糖心Vlog传媒

The Department for Education has published its new White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, setting out the Government’s long-term vision for education in England through the 2030s.

The proposals cover almost every aspect of school life: SEND and inclusion, curriculum and assessment, attendance, workforce development, accountability, school structures, and digital technology and AI.

Many of the changes will roll out gradually, and some will need further consultation or legislation before they take effect. But the direction is clear. Schools will be expected to become more inclusive, make better use of data and technology, strengthen communication with families, and step in earlier when pupils need extra support.

Here are the key changes school and trust leaders should have on their radar.

National ambitions for 2030

The White Paper sets out several national ambitions for the end of the decade:

• Raising the national Attainment 8 score to 50
• Halving the Key Stage 4 disadvantage gap, from 15.5 to 7.7
• Cutting national absence to 5.85%
• Raising the proportion of pupils reaching the expected Key Stage 2 standard to 64.9%
• Raising the proportion of disadvantaged pupils reaching that standard to 51.3%

Behind these targets sits a broader push on attendance, inclusion, strong teaching and earlier intervention.

Major changes to SEND and inclusion

SEND is one of the biggest areas of reform.

The Government wants a more consistent national system, one where pupils’ needs are identified earlier and schools can get specialist support faster.

Proposals include a new Experts at Hand service, giving schools routine access to therapists and specialists, and Individual Support Plans for pupils who need targeted SEND support.

There’s also a proposed three-layer model, Targeted, Targeted Plus and Specialist support, alongside National Inclusion Standards from 2028.

Schools would be expected to publish an Inclusion Strategy, and a new Inclusive Mainstream Fund would help pay for provision.

The plans include expanding specialist provision and inclusion bases, with the longer-term aim that every secondary school has access to one.

EHCPs would continue for pupils with the most complex needs, while future support would sit increasingly within defined Specialist Provision Packages.

The SENCO role is also set to become more strategic: less admin, more responsibility for building inclusive practice across the whole school.

Greater focus on early years and primary education

Early identification and smoother transitions between early years settings and schools are another major theme.

The proposals include expanding Best Start Family Hubs, extra early-years inclusion funding, more school-based nurseries and wider access to Mental Health Support Teams. National ambitions here include:

• 75% of children reaching a Good Level of Development by 2028
• 90% reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check

Schools can also expect firmer expectations around information sharing between early-years providers and primary schools.

A refreshed curriculum is planned for first teaching from 2028, backed by new Reception networks meant to spread effective practice.

Changes to secondary curriculum and assessment

Secondary schools face significant curriculum and assessment changes.

New GCSEs are planned from 2029, alongside consultation on the future of Progress 8.

Other proposals include statutory reading and maths assessments at the end of Year 8, and a combined framework covering oracy, reading and writing.

There’s also more emphasis planned on:

• Digital literacy
• Media literacy
• Financial literacy
• Cognitive skills

The Government also wants schools to deliver a full three-year Key Stage 3, backed by a new national KS3 Alliance.

That could push schools to show clearer curriculum progression from Year 7 onwards, rather than treating Key Stage 3 mainly as GCSE preparation.

Enrichment, careers and life skills

The White Paper also expands what’s expected around pupils’ wider development.

A new National Enrichment Framework is expected to cover things like civic engagement, culture, sport, outdoor learning and practical life skills.

The Gatsby careers benchmarks will be updated, and every young person would be expected to complete two weeks of work experience.

New vocational V Levels are also proposed, sitting alongside A levels and T Levels.

Better data sharing between schools, local authorities, colleges and other post-16 providers is meant to cut the number of young people who leave school without a clear next step.

For schools, that likely means enrichment, careers and preparation for adulthood become a more visible part of what they offer.

Attendance, behaviour and pupil engagement

Attendance remains a major Government priority, with a national ambition to get it above 94%.

But the White Paper goes beyond simply measuring absence.

By 2029, schools would be expected to track pupil belonging and engagement too, supported by a new Pupil Engagement Framework and annual national pupil experience data.

