The Key

Take a look at a selection of the new content that our members gained access to this month, including:

🚧 Removing barriers to learning and wellbeing: staff briefing

📄 Restrictive interventions policy: model

🎙️ The 9-day fortnight: flexible working that works

See more here 👇

New and updated resources from The Key: March 2026 | The Key A round-up of the latest guidance, consultations, leadership insights and practical resources from The Key in March 2026. Plus, new podcast episodes.

Here are this week’s top sector stories 📰

🛸 Study shows a 35% rise in pupils who say conspiracy theories, misinformation and disinformation are an issue in their schools

💷 The DfE has announced that the average primary school will receive £14,000 and secondaries £48,000 next year through the new Inclusive Mainstream Fund

👎 Sixth forms express their concerns over a 0.5% funding rise

To stay up to date with all the latest education news, sign up to our weekly news briefing: https://key.sc/signupnews

New guidance on restrictive interventions comes into effect from 1 April 2026 and we want you to feel prepared.

Use our ready-to-run training session to help staff understand how to use restrictive interventions safely and minimise the need for them 👇

Restrictive interventions, including reasonable force: staff training | The Key Leaders Use our training session to help staff understand how to use restrictive interventions safely and minimise the need for them. The presentation takes around 1 hour 15 minutes to deliver and covers the new DfE guidance, including your school's recording and reporting duties.

Here are this week’s top sector stories 📰

📈 Complaints to Ofsted have risen by 5% in a year, according to new data

📚 The English hubs programme will expand to secondary schools from September, following a successful pilot in primary schools, the DfE has announced

🏫 Nearly 6 in 10 school leaders report that pupils or staff experienced racial harassment in school over the past year, according to research by ASCL

To stay up to date with all the latest education news, sign up to our weekly news briefing: https://key.sc/signupnews

When it comes to measuring pupil performance, it can be easy to confuse attainment and progress.

Understanding the difference is key to making sense of your school’s performance data and spotting what’s really happening beneath the surface 👇

Attainment and progress: know the difference | The Key Leaders When measuring pupil performance, it can be easy to confuse attainment and progress. Understand the difference between attainment and progress in schools.

How can you minimise the need for restrictive interventions in your school?

Find out how to identify pupils' triggers and behaviour hotspots, and initiate de-escalation techniques early to prevent an incident from happening 👇

How to minimise the need for restrictive interventions | The Key Leaders Understand how to use whole-school and individual approaches to minimise the need to use restrictive interventions. Find out how to identify pupils' triggers and behaviour hotspots, and initiate de-escalation techniques early to prevent an incident from happening.

Here are this week’s top sector stories 📰

📚 A DfE-commissioned research report has found that the English hubs programme has had a significant impact on pupil outcomes

⏸️ 1 in 12 Ofsted inspections were delayed or paused in the first year of a new policy designed to improve headteacher wellbeing, according to new government data

🏫 50% of school staff are concerned about their ability to support pupils with SEND, the Tes teacher wellbeing report suggests

To stay up to date with all the latest education news, sign up to our weekly news briefing: https://key.sc/signupnews

From 1 April 2026, all schools should have a policy on the use of restrictive interventions.

Download and adapt our model restrictive interventions policy, which includes reasonable force and seclusion, to help you comply with the latest DfE guidance 👇

Restrictive interventions policy: model | The Key Leaders Download and adapt our model restrictive interventions policy, which includes reasonable force and seclusion, to help you comply with the latest DfE guidance.

Today, Louis Theroux has released his new Netflix documentary 'Inside the Manosphere', exploring the rise of online influencers and communities promoting misogynistic and extreme ideas about masculinity.

While these spaces can seem like a distant corner of the internet, they can influence how some boys and young men think about the girls and women in their lives. Research suggests many teachers are increasingly concerned about the impact of online misogyny on pupils and behaviour in schools.

For parents/carers and schools, understanding these influences is an important first step.

To help, we’ve unlocked our factsheet for parents and carers explaining online toxic masculinity, what the ‘manosphere’ is, and how to start conversations with young people about it.

Take a look here 👇

Online toxic masculinity: parent/carer factsheet | The Key Safeguarding Download and share this factsheet with parents/carers to make them aware of the rise of online misogyny and how it might be affecting children.

We analysed 206 Ofsted report cards and patterns are emerging 👀

If you're wondering what this might mean for your next inspection, our analysis breaks it down.

Read our blog here 👇

What schools can learn from Ofsted report cards | The Key We’ve analysed 206 report cards, published on Ofsted’s Find an inspection report website between 12 January and 10 February. Read on to find out what patterns we’ve seen, and what these early insights suggest inspectors may focus on when they inspect your school.

The DfE is consulting on changes to statutory guidance about supporting pupils with medical conditions and allergies.

Read our summary of the proposals, and find out how to respond to the consultation which you'll need to do by 1 May 👇

Supporting pupils with medical conditions and allergies: consultation summary | The Key Leaders The DfE is consulting on changes to statutory guidance about supporting pupils with medical conditions and allergies. Read our summary of the proposals, and find out how to respond to the consultation which you'll need to do by 1 May.

Here are this week’s top sector stories 📰

🏫 The DfE has asked David Bell to conduct a review into antisemitism in schools and colleges

❌ 1 in 5 school support staff are considering leaving the school state sector in the next year, DfE research has found

📈 The government aims to improve teacher diversity and flexible working

To stay up to date with all the latest education news, sign up to our weekly news briefing: https://key.sc/signupnews