Woodcote House School in Surrey has cited the VAT on fees policy as one of a number of financial pressures leading to its closure after more than 150 years in operation. In a letter to parents, the school's directors Nick, David and Rowan Paterson wrote: "The school has overcome several challenges over the years, but the cruel combination of buffeting headwinds we are facing now has worn us down to a situation where the school is no longer sustainable. Pupil numbers have been on the slide for a while, showing an even steeper decline in the current financial climate, and sadly the take-up for the pre-prep has not been sufficient to make it feasible." The directors also thanked parents past and present for their "enormous confidence and commitment" for which the Paterson family would be "forever grateful". George Oliver, who said he attended the school in the late 1980s, left a comment on Facebook saying: "By providing a nurturing educational environment, it crafted generations of well rounded, respectful young boys, gently installing confidence in each and every one to go out and make the most of life. What an amazing educational product the Paterson family have provided over the generations." By Samuel Montgomery, The Telegraph. 

The family of Miriam Hyman have urged ministers to add social cohesion to the national curriculum in an effort to combat extremism and prevent future attacks. Ms Hyman was one of 52 people killed 20 years ago today when four Islamist suicide bombers carried out attacks on London’s transport system. Her relatives, who formed the Miriam Hyman Memorial Trust to tackle the root causes of extremism and emphasise to pupils the importance of values such as democracy, empathy and tolerance, have put in a submission to the curriculum review for social cohesion to be taught in schools. By Fiona Hamilton, The Times.

Ms Phillipson will this week unveil a £500 million plan for 1,000 "family hubs" by 2028 in an effort to support half a million of the most disadvantaged children. Using funds from the Department for Education (DfE)'s existing budget, the move will also see the creation of a new national digital family hub linked to the NHS app. In an interview with The Sunday Times to launch the government’s Best Start in Life strategy, which is set to be published today, she said: "Being a parent is wonderful and fulfilling, but has its challenges and can be tough. I want to make it easier for families to manage and to get the level of support that they need to support their children to thrive." By Caroline Wheeler.

Ms Phillipson has urged parents to put down their phones and pick up books, as the National Literacy Trust and DfE launched the National Year of Reading to tackle a sharp decline in children’s reading rates. The initiative, which will start in January, will bring together schools, libraries, charities, and businesses with the aim of increasing reading, particularly among children under five, teenage boys, and parents. By Louise Eccles and Caroline Wheeler, The Sunday Times.

Campaigners are calling on ministers not to cut education, health and care plans (EHCPs) for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), describing them as "precious legal protections" and warning that thousands of young people could lose access to education if the plans are abolished. Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Bridget Phillipson described it as a "complex and sensitive area" when asked if she could rule out the scrapping of EHCPs. The Liberal Democrats' education spokesperson Munira Wilson said suggestions that EHCPs could be abolished would be "a great cause of concern for parents". By Joe Pike and Helen Sullivan, BBC News. 

Writing in The Guardian, columnist and special needs parent John Harris looks at who might be affected under Labour's SEND reform and questions ministers' approach to reshaping the system. Urging ministers to tread carefully when considering proposals relating to vulnerable children, he writes: "The safest and most humane option would be to leave children’s legal entitlements in place, and start to improve SEND provision [...] on the basis that boosted ad hoc help will naturally bring down EHCP numbers and costs." 

Writing to The Telegraph, Andrew McGarva, rector of Morrison's Academy, considers the impact of the government's VAT on fees policy, and warns that the "resulting disruption in the independent sector is no longer hypothetical". Questioning the intended consequences of the tax, Mr McGarva notes that "several schools have closed, and prominent institutions across the UK are being taken over by private investors," before concluding: "If difficult decisions must be taken, surely it is reasonable to ask whether they are producing meaningful outcomes. In this case, many in the education sector are wondering if the social and financial cost of disruption is proportionate to the return." The letter appears above halfway.

In letters to The Times, readers discuss the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools and its impact on cognitive development in light of a recent article by historian Niall Ferguson. Jason Fletcher, headmaster of Heritage School, argues that his screen-free school exemplifies the kind of device-free, book-focused learning environment that historian Mr Ferguson supports. Highlighting strong academic results and low mental health issues as evidence that this approach works, Mr Fletcher says: "If we are to avoid the new Dark Age of which Ferguson warns, we urgently need a 'screen-free schools' movement." Founding director of Wellington College Education Sir Anthony Seldon says the UK education system is "asleep to the risks" of AI and "continues to focus almost exclusively on developing cognitive skills on which AI will always outperform humans, rather than on human skills, human intelligence, human identity and human empathy, which employers want, and on which AI will never outperform us". The letters appear at the top of the page.

Conservative MP Blake Stephenson submitted two written questions on the VAT on fees policy, asking if the education secretary will make an assessment of the adequacy of the five month preparation period for independent schools, and for a breakdown of how the additional £460m raised will be spent. Schools minister Stephen Morgan provided the same answer to both questions, saying: "The government believes it is right these changes were introduced as soon as possible in order to raise the funding needed to help deliver our commitments to public services, including those relating to education and young people. Together, the VAT and business rates reforms are expected to raise £1.8 billion per year by the 2029/30 financial year." Hansard.

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