Blogs

Weekly Roundup: STEM and Beyond in UK Education – 27 May to 2 June 2025

Welcome back. As the half term winds down and summer exam season heats up, it's been a week of striking headlines - quite literally in some cases. From curriculum “cold spots” to climate curriculum challenges and digital skills dilemmas, here’s your long-read recap of the most important education stories affecting schools, FE colleges, and STEM educators across the UK.

🧪 STEM Spotlight: Cold Spots, Robotics and Green Skills

1. Students warned of subject 'cold spots' as universities cut courses
Read on BBC
The BBC reports a worrying trend: certain STEM subjects, especially those in physical sciences and engineering, are being scaled back or cut entirely at various universities. The reasons? Falling applications and financial pressures. This puts pressure on schools to prepare students for a narrowing field of options and potentially perpetuates regional inequalities.

2. How robotics can help solve Scotland’s STEM teacher crisis
Read on TES
TES highlights a forward-thinking solution from north of the border: using robotics to engage students and train teachers. This isn't just an enrichment activity—it’s part of a long-term strategy to make STEM teaching attractive and sustainable.

3. Loss of £80m low-carbon skills fund could stop schools going green
Read on Schools Week
Despite mounting enthusiasm for climate education, Schools Week reveals a serious funding gap threatening school green energy projects. Consultants warn that without support, schools can't afford to implement carbon-reduction schemes, despite government rhetoric.

4. Reshaping the New Green Skills Landscape
Read on FE Week
FE Week provides a broader view of how post-16 education providers are adapting to the demands of green tech. A push is underway to embed sustainability in vocational and technical pathways—though not without logistical and financial hurdles.

🧠 Workforce Woes: Strikes, Burnout and Policy Gaps

5. Teachers to strike over longer school hours
Read on BBC
New plans to extend the school day have triggered backlash, particularly across Lincolnshire and Teesside. Teachers argue this approach overlooks workload and wellbeing.

6. Teacher workload 'unfair and unhealthy', union says
Read on BBC
A candid report from Scotland highlights the increasing burden placed on teaching staff. This coincides with wider strike action and questions about the government’s long-term workforce plan.

7. Early career teachers struggled with workload, finds ECF review
Read on TES
A TES review shows that new teachers under the Early Career Framework are burning out quickly. Many cite the dual challenge of learning to teach and delivering on stretched targets.

8. DfE extends neurodiversity support scheme, but with less funding
Read on Schools Week
While the Department for Education is extending its neurodiversity training for teachers, the funding attached to it is shrinking—raising questions about the scheme’s real impact.

🎓 Curriculum & Policy: From MATs to AI

9. Biggest-ever academy trust merger given minister greenlight
Read on Schools Week
The merger of two large Catholic MATs could shift the balance of power in the sector. What does this mean for curriculum control and STEM programme delivery at the local level?

10. The missing link for AI in education: A collaborative framework
Read on FE Week
A thoughtful piece on how AI isn’t just about automation or marking bots. Instead, it’s about rethinking teaching workflows, feedback, and support with a “human-AI” partnership model in FE.

11. EEF launches comprehensive updates to Teaching and Learning Toolkit
Read on EEF
Although lightly reported, this update quietly reshapes the evidence base for teaching practice. STEM teachers will want to review the science-specific toolkit revisions—especially around retrieval practice and metacognition.

📢 Policy & Funding: Breakfast Clubs, Pay Scales, and More

12. Fact check: Are school breakfast clubs getting 60p per pupil?
Read on TES
TES investigates conflicting reports around government support for school breakfast clubs. While 60p sounds generous, the reality is more complex and varies regionally.

13. Teacher pay scales 2025–26: what will your salary look like?
Read on TES
New pay scale guidelines are in—and they’ll affect how STEM departments retain talent. Though increases exist, inflation means many may still experience a real-terms cut.

14. Education cuts would risk school budgets, warns IFS
Read on Schools Week
The Institute for Fiscal Studies sends a stark warning: further cuts could devastate the sector. With STEM subjects often resource-heavy, this may place labs, kits, and enrichment at risk.

🧠 Reflections for STEM Teachers

1. How do we safeguard subject diversity?
   With cuts to university STEM offerings, schools may need to provide broader guidance during KS4/5 subject choices to protect access and aspiration.

2. Can we meaningfully engage with green and AI education amid funding gaps?
   The enthusiasm is there, but how can schools embed sustainable and AI-related content without systemic investment?

3. How might workload reform intersect with STEM teaching practices?
   Could better use of teaching assistants (as EEF suggests) or smarter tech help reduce teacher burnout?

4. Are we preparing learners for an evolving workforce?
   With apprenticeship frameworks changing and green jobs rising, how can science and tech curricula pivot in time?

Note: This blog post is an AI curated summary of news articles from various sources. The aim is to provide educators with a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the education sector. All hyperlinks direct readers to the original news articles for further reading.