Education sector: news in brief - February 2026

Pilot scheme exposes hidden scale of children’s speech and language needs 

A national speech and language screening pilot has uncovered unexpectedly high levels of children with previously unidentified needs, prompting renewed calls for stronger early‑years intervention. 

The Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) programme, launched in 2023 by the Department for Education and NHS England, set out to improve early identification and support of speech, language and communication needs. An interim evaluation of its first full year found that universal screening is revealing far more need than anticipated, with data from six pilot areas showing that around six in ten pupils assessed required some level of speech and language support. 

It also found that only 39% of children screened met or exceeded age‑related expectations. In some areas, two‑thirds of those needing help had previously gone unnoticed, leaving staff “shocked” by the extent of unmet need. 

Rise in children starting reception not ‘school ready’

More children are beginning reception without the basic skills needed to access learning, according to new findings from early years charity Kindred Squared. 

The annual survey of 1,000 primary school staff and 1,000 parents found that 37% of children were not “school ready” in 2025, up from 33% the previous year. Teachers reported increasing numbers of pupils struggling with essential life skills, including toileting and language development. One in four children were not toilet trained at the start of reception, while staff estimated they spent an average of 1.4 hours each day managing nappy changes or toilet‑related issues. 

Basic language skills were also highlighted as a concern, with around 25% of children unable to meet early communication expectations, up from 23% in 2024. The survey also found that classroom teaching time is being significantly affected, with teachers estimating 2.4 hours a day are lost helping children catch up on missed developmental milestones. 

Regional disparities are widening too: the survey found that 45% of reception children in the North East were judged not school ready, compared with 34% in parts of the Midlands, eastern England and London. Despite this, 88% of parents believed their child was ready for school, underscoring a disconnect between parental perception and classroom reality. 

Government SEND training for all teachers

The government has launched a £200 million training programme to ensure every teacher across England is equipped to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). 

The initiative aims to give staff in nurseries, schools and colleges the skills to adapt their teaching for a wide range of needs, including visual impairments and speech and language challenges. 

New courses will focus on practical strategies that improve access to learning, from using assistive technologies such as speech‑to‑text tools, to strengthening awareness of additional needs among pupils. The training will be underpinned by an updated SEND Code of Practice, setting a new expectation that all education staff receive SEND and inclusion training. 

Pilot programme shows in‑school SEND support helps cut exclusions

A national SEND pilot rolled out across 32 local authorities has helped reduce exclusions and keep more children in mainstream education, according to a new evaluation report. 

The two‑year trial, launched in 2023, required participating areas to strengthen early identification and intervention for pupils with additional needs. Stakeholders reported “early signs of impact,” including fewer exclusions, stronger collaboration between schools, councils and alternative provision (AP) providers, and more pupils remaining successfully in mainstream settings.

A key element of the pilot was the introduction of alternative provision specialist taskforces (APSTs) which are teams of professionals such as therapists and family support workers based directly in schools. These teams were credited with providing earlier identification of pupils’ needs, faster access to targeted interventions and improved reintegration from AP back into mainstream education. 

National guidance on use of internal suspensions is on the way

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced that it will publish new national guidance on how internal suspensions should be used by schools. Internal suspensions, where a pupil is removed from their usual classroom to work in a separate and supervised space, are already widely used, but the DfE notes that practice varies significantly between schools. 

The new guidance seeks to bring consistency and highlight good practice, while still allowing headteachers to decide what works best for their pupils. 

The guidance will be developed in partnership with schools and trusts, followed by a consultation before it is implemented. 

Absence fines remain above pre‑pandemic levels

New government data suggests that councils issued just under 493,000 penalty notices in 2024‑25, a 1% increase on the previous year. Over 90% of these fines were linked to unauthorised term‑time holidays, continuing a long‑established trend.

Although the rate of increase has slowed, fines remain nearly 50% higher than in 2018‑19, the last full year before Covid‑19. The surge followed a period in which fines were paused during the pandemic, before rising from around 220,000 in 2021‑22 to nearly 487,000 in 2023‑24. 

Overall, the figures suggest that the post-Covid rise in absence fines is now beginning to stabilise, even though levels remain well above the norms before the pandemic. 

AI tutoring tools to support disadvantaged pupils 

According to the government, up to 450,000 disadvantaged pupils could soon benefit from new AI‑powered tutoring tools, as the government launches plans to widen access to personalised learning support. 

The initiative aims to level the playing field for pupils who cannot afford private tutoring, tackling a long‑standing attainment gap in which only one in four disadvantaged children achieve a grade 5 or above in GCSE English and Maths, compared with more than half of their peers. 

The government is commissioning industry partners to co‑create safe, curriculum‑aligned AI tutoring tools with teachers. These tools will adapt to individual pupils’ needs, offering extra help when they get stuck and identifying areas that require more practice, with the aim of helping them catch up and thrive.

Teacher‑led co‑development of the tools will begin this summer, with schools expected to gain access by the end of 2027. 

Report exposes soaring profits for agencies but low pay for supply teachers

The National Education Union (NEU) has accused supply teacher agencies of “profiteering” as new findings reveal that schools are spending vast sums on agency fees while supply staff are routinely underpaid. 

According to the union, schools spent £1.25 billion on supply teaching in 2022–23, with more than 80% of that going to commercial agencies. Agency mark‑ups often exceeded 90%, leaving many supply teachers with as little as £110 per day, despite schools paying more than £200 for each placement.

The NEU report highlights that a small group of large agencies dominate the market, collectively accounting for up to half of all supply agency spending in England and reporting dramatic growth in profits. 

New complaints guidance warns of AI use

Parents are being urged to communicate “clearly” and “respectfully” when raising concerns with schools, as part of new government‑backed complaints guidance designed to rebuild trust between families and educators. 

The guidance sets out a five‑step process for making a complaint. It advises parents to establish whether they are offering feedback, raising a concern or making a formal complaint, and to approach the appropriate staff member, starting with their child’s teacher or form tutor before escalating to senior leaders or the headteacher where necessary. 

Notably, the guidance warns that using social media or behaving aggressively can “make matters worse.” It also warns parents to use artificial intelligence “with caution,” noting that AI tools may misquote laws and risk complicating complaints unnecessarily. 

Mental health and school dissatisfaction are main reasons for home education

New government data shows a growing number of children are leaving mainstream schooling for home education, with mental health concerns and dissatisfaction with school environments emerging as key factors. 

Figures from the Department for Education reveal that 126,000 children were in elective home education as at the 2025 autumn census, almost a 13% rise from the previous year. Across the entire 2024‑25 academic year, 175,900 children were educated at home at some point, up nearly 15% on the previous year.

Mental health was cited as the primary reason for withdrawal by 16% of families and the figures also showed that parents increasingly referenced dissatisfaction with school and concerns about SEND provision. 

More education sector insights - February 2026

• New government guidance on mobile phones in schools – new era for learning?
• Solving the SEND crisis: how are children with SEND supported when they are not in school?
• Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill: introduction of multi-academy trust inspections
• Auxiliary aids and reasonable adjustments: did the tribunal get it right?
• Should a teacher be banned for telling a parent their child was being singled out by other staff?