Ramsay Hodgson

London

Journalist at Freelance

News reporter at Tes covering assessments, the curriculum and behaviour. Previously at the Financial Times.

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Articles

School leaders call for “full transparency” over use of AI to analyse Curriculum and Assessment Review

2 days ago | tes.com | Ramsay Hodgson

School leaders have called for the Department for Education to be “fully transparent” about the role of artificial intelligence in analysing the curriculum and assessment review’s call for evidence. AI techniques are among the tools “likely” to be used in the analysis, according to a DfE contract specification for suppliers interested in carrying it out. And the company that won the contract, Alma Economics, stresses its AI credentials on its website.
Curriculum fuels pupil 'engagement crisis', warns Lift CEO

2 days ago | tes.com | Ramsay Hodgson

The leader of England’s third-largest multi-academy trust has urged “radical solutions” to address an “engagement crisis” that is leading young people to “vote with their feet” in not attending school. Becks Boomer-Clark, CEO of Lift Schools, told the Lords Social Mobility Policy Committee today that it was “unhelpful” for the attendance crisis to be framed as such, arguing that “we have [an] engagement crisis”.
Free school meals expanded - but no extra pupil premium cash

3 days ago | tes.com | Ramsay Hodgson

All children living in households in receipt of universal credit will be eligible for free school meals from the start of the 2026 school year, the Department for Education has announced. The expansion means that children whose household previously received universal credit but had an income of more than £7,400 (after tax and deductions) will no longer miss out on FSM from September 2026.
Push for 1000s more school cadets in 'new era for defence'

4 days ago | tes.com | Ramsay Hodgson

A major review of Britain’s military has recommended that the Department for Education work alongside the Ministry of Defence “to develop understanding of the Armed Forces among young people in schools” amid a “new era for defence and security”.
£470m announced for Condition Improvement Fund next year

1 week ago | tes.com | Jasmine Norden |Ramsay Hodgson

The Department for Education has announced £470 million of capital funding for the repair and maintenance of school buildings in 2025-26. The money will go towards capital projects in smaller academy trusts and voluntary aided bodies this year through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF), up from £423.9 million in 2024-25, excluding appeals. The pot will fund projects across 656 schools and colleges. This is down compared with 2024-25, when CIF funded 866 projects across 733 schools and colleges.
School trip Sats question criticised as budget cuts bite

1 week ago | tes.com | Ramsay Hodgson

An education union leader has criticised a key stage 2 Sats maths question that asked pupils about the cost of school trips. The wisdom of including the question was queried, given that funding pressures have forced widespread cuts to activities such as school trips. Released to the public last Friday, the question in the 2025 maths reasoning paper asked pupils to make a calculation involving the travel, food and hotel costs of a school trip.
Warning over ‘excess of caution’ in introducing digital exams

2 weeks ago | tes.com | Ramsay Hodgson

One of England’s main education union leaders has warned against “an excess of caution” preventing the rollout of digital exams. Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, was speaking after AQA chief executive Colin Hughes revealed the exam board’s latest timeframe for introducing digital exams to Tes. Mr Hughes said digital exams may not be ready until 2028, and not for a major subject until at least 2035 - five years later than originally planned.
Revealed: The ‘fundamental unfairness’ of exam marking reviews

2 weeks ago | tes.com | Ramsay Hodgson

Serious concerns have been raised about England’s system for reviews of exam marking, with school leaders calling for government reform to tackle stark inequalities revealed in exclusive findings for Tes. A survey suggests that state schools in the most deprived areas are six times more likely than private schools to pick up the bill for reviews of marking - and almost five times more likely than state schools in the most affluent areas.
Tom Bennett to apply to be government’s new behaviour ambassador

3 weeks ago | tes.com | Ramsay Hodgson

Tom Bennett will apply to be the government’s new behaviour ambassador, Tes understands. Mr Bennett previously headed up the former government’s behaviour hubs programme until that came to an end in March. He had been appointed as the DfE behaviour advisor in 2015 by the Conservative government following their victory at the general election of May that year. On Friday, the Department for Education unveiled the new behaviour ambassador role, alongside an attendance ambassador role.
Use AI cameras for digital exam invigilation, says AQA chief

3 weeks ago | tes.com | Ramsay Hodgson

The leader of England’s biggest exam board has backed a gradual move towards using artificial-intelligence cameras to invigilate GCSE and A-level exams, saying schools would see “enormous gains”. In an exclusive interview with Tes, AQA chief executive Colin Hughes also said that digital exams may not be ready until 2028, and not for a major subject until at least 2035 - five years later than originally planned.