There are also proposals for refreshed guidance on behaviour, suspensions and reasonable adjustments, plus Reintegration Support Partnerships for pupils returning after a suspension.

School leaders should also note the greater weight placed on the quality of home-school relationships and communication with parents and carers.

A new digital system is proposed to streamline the national complaints process.

Disadvantage and targeted funding

The Government plans to consult on how disadvantage is measured and funded.

Rather than relying only on existing indicators, a future model could factor in the duration and severity of low income, as well as geographical disadvantage.

Schools can also expect more support for using the pupil premium effectively, including digital tools and funded reviews of pupil premium strategies.

Regional programmes such as Mission North East and Mission Coastal are meant to tackle entrenched geographical inequalities.

Teacher development, leadership and retention

None of this works without the school workforce, and the White Paper proposes a long list of changes there too:

• A strengthened Early Career Teacher Entitlement
• Reformed NPQs with more content on SEND and people leadership
• Expanded development programmes for experienced teachers and leaders
• A Teacher Training Entitlement across the whole workforce
• A national teacher retention programme
• Better professional pathways for school business professionals
• A national approach to supply staffing
• Longer-term investment in school buildings and maintenance

There’s also a proposal to extend maternity provision for teachers to eight weeks at full pay.

For trusts and schools, ongoing professional development is likely to matter even more, particularly around SEND, inclusion, leadership and digital skills.

All schools moving towards trust membership

One of the biggest structural changes is the expectation that every school will eventually join a trust.

The Government proposes a clearer division of responsibilities between local authorities and trusts, inspection-based accountability for trusts, and new Trust Standards covering:

• Educational outcomes
• Inclusion
• Value for money
• Community impact
• Effective governance and leadership

There would also be mechanisms to move schools out of trusts that are underperforming.

In practice, trusts are likely to be judged not just on results in individual schools, but on what they contribute to education across their wider communities.

Digital technology and AI in schools

The White Paper treats AI and EdTech as a growing part of the education system, not just an add-on.

Proposals include national safety and efficacy standards for AI and education technology, investment in assistive technologies, and better digital connectivity.

The Government also wants to develop and trial AI tutoring tools for secondary pupils, and train staff to use AI and digital resources with more confidence.

Better data-sharing infrastructure is another priority.

For school leaders, the question is no longer whether to use AI, but how to use it safely and well. That means clear policies, staff training, safeguarding arrangements and a process for evaluating new technologies before rolling them out.

What does the White Paper mean for schools now?

Many of these reforms will take years to bed in, so schools don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. Still, there are a few areas worth starting on now.

Schools should look at how well they identify and support SEND, check whether their website clearly explains their inclusion offer, strengthen attendance and parent engagement work, review curriculum progression through Key Stage 3, and make sure staff can access the right professional development.

It’s also worth checking how information reaches parents and the wider community. As expectations rise around SEND, inclusion, attendance, enrichment, complaints, policies and accountability, school information that’s accurate and easy to find will matter more than ever.

How 糖心Vlog传媒 can help

At 糖心Vlog传媒, we work with schools and multi-academy trusts to make communication simpler and help them run accessible, compliant, easy-to-manage websites.

School websites will stay one of the main places for sharing policies, SEND and inclusion information, curriculum details, enrichment opportunities, attendance expectations and support available to families.

Given the growing role of AI in schools, it also matters more that new technologies are introduced carefully and with the right safeguards.

We’ll keep following Every Child Achieving and Thriving and share practical guidance as consultations, implementation dates and statutory requirements are confirmed.

The reforms will likely stretch into the 2030s. But the general shape is already visible: more inclusion, earlier intervention, closer contact with families, and heavier use of digital technology in how schools operate day to day.

Recent guidance from child safety experts and UK authorities has advised schools to reconsider using identifiable pupil photographs online due to the growing threat of AI-generated image manipulation and online extortion.

