The Guardian examines the impact on both state and independent schools of the rising number of children receiving "access arrangements" in exams, which are measures designed to accommodate pupils' special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The financial and logistical challenges of providing such arrangements are explored, as are some possible alternatives such as coursework to replace exams. Lindsey Hughes, head of Channing School, tells the paper around a third of her pupils taking GCSE and A-level exams this year have access arrangements, with extra time, supervised rest breaks and word processors being the most common adjustments. Warning that any discrepancy between access arrangements in independent and state schools is likely to be the result of SEND funding and class sizes in the state sector, she says: "In my view what you’re seeing in independent schools is how the system ought to work, because every pupil deserves the chance to have their needs taken into account when they go into the exams. Unfortunately the size and scale of the funding problem in the state sector just means it doesn’t happen." On the disparity in provision between state and independent schools, a spokesperson from the Independent Schools Council (ISC) says: "There is a considerable burden of proof needed for exam access requirements. Students from independent schools who need such support are meeting this, and schools are working within the system as it currently stands. Independent schools may have more resources to identify and support young people who may need extra consideration in their exams, and there has been a rise in such need post-Covid." By Sally Weale.

Labour MP Julie Minns submitted a written question in the House of Commons, asking the education secretary what assessment she has made of the cost effectiveness of the different modes of delivery of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) education. Reaffirming the government's commitment to supporting children with SEND, education minister Catherine McKinnell replied, saying: "The department is providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in 2025/26, bringing total high needs revenue funding to over £12 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND. We have also published local authority allocations for £740 million of high needs capital funding for 2025/26 to invest in places for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision." On the crucial role of independent schools, Ms McKinnell added: "The department recognises that special schools, including independent schools, play a critical role in the SEND system, providing expertise and particularly supporting pupils with low incidence or complex needs. We also want more children and young people to receive the support they need to achieve and thrive in their local mainstream school, alongside their friends and peers." Hansard. 

The emotional attachment many young people have to their mobile phones is explored in Green Shoots and Grass Roots, a new wellbeing report from the Coalition for Youth Mental Health in Schools, published today. According to the findings, 84 per cent of boys and 70 per cent of girls rate their mental health as good. The figure drops to 69 per cent for teenagers from less affluent backgrounds, compared with 87 per cent among their wealthier peers. Almost a third of respondents say that having their phone taken away would be more likely to ruin their day than receiving a detention or a poor grade, suggesting the devices have become an emotional prop. The coalition, which includes 90 state and independent schools, commissioned nationally representative polling by Public First of over 1,000 secondary-aged pupils, and the results were compared with responses to the same questions from 2021. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.

Writing in Schools Week, Jane Lunnon and Jon Needham reflect on the report's key findings. Welcoming the progress on children's mental health, they say: "These improvements speak to the resilience of schools, staff and young people in emerging from the dark days of the pandemic. This is without doubt cause for celebration," before warning: "However, today’s results also mean that tens of thousands of young people are still suffering from poor mental health day in and day out in our schools." Jane Lunnon, head of Alleyn's School, and Jon Needham, director of safeguarding at Oasis Community Learning, are co-chairs of The Coalition for Youth Mental Health in Schools alongside Alicia Drummond, Founder of Teen Tips and The Wellbeing Hub.

Adolescents who go to bed earlier and sleep for longer than their peers tend to have better brain function and perform better at cognitive tests, according to researchers from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. Their study, which surveyed around 3,000 young people, found that those who go to bed earlier, sleep for longer and have the lowest sleeping heart rates would outperform others on reading, vocabulary, problem solving and other mental tests. By Bryony Gooch, The Independent. 

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