Ministers have committed to publishing the full details of how they will deliver on their pledge for 6,500 more teachers. The pledge, which formed a key part of Labour’s 2024 election manifesto, initially promised 6,500 "expert teachers in key subjects". During the summer, however, the government clarified that primary teachers would not be included in the target. Schools Week then revealed the target will not be met solely through new recruits, but will also count overall workforce growth, including higher retention rates. More details will be announced when the full delivery plan is published in December. By Lydia Chantler-Hicks.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Sir Michael Morpurgo, the bestselling author and former children’s laureate, speaks of his passion for all children to have "access to stories" via film, TV, or books. "What’s important is that they become readers, and finally at the end of the day, that is what is going to give their life knowledge and understanding," he says. Later today, Sir Michael will deliver a keynote address at publisher HarperCollins on the crisis in children’s reading. By Emily Prescott. 

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has been accused of putting her career over children with plans for an "inspection tax" that will most affect special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) schools. As reported last week, Ms Phillipson is planning to charge independent schools up to three times more for Ofsted inspections. However, analysis has found that of the 1,150 independent schools relying on such inspections, around 725 are special needs schools where the vast majority of pupils have their place funded by the local authority. Jonathan Hetherington, headteacher at More House School, one of the largest special schools in the country, told The Telegraph he estimates his school pays Ofsted around £8,750 annually, meaning the threat of an increase just short of £20,000 is a "tremendous additional burden". He added: "We are a charity, so we can’t simply take this out of the profits because we can’t make any profits. We are running everything as thinly as possible and therefore if our costs go up, it has to be passed on." Rudolf Eliott Lockhart, chief executive of the Independent Schools Association (ISA), said: "It is a shame that the government appears to have once again failed to appreciate the diversity of the independent schools sector and the very different finances that some schools have." By Pieter Snepvangers.

In an opinion piece for The Telegraph's money section, associate comment writer Michael Mosbacher explains that most of the UK’s independent schools (educating over 80 per cent of pupils) are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate rather than Ofsted. Warning that Ms Phillipson’s proposed "inspection tax" could therefore hit smaller establishments, those catering for pupils with SEND or faith schools, he writes: "It won’t hurt those it is intended to but, rather some of the most vulnerable and marginalised among us."

A quarter of Britain’s wealthiest families are contemplating leaving Britain amid the possibility of further taxes in November’s Budget. The government's VAT on fees policy is one of the factors prompting high-net-worth individuals to look at moving away from the country, according to a survey by Saltus. The wealth management company defines a high-net-worth individual as someone with more than £250,000 in investible assets. One in seven of those surveyed cited VAT on fees as a reason to leave the UK, while nearly half of Labour voters said they regretted their choice at the last election because of the tax. A fifth of respondents said they have already moved their children out of their previous schools following the policy’s introduction. Commenting on the findings, Mike Stimpson, partner at Saltus, told The Telegraph: "Whether it’s capital gains tax, income tax or inheritance tax, high-net-worth individuals are braced for further changes at the autumn Budget given the chancellor’s limited fiscal room for manoeuvre." By Tim Wallace.

In a letter to The Times, Sam Thater, head of modern foreign languages (MFL) at Oundle School, describes the situation regarding language learning in the UK as "bleak". Urging action to prevent the decline from becoming a "fait accompli", Mr Thater suggests reinstating compulsory GCSE languages and promoting work experience overseas as two potential measures that could boost uptake. "These are not unrealistic ambitions: other countries have shown that bilingual education can thrive," he says. The letter appears halfway down the page.

The Telegraph explores the growing cost of providing transport for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), which is having a significant financial impact on some local authorities. Disclosures from more than 100 English councils suggest some children are making round trips of up to 368 miles to get to lessons. Warning that spiralling costs are part of a "wider crisis in SEND services", Bill Revans, a councillor and spokesman for the County Councils Network, tells the paper more support in mainstream schools is essential. "The alternative is unthinkable," he says. "Without any real changes to the system, which is still based on legislation created in the 1940s, SEND costs are only going in one direction." By Szu Ping Chan. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots offering legal advice to parents on how to get support for children with SEND are running without professional oversight, The Times understands, prompting experts to raise serious concerns over the accuracy, accountability and regulation of these tools. One such tool is AskEllie, an AI-powered "legal assistant" created by Oliver Lee, a father of two neurodiverse boys who has no formal legal training. Promoted as a free resource to help families navigate the complex SEND system, the chatbot offers guidance on securing vital support, including education, health and care plans (EHCPs). Warning that packaged AI content risks undermining the case-by-case nature of the law, Rob Price, a specialist in SEND and education law with HCB Solicitors, says: "SEND law is extremely complex and nuanced, so you’ve got to be careful with trusting what an AI chatbot says and how accurate it is to your particular circumstances." By Georgia Lambert.

Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, will pledge to create a library in every primary school in England as part of Labour’s plans to give all children the best start in life regardless of their background. The scheme, which will install a library in the 1,700 primaries that currently do not have one, will reportedly be funded by £132.5 million of dormant assets that will be unlocked to give young people access to cultural opportunities. Ms Reeves will make the announcement in her speech to her party's annual conference in Liverpool today. By Pippa Crerar, The Guardian. 

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