SEND News

The government will publish “best practice” guidance to help mainstream schools set up and run SEN and pupil support units as part of their inclusion push.

The Department for Education has chosen the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) as the lead partner for the work, with interim guidance for schools due to be published in December. The final guidance is scheduled for February.

It will form part of Labour’s SEND strategy to educate more pupils with additional needs in the mainstream, rather than costly special school placements.

 

During Phase 1 of Inclusion in Practice the programme reached over 820 schools directly through trust submissions and a further 7,600 schools through provider and local authority responses.

The emerging insights report and case studies published this summer have already begun to inform important conversations about inclusive practice across the sector. to explore all our Phase 1 case studies and resources - Inclusion in Practice would like to hear how networks are using these materials. 

Visit inclusioninpractice.org.uk to explore all the Phase 1 case studies and resources 

Plans for Phase 2, which focuses on deepening the system-wide narrative around inclusive practice and strengthening professional engagement, are now active.

The government has published ‘Improving the way Ofsted inspects education: report on the responses to the consultation’

It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-the-way-ofsted-inspects-education/outcome/improving-the-way-ofsted-inspects-education-report-on-the-responses-to-the-consultation

The approach to supporting children and young people with additional learning needs was changed when the Welsh Government passed new legislation, called:

They replace the former legislation and guidance about Special Educational Needs (SEN).

Information about the Scottish additional support for learning (ASL) policy; 'All children and young people have the right to get the support they need to reach their full learning potential' can be found here: 

https://www.gov.scot/policies/schools/additional-support-for-learning/

On 28 August 2025 Education Minister, Paul Givan, published a Policy Statement on Special Educational Needs (SEN).

https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/news/education-minister-publishes-sen-policy-statement

On 21st July the government published their five-year plan and third report on actions taken in respect of the BSL Act. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-sign-language-bsl-third-report-may-2024-to-april-2025/british-sign-language-bsl-third-report-may-2024-to-april-2025

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-sign-language-5-year-plan-department-for-education/british-sign-language-5-year-plan-department-for-education-english-and-bsl-versions#introduction

The Council for Disabled Children (CDC) has published three sets of guidance for schools on their duties towards disabled pupils: two are updates of existing guidance, one (on the accessibility planning duty) is entirely new. The DfE commissioned these materials.

This new guidance follows a similar publication for early years settings, published last week, and two for FE colleges published the week before. The CDC has also published a webinar for early years settings.

Here are the links:

Schools:

Early Years:

FEIs and 16-19 academies:

  1. DfE consultation on narrowing the digital divide in schools and colleges - Government Response
  2. Parent and Carer survey DfE published 15 July 2025
  3. Inclusion in Practice: Emerging Insights webinar recording and new case studies
  4. DfE's new writing framework - 8th July 2025
  5. Inclusion in Practice - emerging insights report
  6. SEND Area Inspections Ofsted Review
  7. Additional SLT support announced today by DfE
  8. Improved PE and sport for more than 240,000 pupils with SEND
  9. Update from GOV.UK for: Curriculum and Assessment Review: interim report
  10. Equality Act duties for local authority maintained schools and academy trusts
  11. School capacity data published
  12. DfE £740m announcement on funding to make classrooms more inclusive for SEND pupils
  13. New resources for governors/trustees over SEND
  14. DSA Call for Evidence Government Response
  15. Guidance for school governing boards on SEN and Disability
  16. New SEND statistics from DFE