special schools | Schools Week

Downgraded school head accuses Ofsted inspectors of lacking SEND experience

Special school leader hits out after ‘inadequate’ Ofsted rating

Special schools ‘bursting at seams’ – but DfE doesn’t collect the data

Heads say the system is ‘completely overwhelmed’

‘Epidemic of anxiety’: Special schools feel brunt of Omicron surge

Special schools battle higher rates of staff and pupil absence

Home education among pupils with EHC plans up by a quarter in one year

The number of children with education, health and care plans being educated at home has risen by almost a quarter in just one year. Data published by the Department for Education today shows that 3,660 pupils with EHC plans were in elective home education as of January this year, up from 2,983 in January 2020. […]

Special school ‘ineffective’ during pandemic, says Ofsted

A special school judged to be ineffective in providing education during the pandemic has been criticised by Ofsted for setting “time-filling activities rather than education”. Inspectors also warned that safeguarding failures such as damaged electrical sockets and missing fire extinguishers meant pupils were “not safe” at Unified Academy in Surrey, part of Orchard Hill College […]

Covid-19 vaccine denied for special school staff – and then reinstated

A clinical commissioning group has apologised for the confusion it created after cancelling Covid-19 vaccine appointments for special school staff – before reinstating them. Schools Week revealed last week that thousands of special school staff had been offered the vaccine. But the approaches nationwide vary, with some local authorities including staff in the priority roll-out […]

Councils seize initiative to give Covid-19 vaccine to special school staff

Thousands of special school staff are being offered the Covid-19 vaccine as councils include them in the priority roll-out or offer them leftover supplies, a Schools Week investigation has found. While most teachers and school staff are not prioritised for jabs, more than 65 local authorities across England are believed to be including special school […]

Government rules out relaxing SEND support rules – for now

The government has tentatively ruled out relaxing SEND support requirements during the current lockdown, instead urging authorities to make alternative arrangements if they are struggling to meet children’s legal provision. As Schools Week reported last week, ministers were asked to “guarantee” they would not re-introduce temporary legislation that “downgrades” support for SEND pupils. For three […]

Special school staff ‘should get vaccine priority’

Public health experts have backed calls for the government to consider vaccinating special school staff in the first priority phase. Ministers are already under pressure to vaccinate all teachers before half-term, with a petition due to be debated in parliament and Matt Hancock, the health secretary, saying they have a “very strong case” for priority […]