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Safeguarding Children - Levels 1 and 2 certificate

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In our subject seminar we had to use the words on the board to create our pedagogy philosophy for Religious Education. For me, my philosophy is "To build relationships while teaching and supporting students to always try the best they can, and motivate them to build confidence in themselves and Religious Education, that stays with them for life."

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I created this vision board for my desktop wallpaper, to remind me why I'm doing this course and how hard I've worked to get here. Also, to keep me motivated throughout my degree. I have included images of things related to being a teacher that are personal and meaningful to me. Every image on the screen has a reason to motivate me, for example my a-level results and email of acceptance into Edge Hill University.

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Beige and Brown Aesthetic Photo Collage Vision Board Desktop Wallpaper-2

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Safeguarding against radicalisation - the Prevent duty certificate

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Week 7/8 Engaged reading: What is the point of education & what makes a good learning experience?

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Week 7/8 Engaged reading: What is the point of education & what makes a good learning experience?

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In our subject seminar, we were able to pick a section of the RE curriculum from a local agreed syllabus (I did Sefton) and explain ways we could teach it. I chose ‘What times are special and why?’. This relates to times of the year that are important for religious + non-religious people. I chose to focus on festivals celebrated. We then got feedback from our peers, which I went away and read to help improve my mind-map of ways to teach festivals in an engaging way for both primary and secondary school. I did my improvements in blue.

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In our afternoon group seminar, we did an activity where we came up with a mind-map of the type of teacher we personally want to be. For me, I want to be the type of teacher that supports pupils both inside and outside of the classroom. This means I won't just focus on the academic development of my pupils, but also them as a person. I also aim to be the teacher that never gives up on a child. 'No child left behind' is an important quote for me as a teacher to be, as no matter what each child's ability is, I won't give up on them and will remind them to not give up on themselves.

I will keep this mind-map as a reminder throughout my time at Edge Hill Uni and also when I am a teacher. I aim to add to it too once I have gained experience through my placements.

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Week 9 Engaged reading: What is a curriculum & why do we need one? 

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Week 9 Engaged reading: What is a curriculum & why do we need one? 

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Week 10 Engaged reading: Professional week: ITap Professional behaviours

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Week 10 Engaged reading: Professional week: ITap Professional behaviours

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Module one

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Module two

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Module three

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Module four

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What we learnt as a group from our Lathom High visit on 31/10/24

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What we learnt as a group from our Lathom High visit on 31/10/24

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From my visit to Lathom High, I personally learnt that it is so important to look out for the positives in every single child, every lesson. For example, saying things like ‘well done!’ ‘fantastic response’ after a child contributes is SO important, as it engages the pupil further, keeps their focus and reminds them they are doing well.

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Week 11: What is the purpose of planning?

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Week 11: What is the purpose of planning?

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I believe that the purpose of planning is to help guide teachers to be able to organise effective, engaging lesson plans to then educate pupils in an inspiring way. However, I strongly believe that there is no right 'plan' or way for how a lesson should go. This is because you never know what could happen during or outside of the lesson, which may impact students learning and behaviour in lessons, meaning you may have to think on your feet to adapt your lesson idea/plan to how you were going too. For example, fire-alarms are often a huge distraction, finding out there is one on the day may mean you slightly change the activity so students are more 'prepared' for it. Another example, especially found in Religious Education, is discussion of a topic may take over and actually proves better than the task you have planned, therefore focusing on the discussion rather than follow your lesson plan directly means that students are more likely to hold their engagement and focus on the lesson.

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What we need to consider about Professional Behaviour 31/10/24

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What we need to consider about Professional Behaviour 31/10/24

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In our ITap Friday workshop session we watched a youtube video and took notes on what we believe we need to be aware about our professional behaviours and how they can impact our jobs and reputation.

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Today’s workshop session we performed a lesson presentation in groups. I think what went well with our groups was the topic we chose (Buddhism) was a good topic that most of us felt confident in knowing. However, there were a lot of big changes I would make next time to improve our lesson. First of all, I think our group should have spent more time organising the presentation and come up with a lesson plan beforehand. In this lesson plan, I would have included a retrieval activity, such as a ‘do-now task’. This is. Quick starter activity, no longer than 5 minutes that allows students to get thinking about the lesson we covered last time. This helps build their knowledge and helps to get it into their long-term memory. I would also ensure that we were more prepared, organised and confident with performing our lesson e.g. by practicing teaching it beforehand. I think we could have made the topic more engaging and included an activity for our audience to do. Watching the other groups perform was helpful in seeing what they did well that we didn’t do so well in e.g. speaking with confidence, activities that got the audience to think etc. Overall, I would change a lot for our lesson for next time.

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Week 13: What are the practicalities of planning a lesson? (1)

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Week 13: What are the practicalities of planning a lesson? (1)

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For my ‘Eastern Dharma’ assignment, I chose to focus on ‘Sikhism’. I have always had an interest in Sikhism since learning about it in Year 8. I came across this podcast on Spotify which has increased my subject knowledge on the basics of Sikhism.

