John Roberts

Leeds

Deputy News Editor at Tes

Dad of two. Deputy news editor at @Tes. Darlo fan. [email protected] https://t.co/DEIV34E7AQ…

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Articles

SEND tribunal appeals reach highest level

2 weeks ago | tes.com | John Roberts

The number of appeals to the SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) tribunal was 36 per cent higher this year than for the same period last year according to the latest figures. There were 24,000 SEND tribunal receipts in the final quarter of 2024-25 - the highest amount of receipts of cases recorded in the government’s data series.
EHCPs up 11% as DfE mulls their future

2 weeks ago | tes.com | John Roberts

The number of pupils with education, health and care plans has risen by 11 per cent in the past year as the government considers whether they are the “right vehicle” for a reformed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. The latest shows there are 482,640 pupils with EHCPs in schools in 2025, up from 434,354 the previous year. The figures also show that the number of EHCPs has more than doubled since 2016.
Ofsted delay prompts Phillipson rebuke

2 weeks ago | tes.com | Cerys Turner |John Roberts

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has told Ofsted’s chief inspector of her “disappointment” that schools will not see finalised inspection plans until after the summer holidays, Tes can reveal. In a letter to Sir Martyn Oliver, seen by Tes, Ms Phillipson said it was “disappointing that Ofsted has found it necessary to delay its consultation response, and the publication of inspection materials, until the start of September”.
Ofsted inspection plan delay sparks Phillipson rebuke

2 weeks ago | tes.com | Cerys Turner |John Roberts

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has told Ofsted’s chief inspector of her “disappointment” that schools will not see finalised plans for new inspections until after the summer holidays, Tes can reveal. In a letter to Sir Martyn Oliver, seen by Tes, Ms Phillipson says it is “disappointing that Ofsted has found it necessary to delay its consultation response, and the publication of inspection materials, until the start of September”.
Cutting EHCPs ‘treats the symptom not cause’ of SEND crisis

2 weeks ago | tes.com | John Roberts

Changing the threshold at which pupils get an education, health and care plan (EHCP) will not address the difficulties that the special educational needs and disabilities support system faces, an inquiry into solving the SEND crisis has heard. An academy trust director of SEND told MPs on the Commons Education Select Committee that any efforts to reduce referrals for EHCPs or change the threshold at which a plan could be accessed would be treating the “symptom and not the cause” of problems.
What will schools get in Spending Review 2025?

2 weeks ago | tes.com | Jasmine Norden |John Roberts |Cerys Turner |Ramsay Hodgson

The government is set to announce extra funding for the Department for Education at this week’s Spending Review, but experts warn this is unlikely to translate into a significant boost for school budgets. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to deliver her multi-year spending plan on Wednesday, which will lay out departmental budgets to 2029. According to reports, schools are set to receive an extra £4.5 billion over the next four years.
Ofsted considers national team to lead on SEND inspections

3 weeks ago | tes.com | John Roberts

Ofsted is considering creating a national team of senior inspectors to lead on its area SEND inspections as part of plans to ensure it strengthens its expertise. It is also considering moving to a report-card system for these inspections when its current cycle ends in December 2027. The watchdog has today published a review into the SEND area inspections it carries out with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and a report on the inspection findings to date.
EU scheme 'could boost language teacher pipeline'

3 weeks ago | tes.com | John Roberts

There are hopes that a youth experience work scheme with the European Union will make it easier for schools to recruit modern foreign language (MFL) assistants and improve the teacher pipeline. The British Council has welcomed government plans to work with the EU to develop a scheme that could enable more young people to become language assistants in schools in the UK.
Primary schools not included in DfE's 6,500 new teacher target

3 weeks ago | tes.com | John Roberts

The Department for Education is not including primary schools in its target for hiring an additional 6,500 teachers, it has confirmed. The 6,500 new teacher target was a key pledge as one of Labour’s first steps for change before the General Election last year but there have been questions about how it will be measured.
Academies now outnumber LA schools

3 weeks ago | tes.com | John Roberts

There are more academies open than maintained schools for the first time this year, according to the latest government data. The Department for Education has published a breakdown of schools, pupils and their characteristics taken from its latest census data for this year. Here are five key findings. 1. Academies outnumber maintained schoolsThe figures show that academies outnumber maintained schools for the first time.