Institutions including Shakespeare's Globe and the National Space Academy have been accused of "discriminating" against pupils from independent schools by charging "two-tier" prices. A number of other organisations, which include Keats House, the Horniman Museum and the William Morris Gallery, charging higher fees of children at independent schools than to those at state schools for trips and workshops. The Bank of England has also been criticised for explicitly excluding independent pupils from presentations on the history of Threadneedle Street at its in-house museum. The Telegraph has learned that Shakespeare's Globe in London’s Bankside charges state school pupils £12 per head for workshops, either at school or on a trip to the theatre, but £14 for all other schools. Calling for an end to the "divisive" pricing structures, which "penalise" independent school pupils, Tony Perry, chairman of parent-led campaign group Education Not Taxation, set up in protest against the tax government's VAT on fees policy, said organisations should focus on "giving young people opportunities to learn, aspire and succeed". By Harry Brennan.

The Telegraph's money section looks at how remortgaging, equity release and second-charge loans can help meet the cost of rising school fees amid the impact of the VAT on fees policy, and outlines some of the pros and cons associated with each of the money-saving options. The article cites figures from the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which show more than 100 independent schools have closed since the tax was introduced, affecting around 25,000 children. By Charlotte Duck. 

With rising school fees forcing some families to seek extra financial support from their schools, The Telegraph speaks to parents experiencing the growing impact of VAT and other cost increases. Describing how her family has been navigating the pressure,  single parent and founder of the Association for Families of Independent Schooling Michelle Daniells tells the paper the changes have created an "absolute perfect storm" for many households trying to keep their children at their independent schools. On the impact of VAT on fees on her own situation, Karen Thomas (not her real name), who approached her son's school for a 10 per discount on the annual fees after being made redundant, explains: "Had the VAT not increased, I wouldn't have been asking for support." The article references data from the ISC, which reveals that the number of children at independent schools has fallen by 30,000 since 2024. An accompanying poll asks readers to vote on whether they would send their child to an independent school in 2026. By Alex Marsh.

The Department for Education (DfE) is open to creating more specialist provision packages as part of its proposals for a framework in which "no children will fall through the gap". The packages, which will set out the support young people with the most complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) should expect, will underpin education, health and care plans (EHCPs) under Labour’s plans for a new system. An expert panel is currently working on producing a final set of draft proposals. Speaking at the Tes SEND Show in London, Claire Burton, the DfE’s director of SEND and alternative provision, said it "would be fine" if the number of packages increased, as long as there is a "really clear idea of what these [packages] are driving in terms of the provision on the ground". By John Roberts.

Vulnerable children risk “slipping through the net" under the proposals for schools to provide assistance for conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), experts have warned. They fear that young people with parents who do not know how to "navigate the system" could lose out vital support like access to teaching assistants, with schools facing increased requests for help. Published on Friday, a landmark review of rising ADHD and autism diagnoses said pupils should get learning support for such conditions, alongside mental health issues, without a diagnosis, and called for schools to make reasonable adjustments to learning based on pupils' needs, rather than whether they have a formal diagnosis. Rhian Walker, national director of SEND for the multi-academy trust E-ACT, said: "No child should have to wait for a diagnosis before receiving the support they need in school." By Flora Symington and Alex Dakers, iNews. 

Schools in Kent and Sussex say changes in pupil behaviour can already be seen, a month after a nationwide ban on smartphones came into force. Announced in June and introduced at the start of the school year, the policy restricts students' use of smartphones during the school day. In a joint letter to parents, secondary school heads in Brighton and Hove previously asked parents not to send Year 7 pupils to their new school with a smartphone. Speaking to BBC News, Shelley Baker, headteacher at Varndean School in the city, said: "Young people, especially in the older years, are recognising the dangers and damages that smartphones have already done to them." The smartphone ban is separate from the social media ban for under-16s, which ministers announced would come into effect from next spring." The broadcaster speaks to pupils about the impact of a smartphone ban, with some children saying it has reduced online issues and encouraged more face-to-face friendships and healthier study habits. By Juliette Parkin, Ian Palmer and Josh McLaughlin. 

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has become the second head teachers' union to call for a halt to graded Ofsted inspections in England, saying it is "increasingly concerned about the welfare and morale" of its members. It comes after the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said changes the inspectorate made to inspections just under a year ago had been severely harmful to the welfare of school leaders. Urging action, Pepe Di'Iasio, ASCL's general secretary, said: "The current system is not fit for purpose. It is an overbearing mess and urgently needs to be reviewed." By Hazel Shearing and Nathan Standley, BBC News. 

The typical family is spending more than £1,000 a year sending their children to state school as families are asked to contribute to events, activities and basic classroom resources, according to research by the savings app Spring. It found that parents face more than 20 requests for school-related spending during the academic year, equal to about one demand every other week. In total, each child costs £478 to send to school every year, which means the average cost for the typical family of 2.3 children is £1,099 a year. The Times notes that many state secondary schools also ask for money, and cites King David High School in Manchester where parents are asked to contribute £1,800 a year, or £150 a month. By Andrew Ellson.

Danish teachers will be granted permission to use physical force in classrooms amid complaints of rising violence. A reform proposed by the centre-Left government will allow teachers to use physical restraint to remove disruptive pupils from August 2027. It means "holding a student, keep them in place, or take them to another room against their will". At present, teachers are only allowed to use force if a student poses a danger to themselves, others or school property. The law, written by the ministry of education, follows calls from the national teachers' union which has long said it is growing more difficult to manage disruptive students. By Lily Shanagher, The Telegraph. 

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