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NATRE Assessment. Helpful for trainee RE teachers 

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Interactive guide on assessment for trainee RE teachers 

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In response to the feedback I got on my Padlet, from now until next Monday (16/12/24) I aim to improve mine by ensuring I have added to every single title. So far I haven't added under:

High expectations & behaviour management.

Adaptive teaching

RE in the news

Education in the news

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Summative assessment VS Formative assessment

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Summative assessment VS Formative assessment

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Summative assessment, known as assessment OF learning. This takes place towards the end of a piece of learning and is often the 'final' assessment. An example of summative assessment would be GCSE and A-level examinations.

Formative assessment, known as assessment FOR learning. This takes place throughout the learning process. It aims to give students and teachers an understanding of where they are now and how they can make progress. Examples of formative assessment would be regular practice GCSE/A-level past-papers/questions which are marked each time.

In my opinion I believe formative assessment is the most beneficial for ensuring progress it made throughout the year, as well as understanding your students/staff.

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Attendance issues in school across the UK.

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Attendance issues in school across the UK.

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This article, recently posted on 6th December, has revealed attendance in schools across the UK has dropped fairly significantly. Many people believe this is due to the COVID pandemic. Attendance is an issue for many schools across the UK and it seems to be on the increase.

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"Not being in school means they are not getting access to good quality education," he said.

"The other aspect they are missing out on is that personal development - their ability to socialise, to make friends, to understand how to work with people and build resilience."

Mr McNeillie added that regular absences lead to "an increase in vulnerability" as teachers are unable to keep an eye on children's welfare.

He said multi-partnership working between schools, parents and health and social care professionals was the best way to get children back into school but many local authorities were struggling to meet demand.

Bristol City Council said it was working with trusts and schools to improve the situation and recently held a Bristol Attendance Conference with participation from 130 schools which marked "a significant step forward in tackling this issue".

"Building on this momentum, we will maintain our focus on leveraging data, sharing best practices, and strengthening partnerships.

"Our commitment remains steadfast to supporting high levels of attendance across all schools and we are ensuring timely assistance and meaningful engagement with families to address their needs."

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Nearly quarter of Bristol pupils regularly absent, warns Ofsted

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Large numbers of children are missing more than 10% of school hours, a report finds.

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This is a useful guide for (trainee) teachers, which helps them to understand 'adaptive teaching' opposed to focusing on 'differentiation'.

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What is 'Adaptive Teaching'? And why is it replacing 'Differentiation'? 

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What is 'Adaptive Teaching'? And why is it replacing 'Differentiation'? 

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Adaptive teaching refers to adjusting teaching to suit the needs of the pupils, opposed to differentiation, which keeps a set way of teaching, but changing the work e.g. providing an 'easier' sheet. Whilst this may be helpful, it has actually lower the expectations of students that struggle. This can have negative impacts on the students such as, they may lack motivation to try. As teachers, it's important to avoid this.

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EEF Improving behaviour in schools Summary. 

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This helpful guide has been produced by the Education Endowment Foundation, to show the six core recommendations for managing behaviour in Secondary schools. I think this guide will be incredibly helpful when starting my placement.

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Week 14: What is good classroom practice? (1)

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Week 14: What is good classroom practice? (1)

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Week 16: What is assessment for learning? (1)

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Week 16: What is assessment for learning? (1)

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In my seminar 'introduction to religion', I found research on 'ultimate concern' really interesting. I learnt a lot about it, especially linking Guru Nanak into it. I believed this piece of work helped to increase my knowledge of ultimate concern and Sikhism. I also believe this would be an interesting topic to teach to GCSE and/or A-level students.

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Action plan for my Padlet for Semester two: 

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Action plan for my Padlet for Semester two: 

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To improve my Padlet I need to do the following:

1. Ensure I address the areas where evidence is thin. I will do this by using the list of tasks I should have done so far and ensure there is no gaps.

2. Reference all the sources I use accurately following the HR Guide.

3. Proof read my Padlet carefully to ensure I have no SPaG errors.

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Week 23: What makes effective teaching? (1)

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Week 23: What makes effective teaching? (1)

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What we need to know about adaptive teaching:

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What we need to know about adaptive teaching:

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1. Pupils are likely to learn at different rates and to require different levels and types of support from teachers to succeed.

2. Seeking to understand pupils' differences, including their different levels of prior knowledge and potential barriers to learning, is an essential part of teaching.

3. Adapting teaching in a responsive way, including by providing targeted support to pupils who are struggling, is likely to increase pupil success.

4. Adaptive teaching is less likely to be valuable if it causes the teacher to artificially create distinct tasks for different groups of pupils or to set lower expectations for particular pupils.

5. Flexibly grouping pupils within a class to provide more tailored support can be effective, but care should be taken to monitor its impact on engagement and motivation, particularly for low attaining pupils.

6.  There is a common misconception that pupils have distinct and identifiable learning styles. This is not supported by evidence and attempting to tailor lessons to learning styles is unlikely to be beneficial.

