SEND reforms must strengthen legal foundations, not weaken them Ministers themselves acknowledge that families have endured too much for too long. That is precisely why legal safeguards matter
The white paper is ambitious, but its success hinges on the unknown details Parents will need reassurance that tiered support and reforms to EHCPs do not simply become a new set of hoops to jump through
DfE wants to ditch ‘average’ labels for school progress scores The current ‘confidence interval’ ratings can limit understanding of a school’s performance, the government has said
Give heads what they need to make inclusive mainstream work This is not about withdrawing support from children. It’s about changing the way that support is offered
White paper: £1.6bn for mainstream inclusion, £1.8bn for external support But funding has to last three years and it’s unclear what will happen once it runs out
New headteachers to get £15k to work where they’re ‘needed most’ Government will also ‘ensure all schools join high-quality trusts’ and let councils set up chains
DfE pledges eight weeks full maternity pay for school staff Change due to be enacted from 2027 for leaders and teachers, and new support staff body will get remit to negotiate ‘equivalent improvements’
Teachers need agency to thrive – we’re exploring how and why Agency is often misinterpreted and overlooked, but giving teachers themselves more capacity to act would bring wide-ranging benefits, writes Lisa-Maria Müller
Alignment between leadership and governance takes work Research shows those closest to the frontline worry more over issues like finances. This means building shared understanding is vital