2026-11-05 — Competition and Education Briefing

Ireland

Free Period Products Scheme Set to Expand Across Eligible Schools

Reported — 5 November 2026 | Implementation: 2027/28 school year

The Government is expected to announce an expansion of free period products to all eligible upper primary, post-primary and special schools participating in the free education scheme from September 2027.

Schools will receive annual grants, with implementation guidance to follow before the scheme begins. The expansion builds on provision introduced in DEIS Plus schools this academic year.

Irish Examiner — Free Period Products Expansion. irishexaminer.com

United Kingdom

Bristol Schools Data Published Following Cyberattack

Reported — 4–5 November 2026 | England

Files stolen from Bristol City Council’s school IT platform have been published online following September’s cyberattack. The council is investigating which schools, individuals and types of information are affected.

Schools have received guidance for families about possible follow-up scams. Parents and staff should follow their school’s communications and treat unexpected requests for passwords, account verification or personal information cautiously.

ITV News — Bristol Schools Data Breach and Council Advice. ITV News West Country

United States

USSEO Announces Robotics and AI Challenge for Students Worldwide

Announcement — 5 November 2026 | Registration deadline: 5 February 2027

The US-organised USSEO Human-in-the-Loop Robotics & AI Challenge invites teams of one to four elementary, middle or high school students worldwide to build a working robotic system in which AI supports human decision-making.

Entries require a proposal, engineering documentation and a prototype demonstration. Preliminary judging is online, with final submissions due 5 March 2027. The organiser lists application fees of US$30 for elementary/middle school and US$50 for high school.

RECF — Challenge Requirements and Deadlines · USSEO — Registration and Fees. recf.org

International Competitions

Portugal Announces European Statistics Competition Entry Details

Published — 4 November 2026 | Regional international competition

Portugal’s education quality agency has published details of the 2026/27 European Statistics Competition, covering students in the third cycle of basic education and secondary education, including vocational courses.

Teams of one to three students, supported by a teacher, complete remote tasks. Portugal’s registration and first-phase testing deadline is 15 December 2026 at 11pm mainland Portugal time. The two highest-ranked teams in each category advance to represent Portugal internationally.

The European competition operates through participating countries’ national rounds. Portugal’s deadline and entry route do not apply to students in other countries, who must check their national organiser.

EduQA — European Statistics Competition 2027 Announcement. EduQA