7. Pupils with special educational needs or disabilities are likely to require additional or adapted support; working closely with colleagues, families and pupils to understand barriers and identify effective strategies is essential.

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What does good adaptive teaching look like in RE?

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What does good adaptive teaching look like in RE?

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Compared to other subjects like English, RE is often taught in mixed ability sets, rather than through setting and streaming. This is good because it's giving students of all abilities the opportunity to learn about and engage in the same topics and work. It also avoids bias of individuals needs and allows everyone in the class to feel included. This is more likely to encourage students to participate and develop skills learnt together as a class. Students are also likely to be more motivated.

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Reference list:

ADAMS, R., 2025. Teacher vacancy rates at record high in England, report finds. the Guardian [online]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/mar/13/teacher-vacancy-rates-record-high-england-report [Accessed 8 Apr 2025].

ASLETT, C., 2025. Rotherham: 100 SEND places approved at mainstream schools. BBC News [online]. 31 January. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8jqn201zvo [Accessed 14 Mar 2025].

BARLTROP, P., 2024. Nearly quarter of Bristol pupils regularly absent, warns Ofsted. BBC News [online]. 6 December. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cge9jx17pxro [Accessed 23 Feb 2025].

BUTLER, P., PEARCE, M., and BOYD, R., 2025. Ministers plan major changes to Send education in England. the Guardian[online]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/mar/03/ministers-plan-major-changes-to-send-education-in-england [Accessed 9 Apr 2025].

COLLEGE, H.C., 2024. Education leaders must meet the demand for high quality Religious Education | FE News. FE News[online]. Available from: https://www.fenews.co.uk/exclusive/education-leaders-must-meet-the-demand-for-high-quality-religious-education/ [Accessed 23 Feb 2025].

DROZDZIAK, A., 2025. Why the Bible is so important in Religious Education - The Tablet. The Tablet [online]. Available from: https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/why-the-bible-is-so-important-in-religious-education/ [Accessed 14 Mar 2025].

EATON, J., 2022. Moving from ‘Differentiation’ to ‘Adaptive Teaching’. Education Endowment Foundation [online]. Available from: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/moving-from-differentiation-to-adaptive-teaching [Accessed 26 Feb 2025].

EEF, 2019. Improving Behaviour in Schools. EDUCATION ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION [online]. Available from: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/behaviour [Accessed 26 Feb 2025].

GEORGIOU, G., 2021. Assessing Progress in RE Guidance [online]. Available from: https://www.lincolndiocesaneducation.com/attachments/download.asp?file=347&type=pdf [Accessed 26 Feb 2025].

MANSFIELD, M., 2025. Churches condemn ‘tragic’ cuts to religious studies. Nation.Cymru [online]. Available from: https://nation.cymru/news/churches-condemn-tragic-cuts-to-religious-studies/ [Accessed 20 Mar 2025].

NATRE, 2024. ASSESSMENT GUIDANCE for Teachers of Religious Education [online]. Available from: https://www.natre.org.uk/uploads/Natre_Assessment.pdf [Accessed 26 Feb 2025].

RELIGION, L.T., 2022. What is Sikhism? Spotify [online]. Available from: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ytWqbzDpdiZFXWuY9ftuO?si=8alOmfvlSWOV-hf1GdCCOg&nd=1&dlsi=1e17215e85894a79 [Accessed 26 Feb 2025].

SHERRINGTON, T., 2019. Rescuing Differentiation from the Checklist of Bad Practice. teacherhead [online]. Available from: https://teacherhead.com/2019/01/24/rescuing-differentiation-from-the-checklist-of-bad-practice/ [Accessed 10 Mar 2025].

WARD, S., 2025. Rutland school not meeting requirements for religious education, says Advisory Council. Oakham Nub News[online]. Available from: https://oakham.nub.news/news/local-news/rutland-school-not-meeting-requirements-for-religious-education-says-advisory-council-254252 [Accessed 18 Mar 2025].

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For professional week, we looked at ‘Learning outside of the classroom’. We were set off on a task around campus to do a scavenger hunt. We worked in groups to work out the answers to the questions on the posters and find our way to the next one. The questions were about RE, Maths and English meaning we had to work together for the answers. I found this learning outside the classroom activity fun. It made a change from being in a classroom setting, I found it was more motivating and fun. This got me thinking about the importance of changing from a classroom setting to an outdoor environment.

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Our task for week 25 was around the topic of 'Learning outside of the classroom'. We had to create a lesson activity aimed for KS3 students (carried out by uni students!). For my task I chose to do a 4 tasked worksheet which was handed out after a short 5 minute presentation. I spent around 4-5 hours planning this alongside the powerpoint presentation. Unfortunately the task didn't turn out as well as I had planned. I originally aimed for the task to take around 15 minutes with students choosing to work solo, in pairs or a group. However, I didn't make this clear enough and the group took about 3 minutes to do the tasks. I do believe the tasks weren't done throughly as I suggested the take photos but none were taken. Another issue was telling them about the reward at the end in advanced as they straight away went off to do it as quickly as possible to be the first to complete, not realising that everybody got the same reward regardless! I do think with more careful instructions and planning ahead how the children will react, it would go well. I do think I spent way longer than I should have planning it. If I was doing this with an actual secondary school class I would carry out risks assessments and visit Ruffed Old Hall in advance to check the activities would work.