Schools across the UK are reviewing how pupil imagery is used on websites and social media following increasing concerns around AI-generated misuse of children鈥檚 photographs. , 糖心Vlog传媒 has developed a professionally curated AI Image Bank designed specifically for schools.

Our AI-generated imagery gives schools access to high-quality, education-focused visuals without the need to use identifiable pupil photographs online.

Whether you are refreshing your website, updating prospectus content, or reducing reliance on pupil-led photography, our image library provides a safe, modern and compliant alternative.

Why schools are making the change…

Recent reports have highlighted growing concerns around criminals using publicly available school photographs to create manipulated AI imagery and carry out online extortion attempts. UK safeguarding bodies and experts are now advising schools to carefully review the use of identifiable pupil images online. Schools are increasingly looking for ways to:

• Reduce safeguarding risks associated with online imagery
• Limit the use of identifiable pupil photographs
• Maintain an engaging and professional website presence
• Support GDPR and digital safeguarding best practice
• Protect children鈥檚 digital identity and privacy

What鈥檚 included…

The 糖心Vlog传媒 AI Image Bank includes:

• Hundreds of professionally created AI-generated school images
• Age-appropriate and education-focused visuals
• Images suitable for websites, news articles, banners and prospectuses
• Regularly updated content library
• Easy access for your school website team
• Imagery covering classroom activities, sports, STEM, arts, early years and more

Designed specifically for schools…

Unlike generic stock photography, our AI Image Bank has been created with schools in mind. The imagery reflects authentic educational environments while helping schools avoid the risks associated with publishing real pupil photographs online. This allows schools to continue celebrating learning, achievement and school life in a safe and responsible way.

Get access to our AI image bank:
拢95 excl vat

*Available to all 糖心Vlog传媒 customers.
*Our AI Image bank is an additional cost.
*Must have an active 糖心Vlog传媒 website subscription.
*This is an additional annual cost alongside your 糖心Vlog传媒 website package

The Autumn 2025 Budget has had somewhat of a mixed reaction in the school community. While there have been many major changes that could drastically increase the amount of funding schools receive in certain areas, there isn鈥檛 much clarity about which schools could potentially receive the funding boost, not to mention the fact that the budget doesn鈥檛 allow for an increase in core school funding.

As of writing, the Autumn 2025 Budget has been unveiled for at least a month, which means we can now offer some insight into how the budget will impact schools.

Overview of the Autumn 2025 Budget

The Autumn Budget 2025 was announced on 25th November 2025. While there was an expectation that a significant portion would be dedicated to education funding, many of the policies that were introduced remain fairly unexplained, and likely will until the new year.

Education stakeholders have been watching this budget closely because, like most budgets, there will be a direct impact on how much funding a school can receive. The government had also pledged a significant investment in schooling, although it remains to be seen whether the changes proposed by the budget will have a real impact. Of course, in the case of schools, many are craving significant extra resources, since many schools are generating significant amounts of debt.

Major Funding Changes for Schools

There has been one major funding change for schools, and one non-change that is causing a lot of schools to become quite worried about their future.

Central Government Taking Over SEND Funding (from 2028鈥�29)

Perhaps the biggest change in the budget is the central government now taking over SEND funding, something which was previously the responsibility of local authorities. Local authorities are quite pleased by the announcement, since many of them were struggling to fund SEND themselves. The government has allocated 拢6 billion to SEND for the transition in 2028-2029, with budgeting set to rise further in the following years. This at the cost of many of the free schools that were supposed to be built.

This does, potentially, mean that school budgets will be slightly better for helping to fund SEND. However, we cannot know for certain since the white paper on the impact of the government taking over SEND has yet to be released.

Unfortunately, many people do not believe that this is the right move. SEND will take up a healthy amount of the education budget, and many people fear this could result in a decrease in overall school funding as the years go on. Although once again, this is something that remains to be seen. However, it is somewhat suspicious that the government keeps delaying its report on this.

No Significant Increase in Core School Funding

Unfortunately, there is no significant increase in school funding. This has caused concerns amongst unions and school leaders, since many schools are already struggling with funding themselves. This is all thanks to inflation, increased running costs, and higher pay demands.

