Phil Leaney

Schools white paper delayed until next year Autumn deadline will be missed as ministers take more time to consider controversial SEND reforms

schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-whit...

I'm off to Spain tomorrow and I've got my holiday reading sorted.

A collection of book chapters and articles ready to inform the literature review for my CoRS paper.

It might be hard for others to comprehend, but it is a real treat to have time to read!

📖 + 🌞

#AcademicSky #InclusiveEd #EduSky

Pupils might not be in, but work still continues in school during half term.

We took delivery of a 2nd pod this morning. I am very pleased with how it looks and can't wait to start using it.

#EduSky #UKEd

White paper to confirm V-levels, GCSE re-sit stepping stones New vocational courses will be the size of an A-level and replace existing alternatives to T-levels

schoolsweek.co.uk/skills-white...

@beckyfrancis.bsky.social 's keynote was the highlight of the conference.

A seemingly sensible mix of what's worked well (knowledge) with a reframing of the National Curriculum which provides implicit permission for schools to offer a wider breadth of experiences that allows all pupils to flourish

Fact:

If you even show one iota of resemblance to another teacher at your school, kids automatically assume you’re related.

#edusky

One of my favorite moments from Nobel Prize history:

The Nobel Committee couldn’t reach Stanford professor Paul Milgrom to let him know that he had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics, so his fellow winner, Robert Wilson, went over to his house in the middle of the night to wake him up!

Perhaps the national conversation around SEND and Inclusion?

Inclusive practice is conceptually informed but contextually responsive.

re: 'the SEND system'

Good people endeavour to make the system more efficient but are required to pragmatically bend to the context in which they find themselves.

#InclusiveEd

I think there is a lack of clarity in central government around what type of education system they want.

Let's be honest. Decisions are being made to reduce deficits.

#InclusiveEd #EduSky #UKEd

I led a SENDCo network for 20 colleagues in the trust this week.

This is possibly the most unsurprising article I've read all week.

SENDCos are drowning in paperwork.

#EduSky #UKEd #InclusiveEd

Is Attention Autism Neuro-Affirming? | AUsome Training Is Attention Autism Neuro-Affirming? A Closer Look from an Autistic [...]

I'd really appreciate a wider set of views on this.

We use attention autism in the school I lead.

This blog has challenged my thinking.

Will we look back in 10 years and admit 'we used to do that...'

#InclusiveEd

ausometraining.com/is-attention...

Building Evidence-Informed Teaching That Works for All: Join us to hear how schools and trusts are strengthening inclusive education through practical, evidence-based approaches.
Sign up now to secure your place 👉 www2.ambition.org.uk/evidence-inf... (1/4)

Yes, thankfully he was completely fine.

He was particularly pleased that one of the firefighters was called Sam.

I called the fire brigade to help remove a pupil stuck in a playground roundabout.

How was your day?

This sounds really exciting.

#InclusiveEd

Professional trust is an inevitable requirement of inclusive practice.

#InclusiveEd #EduSky #UKEd #AcademicSky

Inclusive practice demands compromise and dexterity in highly localised contexts where bespoke approaches are required to respond to very specific challenges. (Robinson, 2017)

#InclusiveEd

Learning from Lives and Deaths – people with a learning disability and autistic people (LeDeR) | King's College London The latest annual LeDeR report in collaboration with our academic partners on behalf of NHS England.

www.kcl.ac.uk/research/leder

In my experience, supervised rest breaks really are more effective than extra time for that majority of pupils.

#InclusiveEd

The 2023 LeDeR report highlights that 'adults with a learning disability on average die 19.5 years younger than the general population.'

This feels like really important research.

Special schools fear ‘subjective’ Ofsted judgements Inclusion focus risks ‘danger’ for schools directed to take on pupils whose needs they cannot meet, warns leader

A really interesting take on the new ofsted framework within the context of special schools...

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

#InclusiveEd

Our response to President Trump’s announcement on Tylenol and vaccines Our response to President Trump’s announcement on Tylenol and vaccines

www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/n...

#InclusiveEd

The Education Committee have published their report: 'Solving the SEND Crisis'

committees.parliament.uk/publications...

#InclusiveEd

To mark our 40th birthday, we’re shining a light on 40 influential educators
Read the full list here 👉 https://bit.ly/45EhJ6V Baroness Mary Warnock authored the 1978 Warnock Report, leading to mainstream inclusion for children with special educational needs. #education #educationresources #edusky

A photo of a reservoir during summer.

A morning 5k past Black Brook reservoir and then up to the monastery (Mount St Bernard Abbey).

#Edurunner #EduWell

#InclusiveEd #AcademicSky #EduSky

I really like your mention about celebrating practice, and I agree that leaders should be aware of barriers around associated beauracracy & perceived workload.

Often, I see this translated as 'every teacher is responsible for the IEP, Provision Map & Behaviour Plan.'

Great blog. Thanks for sharing

Joyous ownership of our pupils with SEND The responsibility for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) lies with everyone in a school. While a culture of joyous ownership is necessary, it can be undermined by unre…

Maintaining positivity around the phrase ‘every teacher being a teacher of SEND’ might be tricky, but if feels key to achieving true, and joyous, whole-school ownership of pupils with SEND.

New blog here, feedback welcome: sendmatters.co.uk/2025/08/25/j...

They know exactly what they're doing.

They're playing the long game.

A seed of suspense.

It's a power play.