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Why high expectations are the key to everything

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Why high expectations are the key to everything

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This interesting article by Tom Sherrington highlights the importance of having high expectations as a teacher in your lessons. It's vital that you set high expectations from the very start in order for them to work well. Futhermore, he states that teachers should expect effort and focus from every single student, every student has the potential to do well if they have the right resources, expectations etc. He encourages teachers to ask challenging questions. He also argues its the small routines that also help add to expectations e.g. lining up in silence.

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Great Teaching. The Power of Expectations.

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Image credit: Melbourne Child Psychology As each new term approaches, it’s worth reflecting on the powerful Bill Rogers concept that, as teachers, ‘you establish what you establish’. This means: …

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Mind-maps mad to enhance my subject knowledge of religions.

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Mind-maps mad to enhance my subject knowledge of religions.

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I have started to create mind-maps of area’s I am struggling to remember or understand as well as I’d like to. These were made based off of my module ‘Abrahamic Traditions’. I plan to continue doing these for other area’s of my degree knowledge. I find mind-maps are a great way to learn key facts and knowledge. I believe this is because I am more of a visual learner.

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I have decided to challenge myself to read at least a chapter a day of an academic book that either relates to religion and/or teaching. The first book I have chosen is 'Making every RE lesson count'. I picked this up from the university library as it looked very interesting. upon reading this I am starting to pick up little tips and tricks which I hope benefits me during placement and when I am a teacher.

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A-level RE is not taught widely enough. 

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A-level RE is not taught widely enough. 

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I completely agree with this article, I believe A-level RE isn't taught enough and should be. My own experience relates to this. In year 11 (when we chose our A-levels) I tried to convince my school to offer RE at A-level, as we had staff who could teach it, but were being timetabled to teach sociology (which they weren't specialised in). Other schools/collages near me also didn't offer it, so I ended up doing sociology instead. I believe that the lack of an A-level in RE restricted my options when applying to university, and, as a result, I have often felt at a disadvantage in terms of subject knowledge during my time at university. However, my argument for including RE in the curriculum goes beyond personal experience. I strongly believe that it is a subject of significant importance. Religion is all around us and part of everyday life, and everyone should have the chance to listen and understand others in society, in a respectful way.

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Education leaders must meet the demand for high quality Religious Education | FE News

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| Education leaders must meet the demand for high quality Religious Education

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During week 27, we worked in small groups and created a mind-map of potential barriers to learning that students may face throughout school. As teachers, it’s important to be aware of these barriers in order to adapt our teaching methods and lesson plans to suit and meet the individual needs of every single one of our students. The best way to do this is to first, get to know your students and build positive relationships with them. This will allows us to figure out and notice potential barriers in our students and be able to address them appropriately.

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This article is about 100 new school places being opened up to pupils with SEND needs in Rotherham. In the article it states "This would stop children with Send from having to leave the borough for their needs to be met". I think this is vitally important, as it's becoming more recognised that many students face SEND and often it's a struggle to find the appropiate resources and support needed to help them. However, this article shows that schools and areas are becoming more aware of these needs and are putting in the money to bring about a positive change, ensuring students of all needs feel supported. I believe that more areas and other schools will be influenced to do the same in the future.

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The schools with new placements, along with the number and type of places, are as follows.

Maltby Manor Academy (Primary) - Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) - 10 places

Thurcroft Junior Academy (Primary) - Communication and Interaction - 10 places

Brinsworth Whitehill Primary (Primary) - Communication and Interaction - 10 places

Foljambe Primary (Primary) - SEMH - 10 places

Thrybergh Academy (Secondary) - SEMH - 10 places

Wales Academy (Secondary) - Communication and Interaction - 20 places

Brinsworth Academy (Secondary) - Moderate Learning Difficulty - 10 places

Anston Hillcrest Primary (Primary) - Speech, Language, and Communication - 10 places

Winterhill Academy (Secondary) - SEMH - 10 places

Other projects which have been supported by the original £15m grant include the development of Forest View, a purpose-built facility for young people aged 14-19, and the creation of a therapeutic space at Newman School so students can access therapy on site.

School places created through the new provisions will continue to grow throughout the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, the report added.
Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.

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Rotherham: 100 SEND places approved at mainstream schools

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Places will allow pupils with special need and disabilities to access support while attending class.

