Monday
DfE commits £26m to recruit more educational psychologists
Funding for hundreds more educational psychologists announced amid concerns that specialists are spending too much time on admin rather than supporting children
We’ve got SEND support the wrong way around
Writing ahead of the government announcing special educational needs reforms, head Keziah Featherstone says support should be universally available in schools – not something that children have to wait years for
Schools face wait for ‘urgently needed’ medical guidance
Minister says new guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions won’t be published until the spring after MPs warn of young people being left ‘exposed’
Friday
Disabilities in education review: 5 key insights
A recent government report revealed a raft of ways pupils with disabilities feel education settings don’t always work for their needs – here is what you need to know
Why schools should ‘date’ MATs before a long-term commitment
Writing ahead of Valentine’s Day, one MAT leader explains how his trust gives schools plenty of time to see whether there is chemistry and compatibility before they take the plunge
Thursday
Social transition requests should be treated with ‘caution’, DfE says
The government will embed gender guidance for schools within Keeping Children Safe in Education, including guidelines to ensure that single-sex spaces are protected
Where next in Scottish education’s search for a fairer system?
Long-held beliefs about the purpose and nature of school education are being challenged in Scotland and far beyond, say Christopher Chapman and Graham Donaldson
‘There is a fundamental muddle with the design of RISE’
The interim evaluation of the government’s RISE school improvement programme indicates some critical challenges for the scheme that need to be addressed, argues Leora Cruddas
Special schools must shout about their inclusion work
The government’s focus on driving inclusion in education gives us the chance to define what it means in specialist settings, write Claire Dorer and Anita Devi
Call to create new national standards for AP
Report warns that delaying the pipeline of new AP free schools risks more students being placed in unregistered alternative provision
Wednesday
New school estates strategy: all you need to know
Today the government unveiled an ambitious 10-year plan to improve crumbling school buildings and future-proof them for the decades to come. ÌÇÐÄVlog breaks down the details
Uneven Ofsted inspection outcomes show change is needed
An overview of the first inspections suggests a disparity is emerging between secondary and primary schools that needs addressing, says ASCL’s Andy Jordan
