Business rates relief rules for private schools haven’t changed yet
The government intends to remove charitable business rates relief for English private schools from April. Read
Fact checks
Education
We fact check and explain issues about schools, teacher shortages, childcare, universities, and qualifications.
Education
Are student loan repayments really ‘the cost of a pint of beer’?
We’ve crunched the numbers after a claim on the Today programme from former Labour cabinet minister Alan Johnson. Read
Fact checks
Has the percentage of good or outstanding schools risen to 90% under the Conservatives?
It’s technically accurate that 90% of schools are rated good or outstanding, up from 68% under Labour, but changes to the way schools are inspected mean these figures should be treated with caution. Read
Fact checks
ITV Sunak V Starmer Debate: fact checked
The first TV debate of the 2024 general election has taken place, with Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer going head-to-head. Read
Fact checks
BBC Question Time, 30 May: fact checked
We’ve taken a look at five claims made during the 30 May episode of BBC Question Time, including from the Conservatives, Labour and Reform UK’s honorary president Nigel Farage. Read
Fact checks
Does Conservative London mayoral candidate Susan Hall want to ‘cancel’ free school meals?
We’ve looked at the claim from Labour ahead of this week’s mayoral election. Read
Fact checks
Economy, Business & Finance
Overall cost of pandemic support was around £370 billion
We’ve looked into claims by Dame Andrea Leadsom MP about the number of Sure Start centres open in the UK, and the amount the government spent on support for businesses and workers during the pandemic. Read
Fact checks
Education
Severe absence among school pupils in England increased by 26% last year, not 134%
A since-corrected article in The Spectator about pupil absence contained a number of inaccurate figures. Read
Fact checks
Education
Government data doesn’t show 125,000 children ‘never going’ to school
The figure, which appeared in a column published in The Times, seems to be based on government data showing the number of children who missed at least half their school sessions last autumn term. Read
Fact checks
Education
What happened to school rebuilding funding when Rishi Sunak was chancellor?
Annual spending on school rebuilding in England fell by 41% between 2019-20 and 2021-22—but that figure doesn’t tell the whole story. Read
Fact checks
