NEWS UPDATES

Take a look at what's been happening in the world of education and health and safety since our last issue...

Estonia Embraces AI in Schools While Rejecting Phone Bans

While many schools in England have implemented smartphone bans to protect students' focus and mental health, Estonia is taking a radically different approach. In the small Baltic nation, often dubbed the new European education powerhouse, students are encouraged to use their devices in the classroom. Starting this September, they will even be provided with their own AI accounts.

With a population of just 1.4 million, Estonia has quietly ascended to the top of Europe’s educational rankings. The country now outperforms much larger nations, including its neighbour Finland, in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). In the most recent PISA results from 2022, published in 2023, Estonia ranked first in Europe for maths, science, and creative thinking, and second to Ireland in reading.

The reasons for Estonia’s success are varied, but one of the standout factors is its deep integration of digital technology. While countries like England limit phone use in schools due to concerns over distractions, Estonian educators actively encourage students to use their devices as learning tools.

However, school leaders have raised concerns that the financial support currently on offer won’t stretch far enough. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), welcomed the intent behind the programme but said many schools taking part in the trial are already warning that the funding falls short of actual costs.

Now, Estonia is taking its digital education to the next level with the launch of AI Leap, a national initiative designed to equip both students and teachers with cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools. The programme, which is currently negotiating licences with OpenAI, aims to turn Estonia into a testing ground for AI in education. By 2027, the plan is to offer world-class AI learning tools to 58,000 students and 5,000 teachers, starting with 16- and 17-year-olds this September.

Under the initiative, teachers will receive training in AI technology, focusing on self-directed learning, digital ethics, and ensuring that AI literacy and educational equity are prioritized. The goal is to make Estonia not only the most digitally connected nation in Europe but also one of the smartest AI users globally.

Kristina Kallas, Estonia’s Minister of Education and Research, spoke about the country’s progressive approach to technology during a recent visit to London for the Education World Forum. She acknowledged the hesitation of many European countries when it comes to digital tools in schools but explained that Estonia has long been open to using technology for educational advancement. "We have no mobile phone bans in schools," she said. "In fact, smartphones are a vital part of our digital education policy."

Kallas also highlighted the importance of mobile phones in fostering civic engagement among students. “In Estonia, 16-year-olds can vote in local elections, and they can do it online using their mobile phones,” she said. “It would be confusing to tell them to vote online on their phone but then ban them from using the same device for educational purposes.”

While Estonia offers guidelines for phone use, particularly for younger children under 12 or 13, individual schools are encouraged to regulate mobile phone usage in their own way. "Most schools have rules in place that phones are not used during breaks, but in lessons, they are used when the teacher asks for them to be used for a specific task," Kallas explained.

Kallas envisions an education revolution, one where traditional methods—such as essays for homework—are replaced by a more modern, technology-driven approach. The focus will shift from rote memorization to the development of higher cognitive skills, as AI can handle many of the tasks that once relied on human effort. “The challenge now is to help students evolve into faster, higher-level thinkers,” she said. “We either adapt to this technological revolution, or the technology will surpass us.”

In Estonia’s forward-thinking education system, technology is not seen as a threat but as a tool to prepare the next generation for an increasingly digital future.

Hundreds of thousands of children with special needs in England could lose their legal right to additional school support under proposals currently being considered by ministers, according to reports from The Guardian.

Campaigners have expressed concern that these changes could push even more pupils out of mainstream education, leaving them without essential services. The proposed reforms target education, health, and care plans (EHCPs), the legal documents that have guaranteed support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for over a decade. These plans cover a range of conditions, including autism spectrum disorder and mental health issues.

If the current system is scrapped, it would mark the most significant shift in SEND provision in over ten years. Catherine McKinnell, the Minister for School Standards, has argued that the existing model is “not delivering,” revealing that officials are exploring alternative ways to provide support for SEND students.

