SEND

The latest news, analysis, research and advice relating to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) sector

Wednesday

29th Oct 2025

Is Portugal our guiding light for inclusion?
Portugal’s school system has been hailed as a model of inclusive education. But, with England moving towards greater inclusion in mainstream, is it a blueprint we should follow? Zofia Niemtus investigates
Lisbon Portugal

Tuesday

28th Oct 2025

Nearly half a million pupils entitled to free school transport
Almost one in 10 children with SEND who receive funded home-to-school transport travel alone by taxi, new DfE data shows
Travel

Monday

27th Oct 2025

Sendcos back statutory mainstream support plan
Teacher Tapp data shows a higher level of support among Sendcos than other teachers for plans to create a new layer of learning support in mainstream schools
Sendco backing for statutory mainstream support plan
Exclusive

Friday

24th Oct 2025

Laura Trott: Heads have to ‘fight’ for exclusions
Shadow education secretary talks to Tes about the ‘pushback’ facing heads on exclusions, how schools are ‘lagging’ on phone bans and why RISE plans are ‘reckless’
Laura Trott

Thursday

23rd Oct 2025

Statutory SEND support should not need diagnosis, say experts
Taskforce urges the government to create a new layer of statutory SEND support in mainstream schools – but to keep existing EHCPs temporarily
A new report has called for major SEND reforms.

Wednesday

22nd Oct 2025

SEND: White Paper delayed until 2026, Phillipson reveals
Government had been expected to set out SEND reform plans this autumn – but the education secretary says it is important to ‘take the time to listen and get it right’
The government has announced that its white paper setting out SEND reforms will not be published until next year

Tuesday

21st Oct 2025

What if... mainstream was run on an alternative provision model?
As part of our thought experiment series, Phil Denton argues that pushing mainstream to adopt the mentality and structure of alternative provision would lead to far more success for more pupils
Zebra with white horse

Friday

17th Oct 2025

Lack of special schools in DfE hubs ‘is an act of self-harm’
Sector leaders voice concerns that the government’s first wave of behaviour and attendance hubs includes only mainstream settings
New changes
Exclusive

Thursday

16th Oct 2025

School leaders added to DfE inclusion group
Expert advisers will now look at how the government’s inclusion drive tallies with curriculum and Ofsted reform

New members have been added to the DfE's SEND and inclusion expert group
SEND: Pupils ‘have greater sense of belonging’ in special schools
Sutton Trust research reveals the challenges that the government is facing in its drive to make mainstream schools more inclusive
SEND: Pupils have ‘greater sense of belonging in special schools’

Wednesday

15th Oct 2025

Sami Timimi: Why ‘invented’ SEND labels are disabling pupils
Diagnostic labels are medicalising young people for behaviours once considered ordinary and are contributing to unsustainable workload in schools, argues psychiatrist Sami Timimi
Sami Timimi

Tuesday

14th Oct 2025

Ofsted leaders defend report card plans to MPs
Chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver and Ofsted chair Dame Christine Gilbert face the education select committee as the finalised plans for new inspections come under scrutiny
Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver and chair Dame Christine Gilbert have faced MPs questions.il