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Ruth Lucas

@ruthlucas.bsky.social
304 followers 218 following 28 posts

Reporter at Schools Week, covering behaviour, attendance, children's rights and some SEND. Former Local Democracy Reporter

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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
At least one in five councils has ruled out taking part in a landmark government trial to transfer more cash directly to schools to support pupils with SEND schoolsweek.co.uk/councils-shu...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Councils shun trial to move SEND funding into mainstream
Many say it would be 'a risk' to 'experiment' with their special needs’ finances for the DfE pilot
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Investigation: We spent weeks analysing draft plans sent to the Department for Education outlining how local areas will implement SEND reforms in return for a 90% write off of debts. Here's what we found... schoolsweek.co.uk/expert-staff...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Expert staff shortages a key threat to SEND reform plans
Draft council reports reveal risks, challenges and contrasting responses to DfE inclusion directives
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Policy experts and union leaders will be quizzed by MPs today on the government’s proposals in the schools white paper - follow our live blog for all the updates ⬇️ schoolsweek.co.uk/live-blog-ed...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Live blog: MPs quiz experts on schools white paper
The education committee launches new inquiry into 'every child achieving and thriving' white paper
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Andy Jolley @andyjolley.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Good piece in @schoolsweek.bsky.social As predicted, DfE had teething problems when the system went live in June They haven’t publcised the changes anywhere near enough, meaning many pupils aren’t being checked by LAs This has all the makings of a disaster schoolsweek.co.uk/deadline-ext...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Deadline extended for free school meals eligibility checks
Keep providing free meals until the checks are complete, says DfE
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Good arguments on both sides here... While councils argue inspections won't see an accurate picture of services that will soon cease to exist, Ofsted says its important for families to have councils held accountable
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell has been appointed as education secretary in a reshuffle by new prime minister Andy Burnham schoolsweek.co.uk/lucy-powell-...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Lucy Powell appointed as education secretary
Labour's deputy leader replaces Bridget Phillipson at the Department for Education
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
I spent three days on the Isle of Wight looking into the school system there. It's been hit hard by falling rolls, and has some of the worst pupil outcomes, highest rates of SEND, and number of home educated pupils in the country.
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
The rate at which pupils are suspended and excluded from school has fallen year-on-year for the first time since the Covid pandemic - but there has been a rise in sanctions for racist abuse and sexual misconduct schoolsweek.co.uk/suspensions-...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Suspension and exclusion rates are falling in England
But statistics show an alarming rise in suspensions due to racist abuse and sexual misconduct
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Really interesting points raised about the new school food standards here. My dad was a school governor and the idea of a volunteer who most likely already has a full-time job being in charge of their implementation has raised concerns across the board
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Yesterday's workforce statistics were celebrated by the DfE, as it claimed to have hit 70% of its 6,500 new teachers pledge. But digging further into the figures, we found it included those who started in September 2024, who would have been recruited months before Labour came into power...
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
In January, Ofsted announced it would launch an ungraded inspection on a Bristol school after it postponed a visit of a Jewish MP due to a planned protest outside the school gates. Here, we've uncovered the internal communications of the decision to inspect the school that made headlines ⬇️
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
'The evidence does not support a single explanation. It supports something harder to accept: that the institutions we built to support young people into adulthood are no longer fit for that purpose, and that the country has known this for some time' schoolsweek.co.uk/education-is...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Education failing to prepare children for adulthood - review
Damning diagnostic report warns schools must be held to account for pupil destinations
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
A statistic in the recent EPI report on the postcode lottery of absence fines stuck out to me recently: there were 15 councils that did not prosecute *any* cases of non-payment of fines. Upon further digging, we found that nearly three quarters of these councils are in London and the South East...
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
A theme that came up in a lot of the sector's SEND consultation responses were concerns that the onus is being largely placed on schools, alongside other major policy changes being introduced in the next few years. We've rounded up all the main points made by the sector here ⬇️
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Really interesting findings here as sampled schools don't tend to be using internal exclusions *instead* of suspensions. This comes in the context of government pushing schools to keep more suspended pupils on site to reduce lost learning
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Councils have been quietly transferring cash out of school budgets for years to plug SEND deficits But with news that 90% of debts are to be written off, leaders are demanding government scrap the transfers
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is set to be grilled by MPs in Parliament this afternoon. Follow our live blog for updates... schoolsweek.co.uk/education-questio…
schoolsweek.co.uk
Education questions in Parliament: Live blog
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson and her ministers will take questions from MPs in the Commons
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Exclusive: Two councils are gearing up for a court showdown over claims that one owes the other more than £4 million in unpaid fees for a financially troubled special school schoolsweek.co.uk/councils-head-to-…
schoolsweek.co.uk
Councils head to court over £4.5m in special school fees
Wandsworth council has launched legal action against Kent over a school it ran in the county
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Freddie Whittaker @fcdwhittaker.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
The government has a bad habit of sending press releases about policy announcements close to the end of the working day, embargoed for the following day. It means journalists don’t have the full facts on which to base stories, nor the time to ask important questions
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Exclusive: New national inclusion base peer networks are being launched to help schools share expertise in setting up provision for pupils with SEND schoolsweek.co.uk/peer-networks-pro…
schoolsweek.co.uk
Peer networks provide support for new inclusion bases
Two London-based schools are leading networks specialising in autism provision
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
