During a debate in Westminster Hall yesterday on the provision of education for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), ministers discussed the growing impact of the rising number of children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs). Calling for greater investment and a "fair system across the country", Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire, said: "The evidence shows that independent school places cost about two and a half times more than state special school places. We need investment to expand state educational provision so that we can get more bang for our buck in what we are providing for our children." Dr Chowns added: "We need to end the postcode lottery in which people have a better chance of accessing support in some places than others, and end the problem of people having to jump through extraordinary hoops and fight unbelievable battles to access the support that should be every child’s birthright. We need a system that enables every child to thrive."

Referencing the government's VAT on fees policy, Conservative MP for Meriden and Solihull East Saqib Bhatti said the "disastrous education tax could impact 90,000 pupils with SEND in independent schools who do not have an EHCP," adding: "Specialist state schools could be overwhelmed if those students are forced to relocate to the state sector because parents are being taxed out of education." Calling for action, Mr Bhatti concluded: "I implore the minister not just to give us the government lines, but to give parents, their children and their teachers the answers that they need." The debate can be read in full at Hansard.

Schools Week reports on the debate, noting that Georgia Gould, the new education minister, said the voices of children, their families and teachers will be "at the forefront" of SEND reforms, promising "there will always be a legal right to additional support". The paper also notes that during the three-hour, standing-room-only debate, ministers voiced concerns about the forthcoming SEND reforms, which are expected to be outlined in a schools white paper later this term. By Freddie Whittaker.

An extensive article in The Telegraph examines how private schooling works in the US, including a long-standing arrangement that encourages families to choose such schools. Over the past few decades, this movement has gained momentum, with more than a dozen states now operating "school choice" programmes that offer tax incentives or direct payments to parents who fund their children’s education. The paper contrasts this with the UK, noting that parents who choose independent schools now have to pay VAT on fees, despite saving the taxpayer around £7,400 a year. By Noah Eastwood.

Some 88 per cent of teachers believe pupil attention spans have decreased, according to a global poll conducted by Cambridge International. Of the 3,021 teachers surveyed, 72 per cent said this is manifesting in students struggling to focus on complex topics, while 64 per cent said they believe students have difficulty completing longer assignments. Self-management skills were identified as key by both teachers (74 per cent) and students (69 per cent). "It feels like that is something that's becoming more important...about how you are managing your time, managing distractions, how you are actively focusing on the things you value," said Rod Smith, group managing director at Cambridge International. By Dan Worth, Tes. 

Ministers are being urged to ensure schools have the necessary funding and that staff are adequately trained to meet the needs of pupils with SEND in a report calling for "a full system overhaul". Issued today, the SEND All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has outlined a series of recommendations urging the government to address a system it warns "is not working as it should". The report warns that increases in funding have not met the level of demand for SEND provision, leaving many local authorities vulnerable to large deficits. Olivia Blake, Labour MP and APPG group chair, said the SEND system in England is in "urgent need of reform". By Kyle Tormey, Tes. 

Teachers are opposed to key elements of ministers' plans for addressing the SEND crisis, new polling by Teacher Tapp shared with iNews has found. The research, which involved more than 7,000 teachers, found that increasing the number of state SEND places was the most popular change the government could make to the system among teachers, and that removing EHCPs, as a way of funding pupils’ additional needs, was one of the least popular. By Connie Dimsdale.

Sky News speaks to Tracy, whose son Rowan was diagnosed with autism and anxiety at the age of five, about her concerns over the government's planned changes to education for children with SEND. Tracy says Worcestershire schools have repeatedly failed to meet her son's needs. Between the ages of five and nine, Rowan missed nearly three years of education and left his most recent school after the support detailed in his EHCP was withdrawn due to staffing changes. By Kate Schneider and Anjum Peerbacos. 

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