OFSTED ends One Word judgements:   

2024 saw the end of OFSTED’s one-word judgement, partly in response to the headteacher who committed suicide in Reading after receiving an “Inadequate” rating.  They will replaced by what is described as a more balanced “report card.”   A sample of the new report card has been released and is available to view at this link – https://shorturl.at/M4p5r.

Headteachers are reported as unimpressed – saying that the new report replicates the flaws on the old system.

National Insurance and Nurseries:  

The increase in national insurance contributions from April 2025 is likely to impact nursery provision – both in maintaining fees and staff recruitment.  Given that nurseries are already struggling to employ staff to meet demand driven by the government nursery extension, there is chance that nurseries will have to close and pressure placed on a system already under strain.

It seems increasingly unlikely that the planned extension of free nursery places planned by the previous government (but not committed to by the new one) will be achievable.

University fees to increase:  

The government has indicated that it will increase university tuition fees for the next academic year year – as many universities, including the main Russell Group, are struggling to balance their books.  Cardiff and Durham Universities have recently announced redundancies and this is likely to be seen on other campuses.

This will also impact UK families overseas in making applications for home-fee status when applying back into the UK university system.

Universities are now more dependent on fees than they have ever been – with the proportion of government support falling.