The number of children in London in need of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support has reached record levels, analysis of Department for Education (DfE) figures by BBC London has found. Over the past 10 years, the number has jumped by nearly a third, from 205,309 in 2015-16 to 267,368 in 2024-25. London Councils, a cross-party body representing the capital's local authorities, said in June that almost half of all boroughs were at risk of bankruptcy over the financial pressure from rising SEND funding demand. The broadcaster speaks to Nichola, a mother from South London who says she had "learnt more from strangers" than schools and councils on how to access support for her son, Alastair. Nichola has recorded a daily diary to give viewers a glimpse of life raising her child, who is autistic, has ADHD and struggles in mainstream education. By Bhavani Vadde.

In an article for Tes, Sam Freedman, senior fellow at the Institute for Government and a former senior policy adviser at the DfE, says "by far the most important" part of the upcoming schools White Paper will relate to SEND provision. "Everyone agrees that the current SEND system is broken. Spending is up 60 per cent in a decade in real terms, but outcomes are no better, and the bureaucracy of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) is out of control", he warns.

There is widespread coverage of the impact of snow and ice across the UK. BBC News reports that more than 1,000 schools were forced to close yesterday as a result of the adverse weather conditions. Edited by Ben Hatton and Caitlin Doherty.

The Independent has published a guide to school closures in extreme weather conditions such as ice and snow, which includes advice for parents and schools. By Jasmine Norden. 

Teachers in England feel alone in the "battle" against vapes, with measures to address the issue placing additional strain on stretched budgets, a BBC-commissioned survey has found. A fifth of respondents said vape detectors have been installed in their school, while 35 per cent say extra staff have been deployed to patrol the grounds to stop pupils vaping. Teachers and unions are calling on ministers to fund school-based programmes to educate children about the dangers of vaping and for clear guidance to be provided to staff about how to tackle the problem. By Sabbiyah Pervez and Louise Fewsterm, BBC News.

The Employment Rights Act became law on 18 December, marking the biggest expansion of employment rights in a generation, with significant implications for education. While some measures take effect immediately, most changes will be phased in through 2026, with further detail to be set out in in regulations following consultation. Tes summarises the key legislative changes that heads and HR teams need to be aware of. By Alistair Wood. 

Teachers in Northern Ireland have been offered a pay rise of four per cent for 2025/26, backdated to 1 September last year. The offer, which has been welcomed by teaching unions, has come from the teaching employers, including the Department of Education. Each individual union will now its consult members on the offer. By Robbie Meredith, BBC News.

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