SEND

SEND costs leave councils on brink of bankruptcy

Some councils are draining reserves to plug high-needs deficits while their other services face cuts

Freddie Whittaker
Tom Belger and Jessica Hill
SEND

Success! Councils required to boost special school funding by 3.4%

New requirement comes after Schools Week's 'SEND robbery' campaign, but leaders say rise 'won't fully alleviate challenges'

John Dickens
Samantha Booth and John Dickens
SEND

SEND tribunal appeals top 10,000 for the first time

In the past academic year, 11,052 SEND appeals were registered – a 29 per cent rise from 8,579 the...

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
Ofsted, SEND

Improving councils can get top SEND marks under new inspections

Ofsted amends new framework after complaints its proposals would 'set the bar too high'

Freddie Whittaker
Freddie Whittaker
SEND

School leaders warn ministers over ‘robbed’ SEND funding

Investigations have revealed how some councils seized millions of pounds in previous funding boosts

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
SEND

Ministers mull school funding black hole immunity extension

Soaring demand for SEND support has left councils with a £1.9 billion deficit

Tom Belger
Tom Belger
SEND

Two thirds of councils now fail SEND inspections

Number of local authorities found to have 'significant weaknesses' in how they support pupils with special needs last year...

John Dickens
John Dickens
SEND

Council fails to ensure all schools ‘accommodate’ SEND pupils

Government intervention on the cards after damning inspection of Kent's SEND services

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth
SEND

DfE to collect special school capacity data after places crisis exposed

Ministers move to get a grip on special school places shortage after Schools Week investigation

Samantha Booth
Samantha Booth