Education News for Suppliers

Week Commencing 29/08/22 Headlines?

?New data reveals Computer Science is now the fastest growing degree subject?

Record numbers will start computer science degrees this year, with faster growth in women taking computing than for any other university subject group, new figures show?

Takeaway Topics:?

• The number of students on Computer Science courses is up 7% on last year, with just over 24,900 people due to start courses?
• Will we see this trend year on year, going forward??
• Are schools catering adequately for learners wishing to go on to study Computer Science in FE or HE??
• Will schools be prioritising Computer Science in terms of funding and resources??

bcs.org article?

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Ex-ballerina to lead new cultural education plan?

Baroness Deborah Bull will chair project to ensure schools offering 'rich and diverse' opportunities for all?

Takeaway Topics:?

• The plan aims to highlight the “importance of high-quality cultural education” in schools, support career pathways and address skills gaps and disparities in opportunities and outcomes for children?
• Will this mean we see creative subjects becoming more of a priority in schools??
• Will schools be receiving extra budgets for the arts??

Schools Week news article?

DfE press release?

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School funding crisis: school budgets set before the holidays will have to be torn up and job cuts are now a very real possibility?

Takeaway Topics:?

• The announcement of ‘unfunded’ staff pay rises and soaring costs mean that schools will have to rethink their budgets for this academic year?
• How will schools and MATs cover their costs??
• What will be cut from the budgets if funding is too stretched??
• What will the impact on staff and learners be??
• Could we see bigger class sizes and cuts made on resource purchasing??

TES article?

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School leaders crying out for help from government as they try to budget for winter?

Takeaway Topics:?

• Colder classrooms and staff cuts are a real possibility?
• Schools are told closing and home learning is not an option?
• Will schools be cutting back on resources, subscriptions, large projects such as building work??
• How can suppliers offer the best value for money and somehow aid schools during this crisis??

TES article?

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Parents desperately seeking support with school uniform costs?

In Wales, families are?eligible for grants?if they fall into a specific criterion which is linked to existing eligibility for free school meals – but more families are asking for help?

Takeaway Topics:?

• This will be true of all families on lower incomes throughout the UK?
• What can schools do to ease this pressure on families??

BBC Wales news article?

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Strategic development fund awards: 2022 to 2023 financial year?

Details of the strategic development funding (SDF) awarded to different English regions to help them respond to skills needs

Takeaway Topics:?

• The?SDF?provides investment to enable areas across England to: reshape their teaching and training provision and to update their facilities in preparation for the rollout of?local skills improvement plans?

DfE transparency data release?