This does mean that some schools, particularly the more under-funded ones, will need to tighten their belts in some areas, or perhaps look for alternative funding options to balance the books a little. Even then, some schools will struggle which could have a long-term impact on the students. Hopefully, this is something that will be considered in the next budget.

New Education Investments Announced

The government has announced funding in a few core areas. Much of this is to help improve literacy rates among children, while also boosting learning opportunities.

拢5 Million for Secondary School Libraries

拢5 million will be set aside for improvements to secondary school libraries. This, on average, means 拢1,400 per secondary school in the UK, although we imagine that the funding won鈥檛 be evenly spread among schools. We expect schools with seriously lacking library facilities to see the most benefit from the policy.

Bear in mind that this is an extension of a previous policy from the government. By 2029, every primary school in the UK will have a library available. This is thanks to 拢10 million in funding. Although the size of the libraries is likely to be quite limited.

The policy should lead to improved literacy and access to books among students, particularly among students who may not be within easy reach of a public library.

拢18 Million for Up to 200 Playground Upgrades

The budget sets aside 拢18 million for 200 playground upgrades around the United Kingdom. However, it is worth noting that we currently have no idea where those playgrounds are, nor whether schools will see much benefit from them.

That being said, the schools that do benefit from this policy could see benefits to outdoor learning and physical activity among their students. This can mean more opportunities to educate their students, while also letting students blow off a little bit of steam during their breaks.

We will need to wait for the government to see how funds will be allocated here, but some schools with limited outdoor play areas may be able to apply for some funding.

Impact on Students and Families

An impact that many parents will feel is the scrapping of the two-child benefit limit. This could increase the amount of funds that families with over two children have at their disposal. The hope is that this could significantly reduce child poverty.

While this cash won鈥檛 be funnelled directly to schools, schools should be able to see some benefit from the policy. There may be an increase in student attendance and well-being. This could directly lead to improved learning outcomes.

What This Means for School Leaders

The lack of a significant increase in core school funding is likely to cause issues for many schools, which may result in some schools looking for ways to cut costs between 2026 and 2029. While there have been mild funding increases in libraries and playgrounds, it is still unknown who will receive the cash. This will make managing budgets even harder, especially as real-world pressures continue to take hold.

While some are praising SEND reform, which could lead to an easing of pressure on local authorities, there is no indication about how it will work yet. While we will likely get an update in the early part of 2026, a lot of things could still change. This means that schools are currently unable to play for SEND reform.

How the Autumn 2025 Budget Will Affect Schools

Local authorities are likely the clear winners in the autumn 2025 budget, since SEND will now be taken off their hands. Schools that have not received much funding for their libraries, or are operating in areas with heavy poverty, may also see some benefit.

The non-increase of core school funding will likely impact all schools in a negative way, though. Budgets are already tight enough, unfortunately.

In the short term, we will likely see schools try to trim their budgets slightly, especially amidst uncertainty about how the SEND reform will pan out. However, the budget, if it works, does have good long-term prospects. Those students who fall under SEND could potentially receive increased funding for their education. The investment in libraries could also boost literacy rates. The scrapping of the two-child cap on benefits could also lead to better educational outcomes. It could be years before we see any real effect, though.

The next spending review will, hopefully, allocate more funds to schools. However, it is unknown whether there will be any significant increase. The fact that the government is not increasing now doesn鈥檛 really bode well. In fact, if they take over SEND, we could see a decrease in budgets allocated to schools, although we hope it doesn鈥檛 come to that.

Get in touch to learn about our听CMS,听website design, or听marketing services.

Back in March 2025, Bridget Phillipson announced the introduction of 鈥榙igital school profiles鈥�. Something the government pledged would be a step towards making schools much more accountable for their actions. The aim of digital school profiles is to improve transparency in schools. Partly, to force schools to kick themselves up a notch in performance and, partly, to allow parents more information about what schools are available to their children and how those schools are performing.