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Why the Bible is so important in Religious Education

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Why the Bible is so important in Religious Education

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This interesting article states "The importance of the Bible in RE was underlined at the fifth National Association of the Teachers of Catholic RE (ATCRE) conference". The meeting was held on the 1st March this year (2025). It has got me thinking more about the importance of the Bible being used in Religious Education. I agree that it will be a helpful resource to develop the understanding of Christianity in Religious Education, however I think if the Bible is being used than other Religious texts from other religions should be used. I also feel that younger students (KS3) may struggle to understand it, so it would have to be taught in a way that works for them to prevent students from feeling overwhelmed. I think a better way to help students understand religions is by having guest speakers in and/or using peers who are religious to talk about their own experience. This will also help students understand that there are different views and interpretations in a religion. I also think trips to religious places helps to develop the understanding of RE for pupils. I do believe the Bible and other religious texts would be better for KS4/KS5 pupils, as it gives a deeper understanding for them.

Personally, I went to a non-religious primary and secondary school so rarely ever looked religious texts like the Bible. I think it would have helped my understanding better now if I did, but equally I know younger me would have struggled to understand it as well as older me.

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Why the Bible is so important in Religious Education - The Tablet

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The importance of the Bible in RE was underlined at the fifth National Association of the Teachers of Catholic RE (ATCRE) conference at Saint Thomas Aquinas

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Rutland school not meeting requirements for religious education. 

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School not teaching RE when expected too. 

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School not teaching RE when expected too. 

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Schools like this one in Rutland have been caught not teaching RE to the expected standard. It's a legal requirement for state schools to teach Religious Education, therefore is just as important as other core subjects like English, Maths and Science. However, many schools don't promote Religious Education as being important and it's a subject often put to the side or forgotten about. Often these are issues beyond the schools control like a lack of RE specialist teachers. Unfortunately not many teachers specialise in RE for a number of reasons like lack of opportunities to study RE related subjects beyond post 18. This results in the schools current teachers to 'cover' RE lessons and teach them, meaning subject knowledge is likely to be lacked and RE being seen as the second choice so not being taking seriously. Because of this, RE is often disliked by students and seen as a lesson to mess around in. I believe that often it is not the school fault as it's hard to find RE teachers. There are ways schools can improve on changing RE around with difficulties finding RE specialist teachers, such as offering RE trips as part of the curriculum, as many students love a school trip. Whilst some students still may see RE as pointless and go on the trip anyway, I believe a lot of the time students are more likely to engage having a change of setting. I also strongly believe that actually students will learn and pick up new things about RE from a school trip without realising it. Often trips help more challenging students to engage and give them the motivation that they are a good leaner. Also giving staff and opportunity to attend free courses to increase their subject knowledge if they need too. This might be a helpful solution in making RE meet the expected standard.

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Rutland school not meeting requirements for religious education, says Advisory Council

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The religious adviser for Rutland raises concerns that Casterton College may not be fulfilling statutory religious education requirements at Key 4 students.

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Universities cut Religious Studies from study options

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Universities cut Religious Studies from study options

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This article discusses the deep concern over the closure of theology departments across Welsh universities. However, this isn't just an issue in Wales, but England and Scotland too. The article makes it clear that Wales would suffer without the subjects involved e.g., Religious Studies by their culture and language being weakening their position within Europe culture. Furthermore, the article argues that theology and religion are vital subjects for understanding the diverse world today. It also impacts jobs within the education sector to teach the younger generation the importance of Religion. It's heavily argued that these subjects provide and play a significant role in understanding global issues, society, history and culture, all which impacts everybody's individual lives on a daily base. I personally belief that Religious Education is one of the most important subjects taught in schools, collages and universities and more funding should be provided into the courses to keep them going. They are vital courses that provide education which will last a lifetime and is very much needed in every society.

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Churches condemn ‘tragic’ cuts to religious studies

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Martin Shipton The umbrella organisation representing Wales’ churches has deplored the “tragic” demise of theology departments at Welsh universities. In an open letter to vice chancellors and Cabinet Secretary for Education Lynne Neagle, the three most senior officials of Cytûn say that proposed cuts affecting Christian studies and the Humanities more broadly will damage Welsh […]

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This article discusses the growing crisis in teacher recruitment and retention in England, with teacher vacancy rates reaching record highs. A report from the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) reveals that issues like worsening pupil behaviour, stagnant pay, and inflexible working conditions are driving teachers out of the profession. Teacher vacancies are now double what they were before the Covid pandemic. The report emphasises that immediate action, including competitive pay increases and improved support for teachers, is necessary to address the problem. The government’s recent commitment to recruit more teachers is seen as a critical opportunity to reverse the trend, but there are concerns about its effectiveness. In my opinion, I believe that this is something that should be taken seriously, as teachers have the right to be supported during their job. The mental health of staff is just as important as the mental health of the students. I think more needs to be in place to support all teachers, so they are able to be themselves and feel like they can go into a classroom without any fear. This is especially important for ECT teachers, as they are more likely to leave the profession at the beginning of their career.

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Teacher vacancy rates at record high in England, report finds

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NFER says pupil behaviour, stagnant pay and inflexible working practices contributing to exodus from workforce

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The article discusses the UK government's plans for significant changes to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England. It highlights the growing financial crisis faced by local councils due to increasing deficits in SEND spending, which threaten their financial stability. The article mentions that some councils are seeking law changes to limit parental rights and reduce tribunal powers to curb spending on SEND provisions. However, parent groups warn that such changes would harm children with special educational needs. A white paper outlining these changes is expected to be released in late spring 2025.