EHCPs are essential for ensuring that children with special needs receive specific, tailored support in school, such as one-to-one assistance, speech and language therapy, or specialist equipment. Without an EHCP, schools are not legally required to meet a child’s specific needs, which means that in many mainstream state schools, the EHCP is often the only way children receive the specialist help they require.

McKinnell stated to The Guardian, "No decisions have been taken yet on how we deliver [support]. The change we want to see is just better support for children at the earliest stage possible. Clearly, the system we’ve inherited is not delivering that."

She acknowledged that parents often face an uphill battle to access support that should be readily available in schools. "If we had a well-functioning system, if we had that good early support, then you wouldn’t need a complex legal process to access an education," McKinnell added. "Even when families secure an EHCP, it doesn’t necessarily deliver the education that’s been identified. We’re listening to parents and working on a new system, but it’s not fixed yet."

As of January 2024, nearly 600,000 children and young people in England have an EHCP, underscoring the importance of these documents for families with children who have SEND.

In a related development, the NHS is preparing to open more mental health crisis centres across England to provide specialized care to patients in crisis, aiming to alleviate pressure on overcrowded A&E departments. These new centres will be staffed by mental health professionals and offer treatment to individuals experiencing severe symptoms such as suicidal thoughts or psychosis.

Currently, ten NHS trusts have already launched units specifically for mental health emergencies, some located within existing A&E facilities. These units are open to walk-in patients as well as those referred by GPs and police. The initiative is expected to expand to several more locations as part of a 10-year NHS plan to be released this summer under the Labour government.

Sir Jim Mackey, CEO of NHS England, noted that "crowded A&Es are not designed to treat people in mental health crisis," highlighting the need for specialized facilities to better address mental health emergencies.

Meanwhile, families of children with disabilities continue to face long waiting times for social services support. A recent survey by the national disability charity Sense revealed that nearly 20% of families (17%) reported waiting over a year to be seen by children’s social services. The charity, which advocates for the 1.8 million disabled children in the UK, said that the current system forces parents to “fight for the care their children deserve.”

Polling conducted by Censuswide, on behalf of Sense, found that the average wait for an assessment by social services was around 210 days. Families are left without appropriate support from local authorities during this time, making it harder for them to access the help they need.

As the debate over SEND reforms continues, families and campaigners are raising alarms about the future of support services for children with special needs in England, fearing that these changes could leave vulnerable students further disadvantaged.

Ministers Urge Universities to Take Stronger Action to Prevent Student Suicides

Vika Zak, an animation student at Nottingham Trent University, shared her positive experience, saying she felt supported by university staff when reaching out for help. "They emailed me, and I’m pretty sure they sent me a letter, to let me know about services I could use. It's really reassuring to know that," she told the BBC.

A report, nearly two years in the making, calls for universities to take greater responsibility in preventing student suicides. The report, which presents the first-ever set of official recommendations to university leaders from the UK government, highlights the need for universities to assess the safety of student accommodation and involve families more in the aftermath of a student's death. It also suggests that universities discourage the placement of flowers or tributes at sites where suicides have occurred, if doing so could turn the location into a "suicide hotspot."

The national review into student suicides in higher education, which was initially seen by BBC News, looked at 169 cases of suicide and serious self-harm across 73 universities during the 2023-24 academic year. The review revealed that nearly 25% of incidents, where the location was known, occurred in university-managed accommodation. It also found that families were often left out of serious incident review processes. The report warned about the danger of "suicide clusters," a phenomenon described by Public Health England as an unusually high number of suicides in specific locations or timeframes.

Among its 19 recommendations, the review suggests that universities:

• Carry out safety assessments of student halls and areas where a suicide has occurred.

• Consider discouraging tributes in these areas to prevent them from becoming focal points for others at risk.

• Provide better support for students facing academic challenges.

• Increase transparency and make family input a central part of the investigation process.

• Review the accessibility and quality of mental health services.

DfE PRESS RELEASE: More Teachers to Benefit From Flexible Working

More teachers are expected to benefit from flexible working thanks to a successful initiative that will help improve teacher retention and deliver high standards for pupils.

