school is built on solid foundations
tes.com
If schools are going to make the most of AI, they have to make sure it is used in a structured way, says Alex Dave of charity LGfL, as he outlines how to create a school AI policy
How to create an AI policy for your school
The potential benefits of AI in schools can only be realised if use of the technology is structured, says Alex Dave – that’s why having a dedicated policy is so important
tes.com
ICYMI: Most teachers will pay less into their pensions from next year under new government proposals
Most teachers to pay less into their pension under new plans
DfE launches consultation on cutting employee contribution rates for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme across most salary bands
tes.com
Teachers say pupils' attention spans are getting shorter - but is this really the case? And what can staff do to help keep learners engaged? Tes asks expert Nilli Lavie
Are pupil attention spans really decreasing?
Professor Nilli Lavie speaks to Tes about the science of attention, why teachers are reporting shorter attention spans and what that means for classroom learning
tes.com
Education research from the past year all schools should know about – from setting vs mixed-ability grouping to absence interventions and phone pouches
The education year in research: 5 studies schools should know
Ofsted is pushing schools to become more evidence-informed, so here are five key studies from the past year and what they found
tes.com
Portugal has been praised as a beacon of inclusion, following the principle that every child should be in their local mainstream school. But what does this look like in practice – and what can England learn as it moves towards a more inclusive education system?
Is Portugal our guiding light for inclusion?
Portugal’s school system has been hailed as a model of inclusive education. But, with England moving towards greater inclusion in mainstream, is it a blueprint we should follow? Zofia Niemtus…
tes.com
If schools are getting better at teaching reading, why are so many young people still not choosing to read? Here are 4 steps to help remove some of the barriers to reading for pleasure, says head of literacy Adam Lancaster
Why schools must consider the ‘ecology’ of reading
Our understanding of how young people learn to read has never been better, so why are so many pupils still not choosing to be readers? Adam Lancaster suggests that ecological factors could be at play
tes.com
There is no ‘trade-off’ between being supportive of pupils and having high expectations of them – these go ‘hand in hand’ when trying to develop a sense of belonging in school, according to new @nuffieldfoundation.org @ioe.bsky.social @liftschools.org research
Supporting pupils and having high expectations ‘not in conflict’
Students’ sense of belonging in school is strongest where teachers both support them and challenge them to ‘think hard and learn more’, according to new research
tes.com
The amount most teachers pay into their pensions is set to fall, with the DfE launching a consultation on reducing employee contributions and making other pension changes
Most teachers to pay less into their pension under new plans
DfE launches consultation on cutting employee contribution rates for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme across most salary bands
tes.com
Primary schools should be required to identify pupils who are at risk of being Neet when they leave school at 16, according to a former minister leading a review into youth unemployment
Primaries should identify pupils at risk of being Neet, says Milburn
The ‘warning signs’ that children will leave school not in education, employment or training are visible from preschool, says former health secretary who is leading a major review of the Neet issue
tes.com
Leading a school means you have to take difficult decisions – so how do you know whether you’ve got it right? Christopher Hoare shares 6 reflective questions to help you make the correct move
6 questions to help you make better leadership decisions
Leadership is filled with difficult choices – but how do you know you’re making the right one? This leader proposes a series of reflective questions to guide your thought process
tes.com
Pupil absence rates increased in the autumn term last year, DfE figures show, sparking calls for the government to focus on its reform of SEND support
Autumn absence on the rise in England’s schools
Pupil absence increased in both school phases in the autumn term last year, official figures show, prompting calls for the government to focus on implementing its SEND reforms
tes.com
Education secretary @lucympowell.bsky.social has vowed to ‘rewire the entire education system’, promising that vocational career paths will no longer ‘play second fiddle in schools’
Neet data justifies ‘rewiring entire education system’, says Powell
Education secretary warns that vocational studies must not play ‘second fiddle’ in schools, the week after prime minister Andy Burnham announced new technical education routes
tes.com
The chances of parents successfully challenging a school admissions decision through appeal have hit a record low, new DfE data shows
Successful school admission appeals fall to record low
The number of appeals reaching a panel has dropped again, shows DfE data published today, as pupil numbers continue to decline
tes.com
Exam entries for drama are down, but now, given the new focus on oracy and preparing young people for the future workplace, the subject has a big opportunity to take the limelight, writes educator Georgie Ross
The rise of AI sets the stage for a revival of drama
The national focus on oracy to help prepare young people for the future world of work presents a huge opportunity to rethink the role of drama in our schools, says this educator
tes.com
With England planning to ban social media for under-16s, what can it learn from the ban in Australia? Head Luke Ramsden looks at the key findings from the first evaluation of the restrictions Down Under
What can the UK learn from Australia’s social media ban?
Australia’s eSafety commissioner has released the first findings in a longitudinal study of the effects of the country’s social media ban for under-16s. Here Luke Ramsden rounds up the key takeaways
tes.com
Exclusive: Official guidance on single-sex spaces that comes into force today does not meet basic tests to assure ‘legal certainty’ for schools, warns NASUWT
Single-sex spaces guidance doesn’t meet legal tests, warns union
Official guidance on single-sex spaces comes into force for schools today, but teaching unions say it does not offer schools enough support and that it has arrived too late
tes.com