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Labour is preparing major changes to special educational needs provision in English schools, as individual councils raise the alarm over debts running into hundreds of millions of pounds that have pushed many to the brink of bankruptcy.

A Guardian analysis has found the vast majority of English upper-tier councils have accumulated often eye-watering special educational needs spending deficits. At least 12 have forecast accumulated deficits over £100m, running as high as £312m, when the debts have to be settled in a year's time.

It is understood ministers are preparing a white paper due to be published in late spring setting out details of what one insider called a "complete recalibration" of the special educational needs and disabilities (Send) system.

The government is believed to be considering changes to existing Send legislation that councils hope would ease the deficits, alongside a raft of reforms designed to prioritise state school provision and cut council spending in costly private specialist needs schools.

The move comes amid frantic calls by English local authorities for ministers to write off a collective £5bn forecast deficit on Send budgets. The deficit - effectively kept off council books through a temporary credit-facility arrangement called an "override" since 2018 - is due to hit council balance sheets on 31 March 2026 , a financial shock that could push more than 60 councils into insolvency.

Council Send spending has accelerated in recent years, and the deficit - the gap between the money the government gives councils for Send and the amount they have been legally obliged to spend on provision - has become one of the biggest threats to the viability of many town halls, on a par with the social care crisis.

Local authorities are lobbying for law changes to give them more control over Send costs by limiting parental rights to appeal over Send assessments, and reducing the powers of Send tribunals to direct how a child's needs are provided for in the school system.

Kate Foale, a Labour councillor and Send spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said law changes must go hand in hand with reform and extra investment in special needs education. "It [the Send system] is adversarial, and it doesn't work for children and their families. We are in a really bad place."

Parents' groups warned ministers would have a "massive fight on their hands" over any attempts to dilute children's legal rights to Send support. "Reducing Send entitlement won't make needs go away - you just end up with lots of children with needs but no support," said Tania Tirraoro of the campaign group Special Needs Jungle.

The biggest forecast deficits by next March include Hampshire county council (£312m by March 2026), West Sussex (£222m), Norfolk (£186m), Cheshire East (£154m), Warwickshire (£151m), Wiltshire (£117m), Oxfordshire (£111m), Gloucestershire (£108m), Somerset (£100m), and Staffordshire (£100m).

Guardian analysis of two-thirds of English upper-tier councils found at least 13 have forecast accumulated Send deficits of between £50m and £100m, including Sefton (£86m), Hertfordshire (£81m), Cornwall (£70m), Cambridgeshire (£70m), Leicestershire (£66m), Merton (£65m), Central Bedfordshire (£65m), and Wokingham £61m).

Bournemouth, Chichester and Poole council, whose deficit will reach £165m in a year's time, said without the deficit override it would be technically bankrupt from next month because its Send deficit exceeds its available financial reserves. It described its position as "an impossible situation".

Many councils have had to take out huge loans to manage cash flow crises caused by Send spending. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy estimates the cost of these loans, including interest payments, amounts to around £600m a year, which could have been spent on frontline services.

The Send deficit is also eating into other parts of council budgets, with many town halls reporting unsustainable increases in the cost of home to school transport as more children with EHCPs are sent to out-of-borough special schools.

The deficits are driven by huge high-needs budgets overspends, especially on education, health and care plans (EHCPs), which set out a council's legal duty to meet a child's educational support requirements.

A rapid rise in pupils diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder, special emotional needs (including ADHD), and speech, language and communication needs has fuelled a 140% increase in EHCPs between 2015 and 2024, from 240,000 to 576,000.

Although the 2014 Act clarified entitlement to Send support, critics say the previous government failed to anticipate, plan for, and properly fund and manage the resulting explosion in need and demand. Guardian analysis indicates EHCP demand continues to increase rapidly, with a number of councils reporting 50% rises in the past 12 months.

Bradford, already on the edge of effective bankruptcy because of social care pressures, is one of tiny handful of councils currently in surplus on its Send budget. However, it says an expected surge in EHCPs will rapidly turn this into a £14m deficit by March 2026, rising to £54m in 2027.

Experts say an extension may delay a local financial meltdown across local government but is unlikely to give councils enough time to tackle the underlying causes of the deficit, which if not mitigated could rise to as much as £8bn by 2029.A Guardian analysis of internal documents and budget reports in over two-thirds of upper-tier English councils, also found:

Some councils have raised concerns over profiteering amid frustration over huge fees charged by private specialist schools, which can charge between £50,000 and £100,000 per place, typically two to three times the cost of state provision.

Tensions between headteachers and councils over attempts by the latter to shift millions of pounds from local school budgets to ease high needs deficits. Some schools have warned such moves would force them to sack Send support staff.

