Suspensions and exclusions rose in the last school year – with a significant increase among primary-age pupils.

Charity says system is failing to support children at a young age and points to Covid as contributing factor

More than 10,000 children were excluded from England’s state schools last year, alongside record numbers of suspensions involving pupils younger than six or with special needs, as teachers struggled to cope with worsening behaviour.

The figures for the 2023-24 academic year revealed that...

Calls are made for teacher racism training as figures suggest a rise in suspensions in Kent schools.

The cost of all-inclusive family package holidays to many popular destinations has risen this year.

Only a week after the government was forced to retreat on benefits reform, there’s now controversy over its plans for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send). John Harris speaks to Kate Cox, a parent of two children with special needs, about why there’s such concern about the plans.

Plus, with NHS doctors going on strike again and small boat crossings reaching a record...

A 3p rise in free school meals funding is “almost an insult”, school caterers organisation LACA says.

Findings published from public inquiry into scandal labelled as worst miscarriage of justice in UK history

French police slashing the boats of people smugglers is not “pleasant” but the right tactic, Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, has said. Jessica Elgot and Peter Walker have the story.

Boris Johnson, the former Tory PM, has issued this tribute to Norman Tebbit.

Norman Tebbit was a...

The school in Cramlington will remain closed until Thursday, Northumberland County Council says.

Former home secretary tells government to reassure parents there will be a ‘meaningful replacement’ for EHCPs

Ministers must use “incredible sensitivity” in making changes to the special educational needs system, former education secretary David Blunkett has said, as the government is urged not to drop education, health and care plans (EHCPs).

Lord Blunkett, who went through the special needs...

Parents who experience pregnancy loss at any stage will be entitled to leave from work under planned changes.

Ministers are right that change is required. But more inclusive mainstream schools can coexist with rights to special provision

Children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) must be supported through the education system to fulfil their potential as fully as possible. This is the bottom line for the families of the 1.6 million children with a recognised additional learning...

Special educational needs or disabilities system in England is in crisis but many fear changes could make things worse

• UK politics live – latest updates

As the government braces for a backlash over its plans to overhaul special needs education in England, we look at why the system is in such desperate need of reform and what parents are so worried about.

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Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss why backbenchers and campaigners are already gearing up for another fight, this time over children’s special educational needs and disabilities (Send) support. And, could a new party on the left be a threat to Labour?

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Helen Hayes says commitment would help to rebuild trust among parents worried about their children’s future

UK politics live – latest updates

Downing Street should commit to education, health and care plans (EHCPs) to keep the trust of families who have children with special educational needs, the Labour MP who chairs the education select committee has said.

A letter to the Guardian on Monday,...

Demanding that the University of Virginia’s president resign is taken from the Viktor Orbán playbook of authoritarianism

Under pressure from the Trump administration, the University of Virginia’s president of nearly seven years, James Ryan, stepped down on Friday, declaring that while he was committed to the university and inclined to fight, he could not in good conscience push back just to...

Stephen Morgan, the early education minister, would not confirm every child who has an EHCP would continue to keep the same provisions

Stephen Morgan, the early education minister, told LBC that the government proposals to overhaul special educational needs and disabilities (Send) provision would be about “strengthening” the system.

Asked if he could say parents of children with Send had...

Labour will restore the early years provision decimated by Tory rule – and engrain it so deeply that no rightwing government can unpick it

Bridget Phillipson is the secretary of state for education and Labour MP for Houghton and Sunderland South

Like many young mothers, Jenna was unsure where to start. But that’s where her local family support service came in. Offering breastfeeding advice, a...