The Labour Party has confirmed it will impose VAT on boarding as well as independent school fees if it wins the next election. Experts had thought boarding fees could remain exempt from the tax because they could be defined as “welfare services” under VAT law, and therefore separate from education, defined as the taxable product. But party sources told the Financial Times that boarding fees will incur VAT under a Labour government because it is “connected to the principal supply of education”. Chief executive of Epsom College in Malaysia Mark Lankester said: “Our research suggests that if the VAT policy is implemented, many British parents would have to look at other types of schools and many would have to consider overseas schools as well.” By Anna Gross.

The item is also covered by Gillian Duncan for The National.

Funding cuts and teacher shortages have led to a “full-blown crisis” in the provision of education for pupils in England with special needs and disabilities (SEND), a survey by the NAHT has revealed. The union's survey of 1,000 school leaders found 78 per cent said they had made cuts to support staff within the last three years, while 84 per cent said they also expected to do so within the next three years. By Richard Adams, The Guardian.

Writing in Tes, Margaret Mulholland looks at the SEND updates to the new Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework. "If used well, this framework could herald significant change to teaching for all," she says. Margaret Mulholland is the special educational needs and inclusion specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders.

Sir Martyn Oliver has said the removal of one-word inspection ratings “has to be a government decision”. At the NAHT's annual conference this weekend, Ofsted's chief inspector told school leaders: “Whether grades stay, go or are reformed in the future, that decision will not stop us from building a better system now.” The Telegraph.

Tes reports that Sir Martyn also announced that Ofsted inspectors will stop conducting subject deep dives during ungraded inspections from the autumn. He explained that feedback from small primary schools has led to the change, which will affect 40 per cent of all school inspections. By Cerys Turner.

Ofsted will increase its scrutiny of schools accused of “putting off” pupils with SEND from applying for a place, Sir Martyn added, warning that there "will continue to be consequences for schools that push children out". By Samantha Booth, Schools Week. 

Schools should be allowed to radically cut content in subjects to reduce the burden of a “bloated curriculum” on pupils, a report by the Social Market Foundation has said. The think tank is also calling for rote learning in non-core subjects, such as humanities, the arts and science, to be lessened. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times. 

Exam boards have told social media companies to do more to "shut down" scammers selling fake GCSE and A-level papers to pupils. TikTok and Instagram have said they do not allow the sale of exam papers on their platforms, but research by BBC News has uncovered dozens of accounts falsely claiming to have access to this year's exam papers, with some charging hundreds of pounds. By Kristian Johnson.

The Independent explores the mental health crisis affecting teachers across the UK, many of whom are working 60-hour weeks. School staff and charity leaders share their experiences, the wider effect of the Covid pandemic is explored and the article concludes with a look at what might be done to improve the situation. By Ellie Harrison.

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