Specialist Sector

Thursday

2nd Apr 2026

A-level and IGCSE exams cancelled across Middle East
Exam boards Cambridge, Pearson and OxfordAQA write to schools in UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait, confirming students will be graded on existing work and teacher assessments
IGCSE and A-level exams have been cancelled across the Middle East because of the conflict in the region

Wednesday

25th Mar 2026

Tom Rees to co-chair expert SEND panel
Academy trust CEO will help to lead a group in developing national inclusion standards and packages of specialist support for pupils with SEND
Tom Rees has been appointed to co-chair an expert panel developing plans for the government SEND reforms.
Demand for ASN teachers’ support doubles in a decade
Government warned about a drop in specialist teachers over the past 10 years as new figures reveal the pressure on additional support needs provision in Scottish schools
Demand for ASN teachers' support doubles in a decade

Tuesday

24th Mar 2026

Primary schools to get £14K inclusion funding on average
The average secondary school will receive £48,000 next year through the new Inclusive Mainstream Fund, the DfE announces
The DfE has said that the average sized primary school will receive around £14,000 in mainstream inclusion funding.
Middle East: Schools prepare for possible classroom return
Qatar has told schools to get ready to reopen next week, while two major groups in the UAE have asked permission to do likewise, but caution remains amid ongoing uncertainty
Schools preparing for possible return in the Middle East

Thursday

19th Mar 2026

Special schools more than 10,000 pupils over capacity
The proportion of special schools that are full or over capacity is far higher than for mainstream schools, the latest DfE figures show
Special schools more than 10,000 pupils over capacity

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.