Digital school profiles are nothing new, with Ofsted offering profiles online for schools, and various 鈥榬anking鈥� websites providing more information. However, the whole idea of the system devised by the government is to make the system much more centralised and, hopefully, better. Let鈥檚 see how it鈥檒l work.

What are Digital School Profiles?

At the moment, it is not yet known what digital school profiles will entail. However, the basic proposal suggests that digital school profiles will aim to collate the information that, so far, has been spread across multiple resources. So, exam results, attendance, Ofsted reports, and any other important facts that a person would need to know about the school.

The idea is that parents won鈥檛 need to hop around multiple sites to find information about schools. They鈥檒l find proper, up-to-date, information on a single website. The information should also be much clearer. This sort of accessibility will be fantastic as it will give parents useful information about how schools are performing.

Why is the Government Making the Change?

According to Bridget Phillipson, the purpose of digital school profiles is to offer a 鈥榮ignificantly strengthened school accountability system鈥� coupled with raising 鈥榯he bar on what we expect from schools鈥�. Much of the idea of digital school profiles has been born from the amount of pressure the government has been facing to improve the state of schools in the country.

The government wants to make it easier to see which schools are performing well, and which ones leave a lot to be desired. By offering colour-coded judgements across multiple areas, schools (and parents) can easily see where a school is strong and where it is weak. This will, hopefully, signal a move away from single headline grades which can make determining where issues lie tough.

What This Means for Parents?

The main benefit for parents is that it becomes a whole lot easier to compare schools. Information will be much easier to read, and compare. This can be useful for parents who are fortunate enough to live in an area where their children can attend two different schools.

As we said, the data will also be clearer. There鈥檒l be no bouncing between websites, trying to analyse the reams of information available to come up with a comparison. The comparison will be very easy to decipher.

It should also be much easier for parents to determine what the strengths and weaknesses of each school is. No need to read though loads of complicated Ofsted reports (although, they鈥檒l still be available).

What This Means for Schools

Schools will have much better visibility of their performance data. This can be good or bad, depending on the school. Schools will just know information about how they are performing will be much, much easier to access.

Schools will have to work even harder to ensure that their websites are up to date and Ofsted-compliant. With the introduction of digital profiles, there is a much greater focus on ensuring that schools share the right information. All data on the school鈥檚 website needs to be clear and match any official profile.

How 糖心Vlog传媒 Can Help

Here at 糖心Vlog传媒, we know just how much schools can have on their plate. While digital profiles are good news for education, it can be tough to stay compliant with the new rules. This is especially true in the early days. This is why 糖心Vlog传媒 wants to help.

We can offer Ofsted-complaint website management, ensuring your school stays on top of ever-changing digital profile rules. We can ensure that all key performance information is displayed in parent-friendly formats. We can also ensure that parental engagement with your school鈥檚 website is far higher too.

Our team can help keep the link between your school website and Department for Education profile seamless, ensuring that parents can quickly find all the information they need.

Digital School Profiles Explained

New digital school profiles benefit parents in allowing them to have far greater clarity about how schools are performing, ensuring fairer comparisons between schools. Schools will have all their data front and centre, giving them far greater accountability. Hopefully allowing them to show off their achievements, or drive themselves to improve.

Digital school profiles are new, and schools need to stay on top of things to ensure they stay compliant with new rules. This means having a quality website designed. Get your website Ofsted-ready with 糖心Vlog传媒, ensuring that you spend less time keeping your school鈥檚 website complaint, and more time focusing on improving education in your school.

Rebuilding Education for the Future:

This Budget isn鈥檛 just numbers鈥攊t鈥檚 about resetting the stage for education in a rapidly changing world.

The 拢2.3 billion boost to core school funding means more per-pupil resources, helping schools manage rising costs while supporting diverse learning needs across the board. Schools can now plan further, upgrade materials, and give students the quality education they deserve.

