The Government announced an independent review, led by Professor Cathy Nutbrown, to consider how best to strengthen qualifications and career pathways in the foundation years.

Professor Nutbrown has now produced her interim report. The review looks at qualifications - both for young people who are new to the early education and childcare sector, and for those already employed - and also how to promote progression into the labour market, higher level education and other training routes.

Professor Nutbrown conducted a large-scale public consultation to gather evidence towards her review. The report of this call for evidence can be found on this page under ‘Summary of Results'.

A DFE report based on research on the outcomes for students from early entries at GCSE is available. Statistical information is presented about recent trends in early entries with a focus on English and mathematics in particular. The report is available for download in PDF format.

A report from the Expert Panel's thinking on a range of important issues has been published. This includes an overarching conception of the purposes, shape, size and structure of the curriculum. The report focuses in particular on a number of recommendations, some of which have the potential to result in radical change to the National Curriculum, beyond change to curriculum content.

The three main documents for Ofsted's new arrangements for school inspection, due to commence in January 2012, have been published today. Available on the Ofsted website, they include the inspection framework, the evaluation schedule and guidance on how inspections should be conducted. Also available, to assist schools in preparing for inspection, are a series of short videos, PowerPoint presentations and detailed "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQs). These are all designed to ensure that details of the new arrangements are clearly explained.

The DFE has announced that the Pupil Premium will rise to £600 from next financial year. Furthermore, the scope for eligibility has also been widened so that any child registered for Free School Meals (FSM) in the past six years the will now qualify. Further details are available via the DFE website website.

Information on the overall achievements of young people in GCE and Applied GCE A-level examinations and other equivalent qualifications has been released. This information is based on data collated for the 2011 School and College Performance Tables. Achievements in all Level 3 qualifications approved under Section 96 of the Learning and Skills Act (2000) are included. The DfE Performance Table points are used to calculate point scores for all Level 3 qualifications - see technical notes for more details. Further details are available via the Research and Statistics Gateway website.

Earliest information on the overall achievements of young people in GCSE examinations and other accredited qualifications in 2010/11 has been released. The information is taken from data collated for the 2011 Secondary School Performance Tables. New statistics about the entries and achievements in each English Baccalaureate subject area as well as new national tables showing pupils making expected progress in English and mathematics from 2007/8 to 2010/11 and showing expected progress broken down by prior attainment and KS4 grades. Further details are available via the Research and Statistics Gateway website.

Provisional subject results for GCS A-Levels, GCSE and diplomas area available to download from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JVQ) website. The statistics presented in tables includes both cumulative percentages and percentage by awarded grades as well as gender data and comparisons with results in 2010. Further details and downloads are available via the JCQ website.