Education sector: news in brief - June 2026

Here's our round-up of education sector news for June 2026.

The government has put the draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations before parliament. Parliament has 40 days to scrutinise the Code and it will automatically be adopted, without debate or a vote, unless MPs intervene.

We will provide an overview of the Code and what it means for the education sector in our next newsletter.

Girls’ wellbeing more closely linked to school absence, study finds

Lower life satisfaction among pupils in England links to higher levels of school absence, with the relationship notably stronger for girls than for boys, according to new research from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). 

The study found that pupils who report lower satisfaction with their lives tend to miss more school, and this association intensifies as absence rates rise. Researchers identified a clear gender divide. Life satisfaction showed a stronger link to attendance patterns among girls, suggesting wellbeing plays a more significant role in explaining their absence.

For girls, even small improvements in wellbeing appear to make a measurable difference. A one-point increase in life satisfaction correlates with a 0.4% reduction in absence, equivalent to around a 6% decrease in their average absence rate. 

The research also explored the role of school belonging. While pupils who feel more connected to their school tend to have lower absence rates, this link weakens once overall life satisfaction is taken into account. 

DfE guidance backs AI use for SEND plans but warns on data risks

Schools can use artificial intelligence (AI) to help draft support plans for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), according to updated government guidance. 

The guidance suggests teachers, SENCOs and support staff can use AI tools to create initial drafts of support plans, prepare staff guidance, and generate template communications for families. 

However, school leaders are urged to exercise “extreme caution” when handling pupil data and to ensure staff do not rely on AI to make decisions or produce formal statutory documents. The guidance makes clear that tools should not be used to draft education, health and care plans (EHCPs). 

The latest version expands advice on administrative use, accessibility and safeguarding, and draws on teacher surveys, case studies and practitioner insights. The guidance highlights its potential to reduce workload and improve access to tailored support, particularly for pupils who face the greatest barriers to learning.

FE teacher numbers rise but shortages remain

Teacher numbers in further education (FE) have increased, but significant staffing shortages persist across the sector, according to new analysis from the annual Further Education Teacher Workforce in England report published by National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). 

The latest data shows there were 1,650 more full-time equivalent FE teachers in 2024/25 than the previous year, marking a 4% increase.

However, the research highlights ongoing challenges in filling teaching posts. In 2024/25, 3.5% of FE teaching roles remained vacant, only a slight improvement on the 3.9% recorded the previous year. Shortages are most acute in priority subject areas such as construction, engineering and manufacturing.

Schools told not to prioritise ‘managed moves’ over waiting lists

Oversubscribed schools must not admit pupils through “managed moves” ahead of those already on waiting lists, unless they better meet admissions criteria, according to updated government guidance. 

The Department for Education (DfE) has clarified that where a waiting list operates, pupils transferred under managed moves should not be given priority unless they more closely match the school’s oversubscription rules. 

Managed moves, which involve transferring a pupil to another school as an alternative to permanent exclusion, remain permitted but must operate within the wider admissions framework. 

New rules strengthen protections for families. Schools must not permanently exclude a pupil simply because parents refuse a managed move, and so-called “trial” moves are no longer allowed. 

The guidance also places greater emphasis on information-sharing between schools. Both the sending and receiving school must exchange key pupil information in advance of a move to ensure appropriate support and safeguarding.

EEF launches major research into how generative AI affects pupil learning

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has announced a new research programme to examine how generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools influence pupils’ learning and cognitive development. 

The initiative will see up to £2.5 million invested in studies exploring both the benefits and risks of AI use in education, with a particular focus on how tools such as ChatGPT affect the way young people think and learn. 

The move reflects the rapid growth in AI use among students. Recent findings suggest that around two-thirds of 13- to 18-year-olds already use AI to support literacy and learning tasks, raising questions about its long-term impact on education. 

A central focus of the research will be the concept of “cognitive offloading”, where pupils delegate tasks such as planning, reasoning or recalling information to AI tools. The EEF aims to determine whether this process enhances learning by supporting understanding, or instead reduces cognitive engagement and weakens knowledge retention over time

School leaders urged to focus on wellbeing and autonomy to help teachers thrive

School leaders can help teachers thrive by prioritising wellbeing, supporting autonomy and adopting more efficient working practices, according to new research. 

The analysis highlights the scale of the challenge facing the profession, with more than three-quarters of education staff reporting poor mental health and over four in ten teachers planning to leave by 2028. 

Researchers argue that improving teachers’ ability to “thrive” requires building resilience through greater self-determination. This includes giving staff more control over their work and fostering environments where teachers feel trusted and supported in decision-making. 

The findings also emphasise the importance of “work-smart” approaches. Schools should review how tasks are organised and reduce unnecessary pressures, helping staff manage workload more effectively while maintaining high-quality teaching. 

DfE reaches 70% of teacher target as overall workforce declines

The government has reached around 70% of its target to recruit 6,500 additional teachers, but the overall school workforce in England has begun to shrink, according to newly published data. 

The Department for Education (DfE) says it has added 4,654 teachers across secondary, special and further education settings since 2023–24, equivalent to roughly 71% of its manifesto pledge. 

Despite this progress, the total number of teachers has fallen. The latest figures show the school workforce dropped to 984,610 full-time equivalent staff in 2025–26, down from 986,125 the previous year, marking the first decline since 2019. 

Teacher numbers themselves also decreased by around 1,900, or 0.4%. The fall was most pronounced in primary schools, where staff numbers dropped by 1.3%, while secondary teacher numbers declined by 0.4%. In contrast, special schools and pupil referral units saw a 3.9%  increase in teachers. 

At the same time, both recruitment and attrition have slowed. Entrants to the profession fell by 800 to just over 41,000 in 2024–25, while the number of teachers leaving also decreased. Newly qualified teachers accounted for around 40% of new entrants, a slight drop on the previous year.

New powers introduced to protect free speech at universities

The government has announced new measures to strengthen free speech protections across universities in England, including a formal complaints system and tougher regulatory powers for the sector watchdog. 

Under the proposals, the Office for Students (OfS) will launch a new complaints scheme at the start of the next academic year, allowing staff, external speakers and non-student members to raise concerns if universities fail to uphold freedom of speech. 

The regulator will investigate cases and can require institutions to review decisions, change procedures or pay compensation where breaches are identified. 

Stronger enforcement powers are also set to take effect from April next year. Universities that fail to meet their duties under free speech legislation could face fines of up to £500,000 or 2% of their income, with the most serious breaches risking removal from the register and loss of access to public funding. 

Ofsted framework ‘penalising’ deprived and SEND-inclusive schools

Schools serving disadvantaged communities and those with higher SEND intake are more likely to receive lower Ofsted ratings under the new inspection framework, according to NAHT analysis of more than 650 inspections. 

Key findings:

• 33% of schools with above-average free school meal eligibility rated “needs attention” for achievement vs 18% with below-average eligibility
• 23% of more deprived schools rated “needs attention” for attendance and behaviour vs 10% of less deprived schools
• 20% of schools with above-average SEND intake rated “needs attention” for attendance and behaviour vs 9% with lower SEND levels 

NAHT said the findings raise concerns about fairness in the framework and warn it may undermine efforts to increase SEND inclusion in mainstream schools.