Specialist Sector

Thursday

12th Mar 2026

Deliver on SEND or lose services, ministers warn councils
SEND reform plans are needed by June – and government will withdraw services from failing authorities, local officers have been warned
Councils have been sent a hard-hitting letter on SEND reforms
Exclusive
Cognita enters Austrian market with Salzburg school buy
International schools group is now operating in 21 countries after deal for IB curriculum school with 230 pupils
Image of Cognita school near Salzberg.

Friday

6th Mar 2026

£1.6bn SEND pot risks being ‘swallowed up’, leaders warn
Flagship fund to improve inclusion in mainstream schools ‘won’t go very far at all’, and a clear national strategy is needed on how to use it, government is told
Schools warn £1.6bn SEND pot could be ‘swallowed up’ without a national plan
Exclusive

Tuesday

3rd Mar 2026

Rugby School to open Vietnam campus from September
New setting will join schools in operation in Thailand, Japan, Nigeria and Dubai as the group continues its overseas expansion
hanoi vietnam

Friday

27th Feb 2026

15% of secondary teachers not confident identifying SEND
Research follows DfE announcement that all teachers in England should receive training on SEND support and inclusion
15 per cent of secondary teachers not confident identifying SEND

Friday

20th Feb 2026

DfE warned on lack of state capacity for private SEND pupils
Leaders raise concern that the government’s fees plan could lead to ‘catastrophic’ loss of independent special school provision
DfE warned over lack of capacity to take on special school students if private providers close.
How specialist staff shortages threaten Labour’s 6,500 teachers target
The government’s key manifesto pledge to deliver 6,500 more teachers could hinge on recruitment into special schools and AP: here’s why that’s a challenge
Out of Stock label on empty shelves

Wednesday

11th Feb 2026

Cognita appoints new group CEO
International schools group gives the top job to its former Middle East chief as interim CEO Andreas Tolpeit returns to chief finance officer role
David Baldwin

Friday

6th Feb 2026

Inspired Education appoints new Middle East chief
The growing international schools group says the appointment ‘reinforces our long-term commitment to high-quality education’ across the Middle East and North Africa
Iain Colledge

Thursday

5th Feb 2026

8 in 10 councils could be left insolvent by SEND deficits
Research suggests 95 per cent of councils have a deficit as a result of SEND spending exceeding their funding
8 in 10 councils warn of insolvency threat through SEND deficits

Tuesday

27th Jan 2026

How can special and mainstream schools work together?
Tes speaks to leaders to find out how schools can deliver on the government’s wish for greater collaboration in the pursuit of more inclusive education
How can mainstream and special schools work together?

Wednesday

21st Jan 2026

It’s ‘crunch time’ on SEND reform, warns IFS
With SEND spending set to more than double, the government must try to deliver a sustainable system without squeezing mainstream schools’ funding, says the Institute for Fiscal Studies
Government has reached ‘crunch time’ on Send reform – IFS