Secondary Education

Developing a More Diverse and Modern Construction Industry: The CITB Case Study

Construction is one of the most male-orientated industries in the UK. Only around 15% of the construction workforce are women. CITB expects 251,500 extra construction workers will be needed by 2028 to meet the expected levels of work, so a push to engage more women in the industry will lead to a more efficient and diverse workforce. Julia Stevens from the CITB recently attended our Women in Construction Conference. She called for a renewed effort to break down the barriers and drive inclusion in construction. This article explores her keynote, the challenges women often face and the changes companies can make to more effectively engage and retain women.

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Supporting Disadvantaged Students: ‘IntoUniversity’ and the Challenges of getting into Higher Education

How can we truly level the playing field for disadvantaged students? At our Supporting Disadvantaged Students in Higher Education Conference, Dr Emily Magrath from IntoUniversity shared powerful stories and practical solutions for breaking cycles of disadvantage. From early intervention to local collaboration, her insights reveal what’s working, where challenges remain, and how universities, charities and […]

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Interview Series: Meet the Chair, Michael Sanders

We recently held the Local Government Technology Conference, in Westminster, London. It was an exciting day of learning, networking and interesting conversation. As most of our conferences are online, when we do get to meet people face-to-face, and host speakers in a physical space, it is a wonderful feeling. Seeing all of the conversations, the […]

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Mind in Motion: How Movement Transforms Mental Health at Work

In today’s fast-paced corporate world, conversations around mental health are no longer a luxury, they’re a necessity. At the forefront of this movement is Matt Balfour, a wellbeing content creator, public speaker, Samaritan volunteer, and the founder of Let’s Go Wellbeing. His mission is simple yet profound: to help organisations build healthier, more engaged workforces […]

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Addressing the Teacher’s Mental Health Crisis: 7 Wellbeing Pathways

The mental health of teachers in the United Kingdom has reached a critical juncture. Recent reports indicate alarming levels of stress, burnout, and dissatisfaction within the profession, threatening the sustainability of our educational system. With approximately 78% of education staff experiencing mental health issues directly linked to their workload, and over half contemplating leaving the profession, urgent action is needed to support those who shape our future generations.

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Everton Free School Crime Prevention Initiatives

Stephen Baker, the principal of Everton Free School and Football College, and Assistant Head Andrew Pearl, are pioneering new strategies to address behavioural challenges and criminal exploitation among vulnerable youth in Liverpool. Their innovative approach integrates multi-agency collaboration and focuses on understanding and meeting the underlying needs of at-risk students.

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Ofsted, Funding & STEM: Advice for Headteachers on Policy Changes

Several significant policy changes are shaping the UK education landscape, and navigating these changes is critical for schools, educators, and stakeholders. The new Ofsted framework, starting in the 2024-2025 academic year, brings significant changes to how schools are evaluated.

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Addressing Disparities to Achieve Equitable School Funding in the UK

Funding and resource allocation remain critical issues for UK schools, impacting the quality and equity of education across the nation. Understanding how these funds are distributed and managed is essential for addressing the diverse needs of students and ensuring every child has access to high-quality education. 

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The Road to Online Safety Regulation: Safeguarding Children Against Sexual Harms

A significant number of children aged 8-11 have social media profiles, with TikTok being especially popular. The study found that even younger children, some as young as three, are exposed to social media content, although this may involve watching videos with others rather than having their own accounts. This article covers some the negative impacts of this uptake including grooming and misogyny, as well as preventative measures.

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Child Safeguarding National Guidance from the DfE

We recently hosted Shazia Hussain, Director of Children's Social Care, Department for Education at our Child Safeguarding Conference 2024. Shazia covered the Latest National Guidance on Effectively Protecting and Safeguarding Children. Out of the nearly 12 million children living in England, just over 400,000 (3%) are in the social care system at any one time. The Department for Education's ambitious adjustments represent a significant step towards improving the children's social care system in the UK.

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The Current State of SEND in the UK: Staff Shortages and Solutions

As the number of SEND children increases and are integrated into mainstream classes, teachers struggle to deliver the necessary level of care. As of January 2024, approximately 1.6 million pupils in England were identified with SEND, an increase of 101,000 from the previous year.

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APPG Strategies to Promote Inclusion in Schools

We were privileged to welcome L’myah Sherae, Founder of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Race Equality in Education and Enact Equality, to our Diversity and Inclusion in Schools Conference 2024. With ethnic minority students making up 37.0% of all students (Gov, 2024), all across the education sector need to be aware of the issues faced by these students.

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