Attempts to rein in local Send demand and spending via "safety valve" initiatives at 42 councils have largely failed, with most failing to hit savings targets on time, despite receiving government grants running into tens of millions of pounds.

A Department for Education spokesperson said the Send system had long been failing to meet the needs of children and families. "Through our Plan for Change, we are determined to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, making sure special schools cater to children with the most complex needs and restoring parents' trust that their child will get the right support.

"We are already making progress by investing £1bn into Send, alongside £740m for councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools, paving the way for significant, long-term reform."

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Ministers plan major changes to Send education in England

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White paper being prepared as councils hope for relief from huge deficits in special schooling budgets

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Importance of Maslow's hierarchy of needs in schools

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Importance of Maslow's hierarchy of needs in schools

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As part of our week 27 workshop activities, we were asked to come up with ways in which schools can promote Maslow's hierarchy of needs through our subject (RE) and school in general. I believe these are some good ways to do this.

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For my first university assignment for my module 'Eastern Dharma' I received 62/100 which is equivalent to a 2.1. I was super happy with this as it my was first one and I did well. Looking back at grades I used to get for GCSEs/A-levels I was shocked that I had done beyond this for my uni assignment. [28th February 2025]

For my second university assignment for the first part of 'Introduction to the study of religion' I achieved 85% which is a 1st. I am beyond shocked and happy with this, particularly because I found this topic challenging. This has motivated me to do well for the next part of the module. [21st March 2025]

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31/03/25 What we've learnt so far in semester one and two 

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31/03/25 What we've learnt so far in semester one and two 

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After reflecting what we've learnt each week, I realised the professional weeks, including school visits and educational trips have been what I've remembered most and has impacted my personal growth. In particular, week 27 where we had a talk from a teacher at Everton free school and week 31 where we actually visited the school. I found learning about and seeing how Everton Free School works has really changed my view positively on free schools. It has also made me consider the type of school I'd like to work in, in the future.

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Our topic for professional week was 'how do schools support learners with additional needs?' This has been my favourite professional week so far. We had an incredible opportunity to visit Everton Free School. This school caters for a huge range of additional needs and works differently to mainstream schools. In my opinion, it has changed my view on both mainstream schools and free schools. I wasn't always a fan of free schools until I heard and visited Everton. However, Everton proved that their school cares about supporting their students regardless of their behaviour and background. It was clear that all the staff in this school truly cared about the students, allowing positive relationships to be built. Most students that attend Everton Free School have been excluded from mainstream schools due to behavioural issues. However, it's clear that with the right changes in place, which Everton offers, students feel happier in Everton than their time at mainstream schools. For example, Everton has a tailored curriculum which supports both the academic and personal development of all students. This is done by teaching students English, Maths, Science and PE GCSE, alongside subject choices made by the students three afternoons per week. This allows the important life subjects to be studied as well as something that interests the students. Visiting Everton has made me think about the type of school I'd like to potentially work in. During our visit, we also got the opportunity to explore Everton Football Club and a local church. As I throughly enjoyed my visit here, I am hoping to volunteer once a week during Year 2 of University in Everton Free School.

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During professional week (week 31), we had the opportunity to visit Princes Road Synagogue and Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, as part of our module Abrahamic Traditions. This trip gave us insight into life as a Jewish person and the importance of the synagogue. However, it was a shame to learn that this synagogue in particular is close to falling into closure due to a decline in visitors. It is a beautiful synagogue with lots of history and it would be a shame if it was to close. The cathedral we visited was unique compared to other cathedrals I have seen, with many interesting features. This trip reminded me of the importance of religious buildings and the impact it can have on everyone, religious or not.

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Our focus for week 32 was around the idea of 'Transformative pedagogy'. This essentially is a teaching approach that aims to create deep, meaningful changes in students' thinking and understanding. In simple terms, it's about teaching in a way that challenges students to question their existing beliefs, broaden their perspectives, and develop critical thinking skills. An example of this in an RE lesson, transformative pedagogy might involve exploring different beliefs and encouraging students to reflect on their own values, leading them to think more deeply about religion and its role in society.

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Also in week 32, we looked at the idea of critical pedagogy. This is an approach to education that explores the role of education in social change. Essentially, it focuses on encouraging students to question and challenge the status quo, especially around issues of power, inequality, and social justice. In an RE class, for example, critical pedagogy might involve exploring how religion intersects with social issues, like human rights or environmental justice, and encouraging students to reflect on how they can act to address these issues.

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We looked at two contrasting types of pedagogy, the banking model and problem-posing. Both are discussed in Paulo Freire's book 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed'.

Freire critics the idea of the 'banking model'. This is a teacher-centred pedagogy where students are seen as passive recipients of knowledge, and teachers are the 'depositors' who fill students' minds with information. This leads to students disengaging as they find lessons are boring due to teachers not being passionate about their subject. This also prevents positive relationships being built in the classroom.

