But who should I believe, Sam quoting DfE data or someone from Spiked on Twitter
June 4, 2026 at 8:40 AM
But who should I believe, Sam quoting DfE data or someone from Spiked on Twitter
May 16, 2025 at 10:44 PM
DfE pupil data is out today and shows that the number of private school pupils has dropped 5.6% since VAT was introduced.
Not 25% like the independent schools council predicted. Or the 50% we saw in some right-wing papers.
5.6%.
Not 25% like the independent schools council predicted. Or the 50% we saw in some right-wing papers.
5.6%.
June 4, 2026 at 8:37 AM
DfE pupil data is out today and shows that the number of private school pupils has dropped 5.6% since VAT was introduced.
Not 25% like the independent schools council predicted. Or the 50% we saw in some right-wing papers.
5.6%.
Not 25% like the independent schools council predicted. Or the 50% we saw in some right-wing papers.
5.6%.
No better confirmation than DFE. 😁
February 20, 2025 at 3:13 PM
No better confirmation than DFE. 😁
Protection from harassment? Not if the DfE gets its way
Literally saying that being gender critical overrides protections against harassment.
February 12, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Protection from harassment? Not if the DfE gets its way
This is what the DfE draft is aimed at
Cass wants to pathologize even the aspects of transition that are available outside of a medical context. To call for the enforcement of gender norms on a group that finds that intensely distressing is despicable.
February 12, 2026 at 5:31 PM
This is what the DfE draft is aimed at
My 9 Animes #My9Animes #sgtfrog #precure #sailormoon #hamtaro #madokamagica #dandadan #pokemon #apeescape
my9animes.com/en/share/dfe...
my9animes.com/en/share/dfe...
September 26, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Government should simply stop pressing the button in the DfE marked “low quality degrees” and instead start pressing the button marked “high quality apprenticeships”, duh!
Also when they explain which businesses are going to offer these apprenticeships and how they're going to improve the high drop-out rate and poor quality of many of them.
Badenoch says the Conservatives would want fewer “low value degrees” and many more apprenticeships. As ever with such announcements I will perhaps take it more seriously when the kids of government ministers and MPs are routinely doing apprenticeships and not degrees.
December 9, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Government should simply stop pressing the button in the DfE marked “low quality degrees” and instead start pressing the button marked “high quality apprenticeships”, duh!
So, it looks like the new DfE guidance on trans students in schools incorporates recommendations from the Cass report. Suffice to say that is an *incredibly awful* decision.
Here's a thread with my analysis of Cass on social transition from back in 2024.
Here's a thread with my analysis of Cass on social transition from back in 2024.
In Chapter 12, Cass considers social transition.
As per §12.2, this might include haircuts, clothing, name change, and pronoun usage.
As per §12.2, this might include haircuts, clothing, name change, and pronoun usage.
February 12, 2026 at 3:56 PM
So, it looks like the new DfE guidance on trans students in schools incorporates recommendations from the Cass report. Suffice to say that is an *incredibly awful* decision.
Here's a thread with my analysis of Cass on social transition from back in 2024.
Here's a thread with my analysis of Cass on social transition from back in 2024.
The behaviour adviser to the DfE posts a photo of JK Rowling on International Women's Day. I'm not okay with this and I'm not impressed that the DfE enables this kind of behaviour from its advisers. If you're involved with his organisation then presumably you don't have a problem with it.
March 8, 2026 at 12:15 PM
The behaviour adviser to the DfE posts a photo of JK Rowling on International Women's Day. I'm not okay with this and I'm not impressed that the DfE enables this kind of behaviour from its advisers. If you're involved with his organisation then presumably you don't have a problem with it.
Love having a fully baked tinfoil potato as a DfE spokesperson
May 10, 2026 at 1:18 PM
Love having a fully baked tinfoil potato as a DfE spokesperson
On universities the white paper only reduces the graduate visa from two years to 18 months (which is a win for the DfE).
The bigger thing universities will be worrying about is this little timebomb.
The bigger thing universities will be worrying about is this little timebomb.
May 12, 2025 at 9:19 AM
On universities the white paper only reduces the graduate visa from two years to 18 months (which is a win for the DfE).
The bigger thing universities will be worrying about is this little timebomb.
The bigger thing universities will be worrying about is this little timebomb.
This is good IMO. In general, almost all the post-16 stuff is never going to get the right amount of love and attention if it is in the DfE, and also the other spending departments just end up spending their budgets creating crappier versions of neglected DfE priorities.
Big shift here - that’s about £5bn all in (and a big political priority) shifting from DfE to DWP
🚨Breaking: Apprenticeships will shift to the Department for Work and Pensions in the Whitehall skills policy shakeup, Jacqui Smith confirms
feweek.co.uk/dwp-will-tak...
feweek.co.uk/dwp-will-tak...
