a model interview by @SNJ's Rachel Filmer. Calm, commanding the facts, educating Rachel Johnson & hopefully her followers. Thank you @spcialndsjungle.bsky.social !

Superbly written analysis of a vital but vulnerable service. Data v strong, but if you only read one bit make it the final para.

He: let me tell you about my brave soldierly exploits. She: I’ll be needing a refill on the wine soon. By Gabriel Metsu, whose day is today.

Zack Polanski borrowed the beautiful words of the much-missed Benjamin Zephaniah to counter Robert Jenrick’s divisive take on Handsworth Handsworth in Birmingham has recently been in the news after a recording emerged of Robert Jenrick complaining about not seeing another white face in the area when he recorded a video about littering....

This.
www.thepoke.com/2025/10/17/z...

SEND Reforms At Risk Of Further Delay As Government Tries To Avoid Backlash There is growing concern that long-awaited reforms to the special education needs and disabilities system risk further delay, PoliticsHome understands.

“SEND Reforms at risk of further delay” over concerns within government of a political backlash, akin to the Labour MP anger that forced Prime Minister Keir Starmer to drop planned welfare cuts earlier this year. www.politicshome.com/news/ar...

Urgent.

Start the day with this. And end it. Incredible.

This is what the Prime Minister ought to be telling people

We need to counter this 'forked tongue' wherever it appears.

This ⬇️

EXCLUSIVE TO ALL NEWSPAPERS POWDER KEG UK ABOUT TO BLOW UP AS BRITAIN STANDS ON THE BRINK OF THE WHOLE NATION DESCENDING INTO CIVIL WAR by Our Apocalypse Staff HELENA HANDCART THE entire country has turned into a tinderbox, one spark and the whole thing could turn into a raging inferno of hatred and violence. All it needs is one little push - preferably from us - and this once peaceful island will explode. It may not take much, maybe an article with some badly researched facts, maybe some exaggerated and provocative hyperbole, and before we know it there'll be blood on the streets, and flames too, as millions of furious citizens attack each other, the police, and the emergency services, not to mention the armed forces should they tragically be called in to deal with the hate-filled mob rampaging through our cities, towns and villages, armed with burning torches and pitchforks, calling for justice, free speech and the immediate death of everyone they don't like. (Top journalism, Ed). Make no mistake, if Britain even exists by next week, we will run this piece again until someone sparks the tinderbox on the brink of the powderkeg that... (cont. for entire summer).

No one sums up the utter shamelessness of the British press and the ugly politics of Farage quite like Private Eye.

Malcolm Dean obituary Founder of the Guardian’s Society section who stood for the SDP/Liberal Alliance in the 1983 and 1987 general elections

Tremendous tribute by John Carvel to my late Guardian colleague Malcom Dean

www.theguardian.com/media/2025/j...

Oh look - a new 630-place independent secondary school is opening. All those fears about VAT killing off private education and aspiration seem to have receded

Born on this day in 1593, in Rome, Artemisia Gentileschi. One of the great painters of Baroque Italy. Endured shit and painted about it. Here, herself as a martyr, Saint Catherine, 1616.

“I wouldn't say I'm massively looking forward to it”

Translation: Since being invited I've thought of nothing except possible excuses not to go.

As the social care module of the Covid inquiry finally opens, let’s remind ourselves of the peculiarly lethal nature of the ‘protective ring’ that Matt Hancock threw around our care homes

image shows two graphics from the post illustrating the additional costs of caring for a disabled child -and title: The Cost of Caring 2025: “No family should have to choose between heating, eating, and caring for their disabled child”

image shows two graphics from the post illustrating the additional costs of caring for a disabled child -and title: The Cost of Caring 2025: “No family should have to choose between heating, eating, and caring for their disabled child”

NEW POST: A new report from @familyfund.bsky.social shows how the high cost of #caring for a disabled child or young person in 2025 means some families have to choose between heating, eating, and caring for their disabled child www.specialneedsjungle.com/c... #disability

I like semicolons.

There, I've said it. And I'm glad I did.😄

You can’t fix the NHS without fixing social care.

I challenged the government to stop outsourcing leadership and start showing it—by bringing parties together to deliver long-overdue reform. The crisis in social care is a political failure, not a policy mystery.

Heartbreaking read, so very powerful @catrionamoore.bsky.social but there are lessons and there is a massive duty for public service here @helenhayes.bsky.social @janetdaby.bsky.social @catherinemckinnell.bsky.social @jacquismith.bsky.social @lga.bsky.social

Special Educational Needs Department for Education written question – answered at 22 April 2025

#SEND Minister Catherine McKinnell: ”We want more children to get the support they need to achieve & thrive in mainstream school alongside their friends and peers." So fund SEND support better? (Also, kids in special schools also have school "friends and peers") www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans...

This is what we all feared. The United States and Russia bullying brave President Zelensky into a terrible deal.

Time for the United Kingdom and Europe to stand up to Trump and seize the Russian assets so we can go it alone.

Today House Republicans, cheered on by the richest person on Earth, passed a budget framework that will cut support for the poorest people in our country.

All while cutting taxes for corporations and the wealthy, and massively increasing the deficit.

NEW POST: What do school and college workforce unions want for the future of SEND? @captaink77.bsky.social continues his deep dive into the responses to the 2025 #SEND Inquiry… www.specialneedsjungle.com/s...

image shows continence nappies with screenshot of the cover of the report over the top

NEW POST: A recent report highlights the shameful state of continence services leaving disabled children in England, Wales and Scotland “robbed of fundamentally important experiences”. Prof Luke Clements & @anaaiello.bsky.social have written about their findings www.specialneedsjungle.com/s...

Urgent Call for Action: Support Disabled Children’s Right to Dignified, Accessible Continence Care - Cerebra Our groundbreaking new report reveals a shocking failure by health and social care bodies across England, Wales, and Scotland to provide adequate paediatric continence supplies for disabled children. ...

900,000 children. In this country alone @spcialndsjungle.bsky.social

cerebra.org.uk/latest-news/...

education committee superimposed over piles of paper

On SNJ Today: @captaink77.bsky.social is bravely sifting through the published evidence sent to the Education Select Committee's SEND Inquiry. His first look is what powerful council lobbyists really want for future SEND. He's found some eye-rolling submissions www.specialneedsjungle.com/p...

Please read. Trusting @helenhayes.bsky.social to counter these alarming influences. Don't mess with SEND rights !