However, Freire offers an alternative approach called 'problem-posing', which is student-centred pedagogy. This is where students are encouraged to actively participate in their learning by posing questions and solving real-world problems. This approach is more likely to build teachers and students passion, meaning lessons becoming engaging and students are learning whilst building positive relationships.

I like Freire's idea of 'problem-posing' as reminds me very much of my year eight RE lessons, as my teacher didn't just talk at us with content we need to know, but would happily talk about and question real-life and relatable issues. We often had interesting debates, which encouraged most of the class to contribute, even myself when often I was a quiet student. However, I don't think it is always easy for teachers to go beyond the curriculum, due to the short times of teaching there is to get through the content, particularly in GCSE/A-level classes, where the focus is the content needed to be taught for the examinations. I believe it is easier to do this in KS3, which is a positive as it can get students engaged from the beginning, ensuring students are considering the subject beyond KS3. I found that this was the case for me. I studied RE at GCSE because of how interesting I found my year eight lessons.

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How I've been improving my subject knowledge whilst on placement so far. 

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How I've been improving my subject knowledge whilst on placement so far. 

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Whilst on placement, I have been making the most of observing Religious Education lessons and picking up key knowledge needed for when I'm a teacher. I have done this by involving myself in class activities such as mindmaps during KS3 and KS4 revision lessons. I have also looked at what other students have done and what they find helps them to revise. I have been making the most of reading textbooks which I have found useful and engaging to help my subject knowledge.

I have also decided to start my own personal padlet which aims to help me improve my subject knowledge, particularly on areas I find weakest. I aim to do this to suit my own needs, but ensure I acknowledge my future students by ensuring I understand what they need to know. e.g., GCSE spec, a-level spec, different exam boards.

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On placement I have ensured I have familiarised myself with the schools policies and procedures, so I am aware of how the students expect to behave and the procedures in place if they go against this. I have also made myself aware of how the school rewards good behavior. One thing my school has introduced whilst I have been here is a reward trip in September to Alton Towers to combat issues with attendance. Students must remain at 97% or above this term, in order to still have a place on the trip.

Furthermore, during lesson observations I have been watching how different teachers from different subjects follow the procedures and what works well to ensure good behavior is ongoing. Lots of teachers used positive praise throughout the lesson verbally. I really like this as you can tell it boosts students in the class to contribute more. Behavior protocols were followed well, with warnings given to students and ensuring distractions around them were removed. For example, adapting the seating plan to ensure students distracting one another were moved to where they were less of a distraction.

One thing I have picked up the most is that having a trusted and positive relationship with the students is key to ensure they are behaving well. It has been noticed that certain students behave better for certain teachers than others. Teachers that do have the built relationship were able to remind students the importance of being kind and following the rules for every teacher. Whilst behavior is a challenge in my school, it is dealt with well.

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Adaptive teaching I've seen so far on placement

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Adaptive teaching I've seen so far on placement

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Adaptive teaching to me is highly important in managing and delivering high quality lessons that cater for everyone's needs. Therefore, during observations on placement I have seen how different teachers ensure they are adapting their lessons in order to suit everyone in their class. One teacher I observed had a very clear and detailed folder of every class he teaches which includes SEN plans, seating plan arrangements and other useful documents. I found this was a great way to keep note of all students needs. The same teacher also ensured he used his folder every lesson. For example, he edited a PowerPoint lesson and changed the font colour to red to suit a particular need for a student. I thought this was a good way of ensuring adaptive teaching was in place for every lesson and every student.

Also during staff briefing, all staff were made aware of updated SEN students and handed out a plan for those students to the teachers that teach them. I really liked this and how all staff were made aware.

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So far I have seen an end of year assessment which is taken place towards the end of each school year in core subjects (including RE). Students had time to prepare the week/lesson before by making a revision mindmap for them. The assessment is mainly to test knowledge students have learn that particular academic year. This is something that is new to me and that I never did at school. I quite like them as they aren't difficult, but allows teachers to see students progress from that academic year. This will help both the students and staff on how to help students for the next academic year.

Another form of assessment I have seen is called a 'see-list' test. This is where students practice exam-styled questions in exam conditions. What I like about them is they include a paragraph layout/example on it which allows students to see how their work should be laid out, it also helps students perform higher by offering the supported guidance on the sheet. They also have space for the teacher to mark them so the assessment and feedback are all on one sheet together. I noticed that they were printed on yellow paper, which I believe to be a form of adaptive teaching to suit those with learning difficulties like dyslexia. This is something I have picked up on as one of the most important ways of ensuring students needs are met.

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Importance of Adaptive Teaching staff to staff. 

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Importance of Adaptive Teaching staff to staff. 

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Adaptive teaching is a must in classrooms, but since being on placement I believe it's just as important in the staff room. I picked this up from staff briefings in the morning that staff are adapting policies and procedures in place to suit the staff as well as the students. In the school I'm in, staff have a good culture of respect and trust of one another. This is highly important because the staff have to be able to have trust and respect in order for them to reflect that on their students. Furthermore, staff feel they are able to speak up about problems and issues, as they know they will be taken seriously and changed rather than ignored.