Half of all new school spending in the last decade has been on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), according to analysis by Policy Exchange. It found that expenditure had risen in real terms by 60 per cent in six years, and spending was higher in "sharp-elbowed" wealthier areas, suggesting richer families are accessing more help for their children. The report has been backed by Baroness Morris of Yardley and Ruth Kelly, two former education secretaries. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times. The Times

All secondary schools will be expected to provide "inclusion bases" where "pupils can access targeted support that bridges the gap between mainstream and specialist provision", ministers said yesterday. The expectation will form part of the Department for Education’s estates strategy, and comes amid a wider push for more pupils with SEND to be taught in mainstream schools. By Freddie Whittaker, Schools Week. 

Today, in recognition of Children’s Mental Health Week, we are pleased to share two new blog posts showcasing how schools are creating environments that strengthen young people’s mental health and support their capacity to manage emotions with confidence.

At More House School, Alex Rositano outlines how a newly developed Wellbeing Hub, which has been designed in partnership with students, is offering a dedicated space for reflection, calm and emotional regulation. "The aim is simple but powerful: to create a safe, welcoming environment where pupils can manage their emotions, reduce stress, and return to learning feeling more grounded", she explains.

Meanwhile, Dr Vanessa Mitchell, vice-principal of Blanchelande College in Guernsey, explains how the school's new wellbeing space is proving transformational for pupils, offering somewhere "they can pause, reflect and talk".

In an interview with Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours yesterday, Sarah Cunnane, head of media and communications at the Independent Schools Council (ISC), was asked about the impact of Labour's VAT on fees policy, a year on since it was introduced. Asked whether the financial pressures facing the sector could mean "a whole part of the sector... the smaller, private primary school, will just cease to exist", Ms Cunnane said: "I think that there is always going to be independent education because parents really value choice." However, she added that for some schools that had closed over the past year, VAT had proven "a step too far". A number of parents also joined the discussion, describing how the tax has affected their families and the sacrifices they are making to avoid disrupting their children's education. 
Listen from 6:12.

Vulnerable children are being put at risk under Labour’s free schools review, a report from the New Schools Network (NSN) has warned. In December, ministers announced they were cancelling dozens of planned free schools, including 18 for children with special needs or those unable to attend mainstream education. The NSN, a national education charity that assisted with the free schools rollout under the Conservatives, has warned that delaying plans on hold could force vulnerable children into fragmented and poorly regulated settings. By Amy Gibbons, The Telegraph. 

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