2026-10-16 — Competitions and Education Briefing
Ireland
Gardaí assess threatening emails sent to schools
A report published late on 14 October says more than 150 schools in the Dublin and Kildare regions received threatening emails. Gardaí confirmed they were assessing the communications’ contents and credibility. The Department of Education said it had consulted police and circulated advice to schools, management bodies and unions. Schools receiving the email were advised to contact Gardaí; the department said schools could continue operating normally unless police advised otherwise. Read the report
United Kingdom
GCSE disadvantage gap narrows but remains above pre-pandemic level
Provisional statistics published on 15 October show a narrowing attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers in England’s state-funded schools. The gap in achieving grade 5 or above in both English and mathematics fell from 27.3 percentage points in 2025 to 26.8 points in 2026, but remained wider than the 25.2-point gap in 2019. The release provides school-level results and pupil-characteristic breakdowns. Progress 8 is unavailable for this cohort because its primary-school assessments were cancelled during the pandemic. Read the official statistics
Government opens evidence call on school exclusion reform
The Department for Education opened a call for evidence on 15 October covering proposed exclusion reforms in England. It seeks research, data and practical examples concerning internal suspension, support for pupils returning after suspension, and schoolwork during the first five days of suspension or permanent exclusion. Practitioners, researchers and other stakeholders can respond until 19 November 2026. The evidence will inform policy development and the statutory framework; the consultation does not itself introduce new exclusion rules. Read the consultation and respond
Education Secretary confirms new English curriculum strand for speaking
Following advance reporting, Education Secretary Lucy Powell formally announced on 15 October that speaking and communication skills would receive equal status with reading and writing as a new strand of England’s English curriculum. The published conference speech confirms that speaking, listening and communicating will feature in both curriculum content and assessment, from primary school through GCSE and beyond. Powell said the work would involve schools, Ofqual and the curriculum review. The announcement establishes the policy direction, rather than an immediate change to current examinations. Read the official speech
United States
Colorado student wins National Civics Bee championship
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced on 15 October that Peter Daniell, a middle-school student from Broomfield, Colorado, won the 2026 National Civics Bee Championship and a $100,000 contribution to a 529 education savings plan. The championship took place in Washington, D.C., on 14 October, bringing together 52 finalists representing every state, Washington, D.C., and American Samoa. Competitors progressed through local and state events before the national rounds, which tested civic knowledge, critical thinking and community problem-solving. Read the official results
International School Competitions
Formula of Unity releases international mathematics qualifying problems
The Formula of Unity / Third Millennium Mathematics Olympiad released its qualifying-round problems on 15 October. Participation is free and open worldwide to school students in Russian grades 5–11 or equivalent school years; students can enter the qualifying round directly. Solutions must include full justifications and be uploaded through an individual account by 23:59:59 UTC on 5 November 2026. Submissions may be written in English, Russian or Turkish. Successful qualifiers advance to the final round, while prize-winners from the previous edition receive direct invitations. Read the new announcement · Official eligibility and round information