The DfE quietly gave councils the option in December to either go ahead with special school projects or accept alternative funding in its place, after putting projects on hold for months. We've been tracking the decisions made by councils - and now over half of projects look set to be built
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and junior ministers will take questions in the House of Commons at 2:30pm today. Follow our live blog for updates schoolsweek.co.uk/live-blog-phillip…
schoolsweek.co.uk
Live blog: Ministers take education questions in Parliament
Bridget Phillipson and her team will field questions from MPs in the House of Commons
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Pupils with only the “most complex needs” will require an education, health and care plan by 2035, the government has said as it outlines its large-scale reforms to the SEND system schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-white-pap…
schoolsweek.co.uk
Schools white paper: What is happening to EHCPs?
DfE expects to move 1 in 8 pupils from EHCPs to new individual support plans by 2035
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
💭 As the sector awaits the long-delayed SEND reforms, many schools have started to work together to create more inclusive environments. We spoke to three schools leading the way... schoolsweek.co.uk/sharing-not-siloe…
schoolsweek.co.uk
The special schools bringing inclusion into the mainstream
Ministers want 'a system that works together'. Schools Week meets three schools leading the way
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Another big government announcement for schools, and more questions over how it will be funded and resourced We looked into how many 'inclusion bases' already exist within schools today...
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Exclusive: Fewer than one in 30 teachers and leaders say their school uses suspensions excessively, despite fresh government pressure on leaders to keep more pupils in school schoolsweek.co.uk/we-dont-use-...
schoolsweek.co.uk
We don't use suspensions too much, say most school staff
Polling shows staff are at odds with government as it looks to keep more suspended pupils in school
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
An important development from last week's announcement of the upcoming suspensions guidance. The DfE has told Schools Week it will consult on the best ways to record internal exclusions as it encourages more suspensions to stay in-school.
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Exclusive: The government appears to lack a clear picture of which schools are defying its expectation that they should operate a 32.5-hour week, after dozens of schools suggested data on their school week was 'inaccurate' schoolsweek.co.uk/dodgy-dfe-da...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Schools suggest DfE data on 32.5 hour week is 'inaccurate'
The government appears to lack a clear picture of which schools are defying its expectation that they should operate a 32.5-hour week.
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Good to see the DfE admit the use of internal suspensions are "informal and inconsistently applied" Our investigation on the practice revealed secondary schools that use internal suspensions were isolating around a fifth of their pupils schoolsweek.co.uk/only-suspend...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Only suspend pupils for most serious behaviour, says DfE
New suspensions guidance coming with white paper, but headteachers to retain autonomy
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Ofsted has found 'no evidence' to substantiate concerns about political impartiality at a school that postponed the visit of an MP due to planned pro-Palestine protests schoolsweek.co.uk/no-evidence-...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Ofsted: No political bias at school that postponed MP visit
Inspectors praise 'diverse and inclusive' Bristol school after emergency monitoring inspection
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
The government has toughened up its stance on mobile phones in schools in the past week, announcing new Ofsted inspection powers and updated guidance all while facing pressure to ban social media for under-16s. Here's everything you need to know about the changes ⬇️ schoolsweek.co.uk/new-mobile-p...
schoolsweek.co.uk
New mobile phone guidance: What does it mean for schools?
Schools Week breaks down everything you need to know about the changes
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Exclusive: Ministers have promised extra SEND cash for councils as part of the White Paper after it temporarily froze uplifts for high needs blocks Councils have warned the freezing will plunge their deficits further into the red schoolsweek.co.uk/extra-send-c...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Extra SEND cash coming says DfE as councils' woes deepen
Minister says white paper will bring 'additional’ funding as town halls warn freeze will worsen deficits
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
Schools facing 'significant' attendance and behaviour issues will receive 10 days of leadership support over three terms from their allocated lead school This will involve surveying staff and pupils and carrying out a full-day exercise into challenges faced
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
Former education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson texted the PM he had been 'f****d over' by decisions made without consulting him during the pandemic, the Covid inquiry has heard today
schoolsweek.co.uk
Williamson texted PM he was 'f****d over' by Covid decisions
Covid inquiry sees expletive-riddled text sent by Gavin Williamson to Boris Johnson over school closures
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Ruth Lucas @ruthlucas.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
I'm at the Tes SEND Show where we'll shortly be hearing from Tom Rees and Dame Christine Lenehan on the DfE's SEND strategy, as well as panellists Emma Balchin, Colin Foley, Amanda Allard and Dr Asha Patel on wider SEND reform hopes.
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
A trust CEO has told the Covid inquiry the former education secretary said it was 'too late to do anything' after he raised grave concerns over plans to award grades during the first year of Covid based on an algorithm schoolsweek.co.uk/its-too-late...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Covid Inquiry: 'Too late' to act on exam concerns - minister
Jon Coles, CEO of United Learning Trust, told the Covid Inquiry he was told by Gavin Williamson it was 'too late to do anything' on how grades would be awarded.
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
Ofsted should fail schools on safeguarding if pupils are caught using smartphones in lessons, says shadow education secretary Laura Trott schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-shoul...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Ofsted should fail schools on phone use, says Trott
Shadow education secretary says phone use should be treated as a safeguarding issue by watchdog
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
🌱 As climate expectations from the government increase on schools, what lessons can be learned from a trust that has prioritised sustainability for seven years? @ruthlucas.bsky.social visits Northern Star Academies Trust in Bradford to find out...
schoolsweek.co.uk
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Reposted by Ruth Lucas
John Dickens @johndickenssw.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Free school breakfasts, brought to you by Kellogg’s and Greggs … Government seeks food provider sponsors to support its flagship scheme, and offers ‘promotional rights’ in return Scoop from @ruthlucas.bsky.social schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-seeks-bu...
schoolsweek.co.uk
DfE seeks food sponsor for flagship breakfast club scheme
But unions warn businesses 'should not be relied upon to make the government's programme work'
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