The government’s Flexible working ambassadors programme has been extended for a further year to support more schools across the country, enabling teachers to plan lessons from home, job-share or work flexible hours – so they have the time and energy to be at the front of the classroom, delivering high and rising standards for children.

As part of its Plan for Change, the government is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers over the course of this Parliament, so every young person has access to an excellent education. The quality of teaching is the single biggest driver of higher standards in schools.

This action is working, with 2,000 more secondary school teachers training this year than last, a 25% increase in the number of people accepting teacher training places in STEM subjects, and more teachers forecasted to stay in the profession.

The announcement follows the government accepting the school teachers’ pay body recommendation which will give teachers a pay boost of 4% from this September, taking a major step towards re-establish teaching as an attractive, expert profession.

Schools Minister, Catherine McKinnell said: "My number one priority is making sure every child has an expert teacher at the front of their classroom, as we know high-quality teaching makes the biggest difference to education outcomes. We highly value our brilliant teachers, and they deserve working conditions that recognise their professionalism and support their wellbeing."

The latest figures show that 46%of teachers had a flexible working arrangement in place in 2024, up by 6 percentage points since 2022. But with 47%of teaching staff who said they were considered leaving state education citing a lack of flexible working opportunities as one of the reasons, the government is going further and faster to ensure every school supports their staff’s working lives in modern, practical ways – delivering the best possible education for children and young people.

Evidence shows a high-quality teacher can make around half a GCSE grade difference per pupil per subject, showing the importance of allowing teachers to work flexibly, to retain the best teachers and help children achieve and thrive.

Research also found 82%of school leaders offering flexible working agreed that it had helped to retain teachers who might otherwise leave. 62%of parents said children being taught by 2 teachers in a job-share arrangement had no impact, or a positive impact, on their child

The government is also leading the way in modernising the education sector by harnessing the power of AI to free up teachers’ time and unlock more pupil interactions.

Using AI can reduce time spent on admin by several hours a week which is critical to retaining good teachers and bringing more people into the profession – so that teaching can once again be a profession that sparks joy, not burnout.

Builder Sentenced After Man Falls Through Barn Roof and Suffers Serious Injuries

A self-employed builder has been sentenced to a community order after a man fell more than 13 feet through a barn roof in Lancashire, resulting in life-threatening injuries.

James Dargan-Cole, 25, of Todmorden, was found guilty of failing to take necessary precautions to prevent the fall or avoid working at height altogether. The incident occurred on April 13, 2023, when 29-year-old Jacob Thomas, a self-employed labourer, fell through a skylight while working at Great House Farm, Great House Road. It was Mr. Thomas's first day on the job, where he had been tasked with removing wooden boarding from a lower barn structure. After taking a step, he fell through one of the roof's skylights, sustaining severe injuries including a brain haemorrhage, as well as multiple fractures to his skull, sternum, spine, and shoulder.

Dargan-Cole, of Eastwood Road, Todmorden, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. On April 1, 2025, he was sentenced at Leeds Magistrates' Court to a 12-month community order, requiring him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £2,500 in costs.

Paul Thompson, HSE Principal Inspector, commented: “Mr. Thomas sustained horrific injuries because the proper protective measures for working at height were not in place. These measures are well-established in the industry. This incident was the result of poor planning, management, and monitoring of work activities. I hope this case serves as a warning to others about the deadly risks involved in such work and the importance of proper safety procedures.”

The case was prosecuted by HSE enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds, with support from HSE paralegal officer Rebecca Forman.

School Engagement Drops Significantly in Year 7, Research Shows

Two recent studies reveal a sharp decline in students' enjoyment of school and an increase in stress levels during the transition to secondary school. Research indicates that pupils' overall enjoyment of their education takes a significant hit in the first year of secondary school, with a noticeable drop in school satisfaction between Year 6 (the final year of primary school) and Year 7.

