Schools ASCL conference 2026: Schools Week live blog Live updates from our journalists in Liverpool Freddie Whittaker 1h Freddie Whittaker 1h Inclusion Exclusive Revealed: DfE’s secret plan to cut special school expansion Documents reveal how councils’ deficit plans will get top ratings for avoiding expanding specialist provision Samantha Booth 5h Samantha Booth 5h Ofsted Ofsted chief criticised over inspection framework comparison Martyn Oliver to claim pattern of gradings in new inspections shows watchdog is ‘raising standards’ Lydia Chantler-Hicks 10h Lydia Chantler-Hicks 10h School funding ASCL conference: Pay and funding uncertainty loom as heads meet in Liverpool ‘I think that will be what is at the front of everyone’s minds. It’ll be a cloud over the… Lydia Chantler-Hicks 10h Lydia Chantler-Hicks 10h News School staff need better training to support children in care – Ofsted Watchdog also warns that issues with the systems of support for young people create ‘barriers to progress’ Freddie Whittaker 24h Freddie Whittaker 24h Schools Teacher Development Trust to become part of Chartered College of Teaching Leader says move will ‘protect the legacy’ of the professional development organisation Lydia Chantler-Hicks 2d Lydia Chantler-Hicks 2d School funding Sixth forms face real-terms funding cut next year, leaders warn Government confirms funding for 16 and 17-year-olds will rise by just 0.5%, breaking a pledge made last year Freddie Whittaker 2d Anviksha Patel and Josh Mellor 2d Schools £100m English hubs had ‘substantial’ impact, researchers say Evaluation finds school-led scheme boosted pupils’ outcomes and ‘broader literacy’ Jack Dyson 3d Jack Dyson 3d Assessment BTECs defunding delayed and first V-level subjects revealed Defunding will now begin from autumn 2027, instead of this year, in finance, digital, education and early years –… Freddie Whittaker 3d Billy Camden and Josh Mellor 3d Academies Academy trust to make big cuts after falling £500k into the red MAT plans curriculum and staffing ‘remodelling’ and reductions to central support as it eyes savings over £3m Jack Dyson 4d Jack Dyson 4d Inclusion Most schools already produce SEND plans, poll suggests Teacher Tapp poll of SENCOs suggests just 11 per cent of schools are not writing SEND plans for pupils Ruth Lucas 4d Ruth Lucas 4d Inclusion Upheld SEND complaints rise 25% in a year ‘These statistics expose the extent to which local authorities continue to fail children and young people with SEND’ Chaminda Jayanetti 4d Chaminda Jayanetti 4d 1 2 3 4 5 6 1,028 Older
