Happy Easter! Here’s a quick low down on what happened in March 2026.
Welcome to our Easter newsletter for March 2026, we’ve had podcasts and pillars and good chat about what to do now following on from ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving‘ as well as running our first conference for 2026!
So what did we learn at Newcastle? Well for one thing, our attendees loved the new format with the sessions relating to ‘ticking the right mental health boxes’ and were very keen on the workbook. In fact, a few even commented that they wished they had the standard ticket over the economy as we didn’t have any spare and they missed out! Thanks to all who attended and made it a success, our eyes are now fixed on Peterborough in June…
Our latest AMHIE on Air episode saw us welcome Mohammad Umaid from the Al-Fateh Institute of Health Sciences in Pakistan as our first overseas guest, alongside AMHIE Steering Group member Nicola Bailey, they had a wonderful fireside chat around belonging. Catch up here.
Coming up in April:
- Peterborough early bird ticket offer: Get the price of your conference ticket deducted from your Mental Health First Responder training
- AMHIE Members Training: All AMHIE members training soon available! Upgrade your membership to paid and get full access saving up to £1500!
- Interested in joining in a podcast episode? Contact us to show your interest for our July cohort: support@amhie.com
- Mental Health: Are you ticking the right boxes?: Visit https://amhie.com/mental-health-conferences/ to book your place.
- AMHIE Membership: Our membership offer covers everything your team need to promote DfE and Ofsted compliance for mental health visit for more info: https://amhie.com/membership-to-amhie/
- AMHIE Training: Members get a 30% discount on all training bookings using their exclusive code, join us to get your code. https://amhie.com/training/
Alerts and Releases March 2026
- Landmark Consultation on digital wellbeing announced: Covering everything from social media age bans and overnight curfews to the regulation of AI chatbots.
- Post 16 reforms and V levels: These changes are part of the government’s mission to ensure two-thirds of young people are in high-quality training or education by age 2
Our Blog March 2026
- Introducing the 8 pillars of mental health in education: a foundation for excellence in provision.
- Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026: Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences.
- Guest Blog: From Policy to Practice: Why Belonging Is a Felt Experience, Not a Metric
March 2026 Education Round-up
This month has seen significant shifts in the educational landscape, from the long-awaited details of the new Schools White Paper to the escalating tensions surrounding teacher pay and school funding.
In Brief
- National Offer Day: On 2 March, families received secondary school placements. While 83% received their first choice, black spots in London and Birmingham highlighted the ongoing pressure on school places.
- Antisemitism Review: Sir David Bell has been appointed to lead an independent review into antisemitism within schools and colleges. You can read the terms of reference here.
- V Levels Update: Further details were released regarding the rollout of Vocational Levels (V Levels). These are set to replace several Level 3 BTECs starting in September 2027.
The “Every Child Achieving and Thriving” White Paper
Following its initial release in late February, March was dominated by a sector-wide deep dive into the government’s flagship reform package. The proposals, currently under consultation, signal a major shift in how the DfE intends to manage the attainment gap.
- SEND Reform & Inclusive Mainstream Fund: Perhaps the most critical update for our members is the proposed £1.6 billion Inclusive Mainstream Fund. This aims to move away from exclusion by default by introducing a four-tiered support system: Universal, Targeted, Targeted Plus, and Specialist.
- The Trust-Led Future: The government has reaffirmed its commitment to a fully academised system. However, in a change of tone, the focus has shifted toward quality over pace, with no immediate hard deadline for schools currently outside of multi-academy trusts (MATs).
- Ambitious Attainment Goals: The White Paper sets a target to halve the poverty attainment gap by 2030, aiming for a national average GCSE grade of 5.
Industrial Action: NEU Launches Indicative Ballot
The National Education Union (NEU) has officially launched an online indicative ballot this month. This follows the government’s offer of a 6.5% pay rise spread over three years, which the union has branded “insulting” and “wholly unfunded.”
If members vote in favour, we could see a formal strike ballot as early as late April, potentially leading to widespread disruption during the summer term. The NEU argues that without additional Treasury funding, schools will be forced to cut staff numbers to afford the pay increase.
Early Years: New Guidance & Funding Pressures
While the government continues to champion the expansion of funded childcare hours, March brought new practical resources for families:
- Screen Time Guidance: On 26 March, the DfE published new evidence-backed digital habits guidance for parents of children under five.
- Sustainability Concerns: Despite claims that families are saving thousands of pounds, early years providers have used this month to warn that current funding rates remain insufficient to cover rising operational costs.
Higher Education: A Sector Under Strain
The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) has described March as a month of “crisis management” for UK universities.
- Financial Instability: With the value of domestic tuition fees continuing to erode against inflation, there are growing concerns regarding the long-term viability of several institutions.
- Bridging the Skills Gap: A new series of Future Jobs Roundtables commenced this month in Southampton, focusing on aligning degree apprenticeships with the needs of the UK’s growing green energy and defence sectors.