拢1.4 billion is earmarked to rebuild ageing school infrastructure, with 100 projects launching soon. Beyond aesthetics, this investment addresses structural needs, bringing school buildings up to modern safety and functional standards. Students and staff deserve environments conducive to learning, with comfortable, safe, and inspiring spaces.

For special needs education, a significant portion of funding will be used to upgrade SEN facilities and resources. This funding isn鈥檛 just about ticking a box鈥攊t鈥檚 about reshaping how schools integrate special needs support, making classrooms more accessible and inclusive. More schools will have the means to meet a wide range of learning differences, empowering all students to achieve their best.

And then there鈥檚 technology. Education can鈥檛 stand still while the world goes digital. Investments will bring modern tech tools into classrooms across the country, ensuring students leave school digitally literate and prepared. Updated systems will also enhance teachers鈥� ability to create interactive, engaging lessons, and support remote or hybrid learning if needed.

This Budget gives schools the chance to look forward and plan for a sustainable, resilient future鈥攐ne where funding, facilities, and technology meet the needs of today鈥檚 and tomorrow鈥檚 learners. This isn鈥檛 just spending; it鈥檚 setting the stage for the next generation鈥檚 success.

Easter is fast approaching and primary teachers are looking for quick and easy ideas to engage students with DIY crafting. With that in mind, we created the infographic below, where teachers and pupils can find some of the greatest and simplest craft ideas for the classroom.
Many听teachers are using our Resources app to store all the great ideas, documents and images they create or find online. This helps them to enhance the learning experience of pupils every Easter.

Webanywhere鈥檚 latest free guide has been put together to help you create a better website for your school.

Continue reading →

This is a question we hear many teachers ask – and our team regularly speak to schools wanting help with choosing the right content for their website.

Webanywhere has already created a checklist for schools (which you can find ) but now we can offer you even more help with keeping Ofsted happy – with a number of free events around the country.

Tracey Gentle, a Ambassador and former teacher, will speak at many of these events, using her knowledge of school websites – and what both you as a school and Ofsted as the inspectorate need to get out of having a website. She will even cover the latest additions to the Ofsted/DfE criteria – as of course the guidelines and requirements are updated all the time.
The full list of free sessions covering Ofsted requirements for school websites is below. If you would like further information, or would like to attend, please email events@webanywhere.co.uk.

Thursday 21st November 9.30am-12.30pm

Wolborough Primary School, Newton Abbott, Devon TQ12 2JU

听

Friday 22nd November 9.30am-12.30pm

Christ Church CE Primary School, Leigh, Wigan WN7 4HB

听

Thursday 28th November, 3.15-5.515pm

Westborough School, Westcliff-On-Sea SS0 5BS

听

Friday 29th November, 9am-12pm

St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 7DG

听

As you may know, the Department for Education introduced new requirements for school websites in September. We have produced a free guide to the changes, .
Changes include:

• Schools are no longer obliged to publish a physical prospectus
• There is a list of specific information which schools are required to make available on their website
• If a school has no website, this information must be published elsewhere on the web, and parents must be made aware of its location

Ofsted are also placing more emphasis on the quality of school websites. states that planning for the inspection should be informed by analysis of: 鈥渋nformation available on the school鈥檚 website, which may include a prospectus and other information for parents鈥�. The handbook also states 鈥淪chools should encourage parents to complete Parent View by placing a link on their website to the Parent View website鈥� ( being the principal source of information that inspectors will use to judge parental opinions).

As you can see, a fully populated, regularly updated website is now essential to a school. With a 糖心Vlog传媒 website, you can be sure this is taken care of. Our expertise in creating outstanding school websites is proven, with thousands of customers in the UK alone.

We create websites tailored to meet DfE and Ofsted standards, as well as to reflect the ethos of a school. The intuitive 糖心Vlog传媒 website management system means that any member of staff with minimal technical knowledge can easily keep the website updated with all the latest information, with the Webanywhere support team always there to provide a helping hand if necessary.
Take the stress out of managing your school website: speak to the experts.