Siân McGibbon summarises an important recent High Court judgment considering the lawfulness of imposing mandatory “top-up” charges on parents accessing free early years education. Read more
Capital City College, the largest further education provider in London, has appointed Eversheds Sutherland to a £1.8m contract to provide legal services.
Durham Council has agreed to name a residential school identified as suitable for meeting a child’s complex special educational needs after initially refusing to do so, following the issuing of legal proceedings in the Administrative Court.
An investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council at fault for failing to provide a child with suitable education for a whole year, and taking too long to issue an education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Cornwall Council is reviewing its decision to close the residential provision at a school for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), following a legal challenge.
The High Court has dismissed a judicial review application brought on behalf of a young person with complex needs over the lawfulness of an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan issued by the London Borough of Islington, after finding that the First-tier Tribunal is a “suitable alternative remedy”.
The Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has asked for an “explanation” from the Chief Constable of Hertfordshire Constabulary, after a couple were arrested over complaints they made about their child's primary school, which included comments in a parents' WhatsApp group.
A settlement has been reached and a final order made by the High Court in judicial review proceedings taken against the Council of the Isles of Scilly, in relation to its decision to limit the increase in grant funding to a total of £8,000 for post-16 transport and accommodation, to enable children of sixth form age to remain in education or training.
The Divisional Court has rejected an appeal by the owner of a company that contracted with local authorities to provide transport services for children with special educational needs against his conviction on four charges of being the operator of a private hire vehicle (PHV) when a PHV licence was not in force, and two charges of being the operator of a PHV when the driver was not the holder of a…
GMB Union has launched legal proceedings on behalf of around 400 women working as school support staff at Barnet Council, in what the union says is the first local authority equal pay claim launched in London.
Teachers who have been affected by “major delays” in getting their pensions valued are threatening legal action against the Government and pension provider, Capita Pension Solutions.
A survey by children’s charity Coram has highlighted gaps in childcare availability for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with only 29% of local authorities in England reporting having enough childcare for at least 75% of children with SEND in their area.
The County Councils Network (CCN) has today (21 March) claimed that there are just 12 months to avoid a “financial catastrophe” for English local authorities, with almost £6bn in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) deficits set to be placed on their balance sheets in March 2026.
The Court of Appeal recently ruled that a school worker’s dismissal for gender-critical social media posts was discriminatory. Luke Green and Emma Ahmed set out some key learning points from the case.
A headteacher was recently given a green light to stay in the profession despite going on a school-time retreat. Alexandra Addington looks at the decision.
Trish D'Souza and Claire Archibald examine the proposed review by Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, of the use of AI within schools.
The Upper Tribunal has in part allowed a council’s appeal against a decision by the Education Tribunal for Wales in relation to the naming of a school in a child’s Individual Development Plan, in the first case to have been brought under the new 2018 Act regime for Additional Learning Provision in Wales.
The High Court has allowed an appeal brought by a single mother in relation to her son’s package of home-to-school transport, finding that a city council’s decision to withdraw the support was “irrational”.
The Welsh Government has asked that certain provisions within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, including those in relation to children in secure accommodation and children not in school, be applied to Wales in the same way as England.
A report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has found that absence and suspensions in schools are two thirds higher than pre-pandemic, and that the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children are impacted the most.
Become, a charity for children in care and young care leavers, has welcomed the Government’s proposed amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to expand corporate parenting responsibilities to a wider set of organisations, while noting it could go further to improve the “scaffolding of support” around care-experienced young people.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has highlighted “systemic SEND issues” at Rochdale Council, after finding the authority had a backlog of nearly 1,500 support plans to review for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (IPSEA) has warned that resolving the SEND crisis lies in finding a way to ensure that children and young people receive the provision and support the law says they should have, not in changing the law.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal brought on behalf of a 15-year-old boy, rejecting the submission that the decision to permanently exclude him from school was unlawful because the headteacher “failed to comply with the public sector equality duty (PSED)”.
The Upper Tribunal has allowed a mother’s appeal concerning the Education Health and Care (EHC) Plans of her two children, after finding a “procedural irregularity” in respect of pagination issues in the court bundle.
A report by school leaders’ union NAHT has revealed that more than four in five (82%) school leaders say they have been abused by parents in the past year, leaving some considering “quitting the profession they love”.
The Court of Appeal has unanimously dismissed a former teacher’s appeal against a finding by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) that he had developed an “inappropriate relationship” with a pupil - and therefore would be precluded from being a teacher - despite a separate TRA disciplinary panel finding he was not guilty of professional misconduct.
An investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found fault by Slough Borough Council in failing to secure all the special educational provision on a child’s Education, Health and Care Plan over a 10-month period.
An investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found that nearly 60% of eligible Tameside children waited more than eight months for an education support plan update, with the council “routinely” taking too long to complete reviews of the support it offers to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The Diocese of Portsmouth has sent a ‘letter before claim’ to Isle of Wight Council over the proposed closure of three Church of England (CofE) primary schools on the island.
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) has set out five key principles for reform to England’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system for children and young people.
The Court of Appeal has rejected an appeal over a High Court judge’s finding that the protective duty under Article 4 of the European Court of Human Rights had not been triggered at the time when a governing body’s disciplinary panel decided not to reinstate a pupil following his permanent exclusion.
More than half of councils that support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have warned they will become insolvent when the “statutory override” – a temporary accounting measure that keeps spending deficits relating to SEND off their main balance sheets – ends next year, a survey by the Local Government Association has found.
The University of Hertfordshire is conducting a tender exercise to set up retainers with a range of bidders for the provision of legal services estimated to be worth up to £1.75m.
The High Court has dismissed a council’s application for judicial review against the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) over a report that upheld a complaint of maladministration against the local authority in a nursery school fees case.
The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal from a Christian school employee who was dismissed because she posted messages on her personal Facebook account opposing the teaching in schools, and in particular primary schools, of “gender fluidity” and that same-sex marriage is equivalent to marriage between a man and a woman.
A mother from Somerset was left more than £7,000 out of pocket while she waited for the council to release funds for her children’s “much-needed” therapy, an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has found.
A headteacher found to have spent school funds on martini glasses, champagne flutes and a giant Jenga set has lost an appeal against a ban from the profession.
The Court of Appeal will this week (6 February) hear on an urgent basis an appeal against a High Court judge’s rejection of a judicial review claim over the decision by a school governing body's disciplinary panel not to reinstate a teenage boy to his school following a permanent exclusion.
Ofsted has today (3 February) launched a 12-week consultation seeking the views of parents, carers, professionals and learners on a new approach to inspecting and reporting on education providers, which includes replacing the ‘single word judgement’ with a 5-point grading scale for each evaluation area.
Three linked claims challenging so-called “safety valve” agreements reached by Devon County Council and Bristol City Council with the Department of Education are being heard in the High Court this week (28 – 30 January).
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised Somerset Council for taking too long to put in place speech and language therapy for a teenager with special educational needs, following an earlier complaint.
An investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has revealed that a child with special educational needs missed months of education, despite Trafford Council identifying a suitable tutor within a fortnight of them leaving mainstream school.
More and more it is commonplace for schools and academy trusts to receive Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) from parents, either for themselves or on the behalf of their child. Liam Ellwood explores what a DSAR might look like, and how a schools or trust should look to deal with it in the first instance.
The Administrative Court has considered the extent possible child criminal exploitation can impact a school’s decision to permanently exclude. Leon Glenister explains the ruling.
The Department for Education (DfE) has now released new guidance relating to the support and intervention for schools, following the scrapping of single-word judgements. Katie Michelon and Anna Fellows set out the key points.
Amrita Hurst and Callum Scott consider the latest issues faced by local authorities when it comes to the provision of SEND support to children and young people.
Jo Moseley considers the lessons schools and colleges can learn from a recent tribunal decision which involved an autistic teacher who was dismissed after making a number of complaints about various aspects of his employment over a three year period.
An Upper Tribunal judge has handed down an important ruling on the inquisitorial jurisdiction of the First-tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber) in relation to EHCPs. Benjamin Harrison sets out the key points.
For certain land transactions involving school land, including granting leases to third parties, you may be required to obtain consent from or notify the Secretary of State (SoS). New freedoms have also been introduced in the September 2024 Academy Trust Handbook relating to finance leases. Andrea Squires, Zahraa Ilmass and Sonia Din look at the key points.
Andrea Squires and Theresa Kerr examine the Department for Education's revised guidance on school attendance and set out what’s new for pupils with SEND and part-time timetables.
The Court of Appeal recently handed down judgment rejecting a London council’s attempt to close one of its primary schools that is in the process of becoming an academy. Alan Bates explains why.
The Employment Tribunal has found that 'XYchromosomeGuy' who objected to his local authority employer's pronouns policy was fairly dismissed. Jo Moseley looks at the lessons from the case.
The High Court has reaffirmed that local authorities are under an ‘absolute duty’ to secure special educational provision and granted a mandatory order. Ollie Persey explains why.
Leon Glenister reports on a successful appeal to Upper Tribunal on the requirement to take account of a child’s views, wishes and feelings in decisions on their special educational provision.