September 12, 2025 at 12:49 PM
This is good IMO. In general, almost all the post-16 stuff is never going to get the right amount of love and attention if it is in the DfE, and also the other spending departments just end up spending their budgets creating crappier versions of neglected DfE priorities.
You've got the ECF (DfE controlled), NPQs (DfE controlled), hubs (DfE controlled), MATs (DfE regulated), Ofsted (let's face it, DfE controlled), Oak (ditto). For a system that always claimed to be extending freedoms there's a hell of a lot of centralised control over pedagogy and curriculum. 🤷♀️
May 14, 2025 at 5:08 AM
You've got the ECF (DfE controlled), NPQs (DfE controlled), hubs (DfE controlled), MATs (DfE regulated), Ofsted (let's face it, DfE controlled), Oak (ditto). For a system that always claimed to be extending freedoms there's a hell of a lot of centralised control over pedagogy and curriculum. 🤷♀️
Welcome to the new DfE. Same as the old DfE. I did vaguely contemplate applying for that behaviour adviser job but I didn't fit the criteria because I've never led a school. Looks like that wasn't actually essential. Hmm. 😒🙄
August 31, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Welcome to the new DfE. Same as the old DfE. I did vaguely contemplate applying for that behaviour adviser job but I didn't fit the criteria because I've never led a school. Looks like that wasn't actually essential. Hmm. 😒🙄
Josh MacAlister, Liv Bailey and Georgia Gould going to DfE massively strengthens the department at a critical moment. A big positive from the reshuffle.
Some of Labour's brightest young MPs – Kanishka Narayan, Kate Dearden, Josh Simons, Josh McAlister – handed junior ministerial posts
September 7, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Josh MacAlister, Liv Bailey and Georgia Gould going to DfE massively strengthens the department at a critical moment. A big positive from the reshuffle.
It's come to something when I'm missing the DfE. 😂
It's really annoying not to see updates of publications and consultations on here. I really can't venture back onto twitter to catch up. Tbh it's so toxic that they really shouldn't be tacitly supporting it by posting on there.
February 8, 2025 at 7:48 AM
It's come to something when I'm missing the DfE. 😂
Verbesserter Standort dfe
March 6, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Verbesserter Standort dfe
This post appears to have provoked Bluesky's more humourless respondents. As a DfE education minister you obviously have to be anti-fun in moments like this, and I thought her interview – including this slightly tongue-in-cheek comment – was handled adeptly in that context.
July 6, 2026 at 9:51 AM
This post appears to have provoked Bluesky's more humourless respondents. As a DfE education minister you obviously have to be anti-fun in moments like this, and I thought her interview – including this slightly tongue-in-cheek comment – was handled adeptly in that context.
A country that is determined to destroy its own economy, and to make everyone's lives greyer and grimmer into the bargain. Peanuts, with vast multipliers. Unbelievable.
www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/dfe-sla...
www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/dfe-sla...
DfE slashes creative and performing arts teaching grants for universities - Arts Professional
Performing and creative arts university courses will no longer receive funding from a government teaching grant as part of "difficult decisions" about
www.artsprofessional.co.uk
July 8, 2026 at 8:20 AM
A country that is determined to destroy its own economy, and to make everyone's lives greyer and grimmer into the bargain. Peanuts, with vast multipliers. Unbelievable.
www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/dfe-sla...
www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/dfe-sla...
Tbh I’m more worried about today’s new transphobic guidance from the DfE and Hilary Cass continuing campaign of recommending conversion therapy than the outcomes of GLP v EHRC.
February 12, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Tbh I’m more worried about today’s new transphobic guidance from the DfE and Hilary Cass continuing campaign of recommending conversion therapy than the outcomes of GLP v EHRC.
The DfE needs to make sure that the funding covers the costs with these kind of schemes rather than bringing in commercial sponsors with all the negatives that would potentially involve.
schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-seeks-bu...
schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-seeks-bu...
DfE seeks food sponsor for flagship breakfast club scheme
But unions warn businesses 'should not be relied upon to make the government's programme work'
schoolsweek.co.uk
August 12, 2025 at 6:36 AM
The DfE needs to make sure that the funding covers the costs with these kind of schemes rather than bringing in commercial sponsors with all the negatives that would potentially involve.
schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-seeks-bu...
schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-seeks-bu...
Well by my reckoning about 85% of edutwitter is here, so where is the DfE? 😒🤷♀️
January 23, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Well by my reckoning about 85% of edutwitter is here, so where is the DfE? 😒🤷♀️
DFE is the most fundamental corroboration you can get
September 23, 2024 at 11:28 PM
DFE is the most fundamental corroboration you can get