Nine in 10 councils throughout England are putting young people in unregistered homes that are able to charge up to £30,000 a week per child. Published in Ofsted's annual report, the findings describe how local authorities often cannot find places in registered homes to support children's needs, despite the number of care homes being at a record high. There were 4,010 registered children's care homes across England in 2024-25, which is a 15 per cent rise since the year before and the highest on record. Sir Martyn Oliver, Ofsted’s chief inspector, described the situation as an "ongoing national scandal", while the Children's Homes Association, which represents residential childcare providers, called for ministers to "fix the system". By Kristian Johnson, BBC News.

Independent schools for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will be required to charge less for state-funded children under ministers’ overhaul of the system. The government hopes that reforms, due early next year, will reduce demand for independent-school places by strengthening SEND support in mainstream schools, iNews has learned. Ministers accept that independent places will still be needed, but expect lower demand to prevent providers from charging very high fees. Any fall in fees could create financial pressure on independent special schools that have already faced higher costs from VAT, national insurance employer contribution rises, and increases to the minimum wage. Speaking to the Commons Education Select Committee yesterday, education secretary Bridget Phillipson announced no new investment for SEND reform. By Connie Dimsdale and Richard Vaughan.

Tes summarises five of the key points made by Ms Phillipson at yesterday's accountability hearing. As well as being questioned on SEND reform, she was also asked about the new Ofsted inspection framework, the use of mobile phones in schools, and the publication of gender-questioning guidance. By John Roberts.

The use of "nudity" apps is becoming more and more prevalent in UK schools, with hundreds of teachers having seen images created by pupils, often of their peers. Estimates suggest that 99 per cent of sexually explicit deepfakes accessible online are of women and girls, but there are cases of boys being targeted. The Guardian talks to school leaders, charity representatives and sector experts about the rise of deepfake pornography and its impact on children. "A year ago I was using examples from the US and Spain to talk about these issues,” says Margaret Mulholland, a special needs and inclusion specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders. "Now it’s happening on our doorstep and it’s really worrying," she adds. By Sally Weale.

Sir Martyn Oliver, the chief inspector of Ofsted, has signalled his support for an Australian-style ban on social media for under-16s in the UK. In its annual report, published yesterday, Ofsted said the use of social media and smartphones was one of the key causes of bad behaviour in schools, and revealed that the number of children missing from education increased by a fifth last year. Sir Martyn said social media was "chipping away" at children’s attention spans, "eroding the necessary patience for learning". By Sanchez Manning, The Times. 

Schools Week outlines the key recommendations included in Ofsted's annual report. With regard to SEND provision, the inspectorate has warned of "multiple missed opportunities" to identify pupils’ needs and organise support to keep them in school. By Lydia Chantler-Hicks and Freddie Whittaker. 

Hunter Hall School on the edge of Penrith, in the Lake District, has been saved from closure after governors set up a crowdfunder, aiming to raise £180,000 by today. Following an astonishing response from the local community, the school reached its target with 24 hours to spare. Speaking to The Telegraph, headteacher Paul Borrows said: "Getting over the line means everything to the parents and staff, and most importantly the children. We are just so grateful." Mr Borrows explained that a public deadline was necessary so staff and parents could have time to look elsewhere for education and jobs. He added: "There’s been a combination of financial pressures, but the introduction of VAT on school fees has been unprecedented." Expressing his relief at the school being saved, Tom Blades, a parent at Hunter Hall, said: "This is an incredible place. A special place. But it’s a desperate situation." Reference is made to a number of schools in membership of the ISC's constituent associations. By Ben East.

Council spending on SEND provision will rise further if the government takes responsibility for overall SEND funding, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned. In a briefing note yesterday, the IFS suggested councils could share responsibility for their accumulated SEND deficits from 2028-29, arguing that holding them partly accountable for the £14bn shortfall would encourage cost control in the coming years. By Poppy Wood, The Telegraph.

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