Students eligible for free school meals report particularly low levels of enjoyment, trust, and belonging, with these gaps widening as they progress through secondary school. According to the Research Commission on Engagement and Lead Indicators, more than one in four students begins to disengage from school in Year 7. The commission, led by ImpactEd Group, tracked data from over 100,000 children across England throughout the 2024-25 academic year to examine how engagement levels changed.

The findings show that Year 7 students experienced significant declines in enjoyment, trust, safety, and agency, particularly between the autumn and spring terms of their first year in secondary school. On average, students rated their happiness about going to school at just 4.6 out of 10. The school enjoyment score drops dramatically from 6 in Year 6 to 3.8 in Year 7, continuing to decline to 3.2 by Year 8.

The research emphasizes that Year 7 marks a pivotal time when students' enjoyment of school sharply declines. It also highlights gender differences, with girls initially feeling safer than boys during primary school, but becoming increasingly less safe compared to their male peers by Year 9. The sense of safety for female students drops from 7.21 in Year 7 to 5.89 in Year 9, while for males, it decreases from 7.40 to 6.55.

Professor John Jerrim from UCL Institute of Education, who led the study, suggests that these findings raise important questions about how to manage the transition to secondary school. He pointed out a "strong link" between student engagement and attendance, noting that students with higher engagement scores were less likely to be persistently absent. Specifically, those in the top 25% for engagement were 10 percentage points less likely to miss school compared to those in the bottom 25%.

Dame Sue John, chair of the commission, stressed the importance of identifying when students begin disengaging with school in order to intervene early and prevent further disconnection, which could lead to non-attendance and poorer academic outcomes.

In a separate study by the Axiom Maths charity, a sharp decline in enjoyment and an increase in the perception of school as stressful were also observed as students transitioned to secondary school. The proportion of students who described school as fun fell from 73% at the end of primary school to just 58% by the second term of Year 7. Similarly, the percentage of students who found school stressful increased from 42% to 50% during the same period.

The research also highlighted a widening gap in enthusiasm, with high-achieving students experiencing a more pronounced drop in enthusiasm by the second term of Year 7.

Hundreds of millions of pounds are also being invested by government to offer tax free financial incentives and professional development to attract and keep the best and brightest teachers across the country, alongside targeted action to improve teachers’ workload and wellbeing.

An investigation by HSE revealed that not only did Dargan-Cole fail to implement any measures to prevent falls, but the barn roof also contained asbestos. Dargan-Cole lacked the necessary knowledge of the risks associated with asbestos and failed to manage the dangers while dismantling the barn structure.

Children with Special Needs in England Face Potential Loss of Legal Right to Extra Support

However, Bob and Maggie Abrahart, whose daughter Natasha took her own life while studying at the University of Bristol in 2018, described the review as "superficial." Mr. Abrahart expressed frustration that universities were not required to implement the recommendations, saying, "For ministers to say ‘we expect them to do their duty’ is just pie in the sky." He pointed out that universities had previously received numerous recommendations, including guidelines from Universities UK (UUK) for its 141 member institutions. Mrs. Abrahart added that universities should be legally required to provide a duty of care to students, ensuring they act with reasonable care to prevent harm.

The Department for Education (DfE) commissioned the review in 2023, entrusting academics from the University of Manchester, part of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health, to conduct it independently. In response to questions about why a legal duty of care was not introduced, skills minister Jacqui Smith explained that there were "some legal challenges." However, she emphasized that universities do have a general duty of care to students. "We’ll be absolutely clear with universities that this is their responsibility. We’ve made resources available and will continue to hold them accountable," she said.

The Office for Students (OfS) revealed that over 40% of universities in England are expected to face financial deficits by the summer.

Cladding Company and Director Fined After Employee Dies in Fall Through Roof

A cladding company and its director have been fined following the tragic death of a worker who fell through a fragile roof while replacing cladding panels at an industrial site.

