Education
Education enterprise to be formed by Redbridge
Redbridge LBC is to form a joint venture with schools in the borough in a bid to generate more income for the council.
‘Significant areas of weakness’ found in Stockton’s SEND provision
Watchdogs have criticised the pace of improvements in provision for children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) in Stockton-on-Tees.
MPs criticise council chiefs for ‘stonewalling’ select committee
The chief executives of two councils have been accused of showing a ‘lack of leadership’ for not attending a meeting of the Education Committee.
Special needs provision in schools cut by over £1bn
Children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities have lost out on £1.2bn of Government funding over the last four years.
Strike threat lifted after COSLA agrees to raise teachers' pay
The possibility of strike action by teachers has been averted after Scotland’s council leaders backed a pay deal.
Northamptonshire to request early years budget deadline extension
Northamptonshire CC is to miss the deadline for setting its early years block budget after U-turning on proposed cuts.
Surrey parents lose SEND budget legal battle
Surrey CC has fended off a legal challenge to its budget for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Worcestershire to transfer education services to company
Worcestershire CC is expected to give the green light to widen the scope of its children’s services company next week.
Nottinghamshire to lobby Government on SEND funding
Nottinghamshire CC is to take ‘significant concerns’ over funding for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to the Government.
Chiefs defend councils' role in SEND provision
Chief executives have defended councils’ roles in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision.
Let's move away from these short-term patches to funding
The decision in the provisional local government finance settlement to allocate the social care support grant solely according to the adult care needs formula is a curious one, says John O'Brien
Think-tank: Give councils powers of abolished DWP
Councils and their health and education partners should be handed responsibility for supporting ‘harder-to-help’ groups into employment, a report by think-tank Demos has suggested.
Norfolk investment after Ombudsman criticisms
The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) today said Norfolk CC ‘failed’ two boys with special educational needs (SEN) – the 11th similar complaint upheld in the last two years.
Councils receive £250m ‘shot in the arm’ for SEND services
The Government has pledged an extra £250m to councils to spend on services for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
SEND ‘tidal wave’ threatens to overwhelm councils, finance chiefs claim
Council treasurers have made an urgent plea to ministers to tackle soaring special needs costs.
Who tells the truth about education spending?
The old adage ‘lies, damned lies and statistics’ is never truer than when it comes to education spending. Is it up or down? Is the Government telling porkies when it says we’re spending more than ever on schools, asks Mike Burton
Ofsted chief warns councils of county lines complacency
Some councils are underestimating the extent of the threat posed by county lines operations to children, the head of a watchdog has warned.
Councils await outcomes of SEND judicial reviews
Councils are awaiting the outcomes of judicial reviews into plans to reduce spending on children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
'Significant' rise in council commercialisation deals
Spending by English councils on trading services has ‘increased significantly’ over the last four years, according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Give councils power to intervene over ‘zombie academies’ - Labour
The forced academisation of schools would end and councils would be empowered to take over failing academies under a Labour Government, the party has announced.