Only around one in six parts of the country has had positive inspection outcomes in area-wide checks on education and health services for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) this year, analysis by Tes has revealed. Two thirds of council areas visited by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission for inspections of special needs provision have been found to include arrangements leading to inconsistent experiences for young people, while 13 per cent were revealed to have systemic failings. By John Roberts.

In an article for School Management Plus, Rohan Edwards, deputy head (education development) at Magdalen College School, says the government's recent edict on pupils using mobile phones in schools suggests a "lack of faith in school leaders". He warns that the ban will not address more far-reaching issues, adding: "This latest announcement strikes me as a way of signalling that the government is still aware and keen to be seen to respond, rather than adding much to what must be a societal solution to a social problem."

Writing in The Sunday Times, Cathy Walker, an educator and writer, talks to school leaders from some of the top schools in the paper's Parent Power guide about how best to help students prepare their personal statements for Ucas. Jane McGregor, head of sixth form at Sheffield High School for Girls, explains her school first shares a proforma with prompts and questions to consider. "The first version won’t be perfect and will take many drafts to refine", she says. Ed Holmes, director of communications at Westminster School, dispels the myth that students need to point to an "extraordinary achievement", adding that "the best statements move beyond answering questions, instead showing a keen sense of self-reflection". 

Time is running out for young people in the UK to receive vaccinations to protect against meningitis B, experts have warned. Earlier in the year, an unprecedented outbreak of meningitis B in a number of areas prompted ministers to introduce a one-off, time-limited programme offering young adults two doses of a vaccine that protects against most strains of MenB bacteria. Figures from the UK Health Security Agency have shown just 28.2 per cent of 18- and 19-year-olds have received a first dose, with experts now urging those eligible to book an appointment. By Nicola Davis, The Guardian.

This week we celebrate the success of Spencer, a Churcher's College pupil who recently represented England as part of the AETA squad at the Taekwon-Do ITF World Cup 2026, a large international martial arts tournament in Benidorm.

Spencer, a third-year pupil, won bronze in the Individual Male 12–14, 2nd–1st Gup Pattern category, competing against an incredible 116 competitors in one of the largest categories of the whole competition.

Patterns constitute the non-contact portion of the event, and competitors perform a choreographed sequence of blocks, kicks, and punches against an imaginary opponent. Judges then grade them on precision, power, balance, and breath control.

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