The 61-year-old worker was employed by Camclad Contractors Limited when the incident occurred on January 24, 2018, at Gaerwen Industrial Estate in Anglesey. The worker had been replacing cladding panels on a former abattoir that had been damaged during a storm.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that the work had been planned solely based on photographs, with no site visit carried out beforehand. As a result, the contractor was unaware of the full dimensions of the building, which led to the cherry picker being unable to reach all areas that required repair. To complete the work, the workers were forced to leave the safety of the cherry picker and use boards they found on-site to work on the fragile roof. It was while performing this risky task that the worker slipped and fell through the roof, landing on the concrete floor below.

Under health and safety regulations, employers are required to ensure that work at height is properly planned, supervised, and executed by competent workers. HSE provides clear guidance on working at height, which includes the use of appropriate equipment to ensure safety.

Damian Corbett, HSE principal inspector, commented after the case: “Those in control of work have a responsibility to implement safe working methods and provide the necessary information and training to workers. If the work had been properly planned, a safe system would have been put in place, preventing the risk of falls through fragile materials. This case serves as a reminder that HSE will take enforcement action against companies who fail to meet safety standards.”

Camclad Contractors Limited, based in Wyboston, Bedfordshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company was fined £225,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs.

Dominic Lakeman-Pettit, a director of the company, also pleaded guilty to breaching section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. Lakeman-Pettit was also ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.

Parents Show "Defiance" Over School Discipline as Behaviour Declines in Welsh Schools

A national campaign aimed at addressing poor behaviour in Welsh schools has been proposed, as Estyn, Wales’ schools inspectorate, highlights a growing trend of parental "defiance" towards school policies and a tendency to excuse their children's actions. The report, which points to a general decline in behaviour since the pandemic, warns that secondary schools are increasingly struggling with difficult-to-manage pupils, particularly those displaying the most challenging behaviours.

Estyn’s findings include a significant rise in short-term exclusions, with fixed-term exclusions of five days or fewer jumping from 12,774 instances in 2018-19 to 22,945 in 2022-23. The inspectorate calls for a national campaign, led by the Welsh government, to tackle these issues.

Common behavioural problems in schools include students talking back to teachers, disrespecting staff, refusing to complete assignments, skipping lessons, misusing mobile phones, and vaping. Increased anxiety among pupils is also a concern.

The report highlights that some school staff have expressed frustration over parents challenging the school's approach to managing behaviour. In particular, a few parents have been described as "unsupportive," sometimes undermining staff by excusing poor behaviour. "A very small number of parents displayed aggressive behaviour towards leaders and staff when concerns about their child’s behaviour were raised," the report states.

Estyn has recommended that the Welsh government update national guidelines on behaviour management, noting that the current framework lacks practical and up-to-date guidance to help schools, students, and families handle and promote positive behaviour. The inspectorate urges the government to collaborate with local authorities to develop a campaign aimed at promoting the importance of good behaviour, targeting parents, carers, and students alike.

The rise in exclusions, particularly short-term ones, is a significant concern. Data shows that pupils eligible for free school meals face exclusions at a rate almost 3.5 times higher than their peers, while pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) are also disproportionately affected. These figures suggest an increase in pupils exhibiting particularly challenging and complex behaviour, the report notes.

The report also points out a lack of a national system to track instances of poor behaviour, making it difficult to fully assess the extent of the problem.

Many school leaders feel that support from the Welsh government, local authorities, and school improvement services is inadequate. There is a lack of alternative provisions, with Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) often operating at full capacity. Reduced funding and staff shortages have also hindered progress in addressing behavioural issues, according to school leaders.

A pupil survey, which gathered 1,700 responses, indicated that students generally had a more positive view of classroom behaviour than teachers did. Many students said that behaviour improved when teachers respected them and treated them fairly. Some headteachers responding to the survey called for a national strategy that includes mobile phone bans, increased funding for specialist provisions, and clearer accountability for parents.

Estyn’s chief inspector, Owen Evans, commented, "Pupil behaviour can be challenging, and positive behaviour doesn’t just happen—it’s the result of strong, compassionate leadership, clear and consistently applied behaviour management, ongoing staff training, and support from the whole school community."