Samantha Booth
@samanthajbooth.bsky.social
Award-winning chief reporter @schoolsweek.bsky.social • mainly investigating SEND, mental health, exams • mental health 1st aider • Sam is fine • Press Awards specialist journalist of the year 2025
Pinned
Our most amazing chief reporter @samanthajbooth.bsky.social HAS WON the specialist journalist of the year at the Press Awards
A truly phenomenal achievement. She beat off journalists reporting on war with her *amazing* journalism exposing the SEND crisis
So well deserved
A truly phenomenal achievement. She beat off journalists reporting on war with her *amazing* journalism exposing the SEND crisis
So well deserved
Finding this hard to believe really, very honoured.
Thanks so much to everyone who has trusted me over the past few years. SEND support is such a huge issue and glad it’s being recognised.
Normal reporting service resumes when I’m back at my desk later this year
Thanks so much to everyone who has trusted me over the past few years. SEND support is such a huge issue and glad it’s being recognised.
Normal reporting service resumes when I’m back at my desk later this year
Reposted by Samantha Booth
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson and DfE permanent secretary Susan Acland-Hood are appearing before the Education Committee.
Follow along for live updates as they answer questions from MPs...
Follow along for live updates as they answer questions from MPs...
December 2, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson and DfE permanent secretary Susan Acland-Hood are appearing before the Education Committee.
Follow along for live updates as they answer questions from MPs...
Follow along for live updates as they answer questions from MPs...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
Breaking: Too many children are ‘falling out of step with the expectations of school life’ through absence, making them ‘more likely to cross boundaries, challenge teachers’ and disrupt learning, the head of Ofsted has warned
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-too-m...
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-too-m...
Ofsted: Too many pupils 'out of step with school life'
Chief inspector also warns social media and smartphones are partly responsible for disruptive behaviour
schoolsweek.co.uk
December 2, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Breaking: Too many children are ‘falling out of step with the expectations of school life’ through absence, making them ‘more likely to cross boundaries, challenge teachers’ and disrupt learning, the head of Ofsted has warned
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-too-m...
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-too-m...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
'Missed opportunities' to keep pupils with SEND in school, and 8 more things we learned from Ofsted’s annual report for 2024-25
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-warns...
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-warns...
Ofsted: 'Missed opportunities' to keep SEND pupils in school
Sir Martyn Oliver expressed deepening concerns about the number of children only attending school part-time
schoolsweek.co.uk
December 2, 2025 at 10:02 AM
'Missed opportunities' to keep pupils with SEND in school, and 8 more things we learned from Ofsted’s annual report for 2024-25
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-warns...
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofsted-warns...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
So the £6bn SEND budget blackhole predicted by the OBR for 2028-29 is a 'matter for the next spending review', Phillipson has told Parliament
This is due in 2027, and as set out earlier this year, will review budgets set at the latest SR in June for 28-29 and 29-30
Still, cutting it fine...
This is due in 2027, and as set out earlier this year, will review budgets set at the latest SR in June for 28-29 and 29-30
Still, cutting it fine...
The government will set out how it intends to plug an estimated £6 billion shortfall in SEND funding at the next spending review in 2027, the education secretary has said
schoolsweek.co.uk/6bn-send-sho...
schoolsweek.co.uk/6bn-send-sho...
£6bn SEND shortfall a 'matter for 2027 spending review'
But ministers still face questions about where funding for black hole will come from
schoolsweek.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
So the £6bn SEND budget blackhole predicted by the OBR for 2028-29 is a 'matter for the next spending review', Phillipson has told Parliament
This is due in 2027, and as set out earlier this year, will review budgets set at the latest SR in June for 28-29 and 29-30
Still, cutting it fine...
This is due in 2027, and as set out earlier this year, will review budgets set at the latest SR in June for 28-29 and 29-30
Still, cutting it fine...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
The government will set out how it intends to plug an estimated £6 billion shortfall in SEND funding at the next spending review in 2027, the education secretary has said
schoolsweek.co.uk/6bn-send-sho...
schoolsweek.co.uk/6bn-send-sho...
£6bn SEND shortfall a 'matter for 2027 spending review'
But ministers still face questions about where funding for black hole will come from
schoolsweek.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 4:19 PM
The government will set out how it intends to plug an estimated £6 billion shortfall in SEND funding at the next spending review in 2027, the education secretary has said
schoolsweek.co.uk/6bn-send-sho...
schoolsweek.co.uk/6bn-send-sho...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
Revelation of a £20 billon SEND blackhole has sparked a row between the Department for Education and the spending watchdog and upped the stakes on ministers to fix the system before the government absorbs its soaring costs
schoolsweek.co.uk/budget-2025-...
schoolsweek.co.uk/budget-2025-...
£20bn SEND black hole prompts DfE row with spending watchdog
Former adviser says Treasury is 'trying to force the pace' of reforms
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Revelation of a £20 billon SEND blackhole has sparked a row between the Department for Education and the spending watchdog and upped the stakes on ministers to fix the system before the government absorbs its soaring costs
schoolsweek.co.uk/budget-2025-...
schoolsweek.co.uk/budget-2025-...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
Councils get allocated education funding via the DfE's Dedicated Schools Grant. This includes funding for SEND provision that educates and trains children and young people
Some is delegated directly to schools & academies to spend, some goes via to LAs to allocate for high-needs provision
Some is delegated directly to schools & academies to spend, some goes via to LAs to allocate for high-needs provision
November 27, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Councils get allocated education funding via the DfE's Dedicated Schools Grant. This includes funding for SEND provision that educates and trains children and young people
Some is delegated directly to schools & academies to spend, some goes via to LAs to allocate for high-needs provision
Some is delegated directly to schools & academies to spend, some goes via to LAs to allocate for high-needs provision
Reposted by Samantha Booth
Finally got to the bottom of a confusing set of budget documents and OBR forecasts
- Once override ends in 2028, govt takes on burden of rising SEND costs
- OBR estimates £6.3bn pressure in year 1
- Govt has set out no plans to meet it, nor on whether existing deficits (to hit £14bn) will be wiped
- Once override ends in 2028, govt takes on burden of rising SEND costs
- OBR estimates £6.3bn pressure in year 1
- Govt has set out no plans to meet it, nor on whether existing deficits (to hit £14bn) will be wiped
Government plans to absorb the spiraling cost of SEND provision within central budgets will leave it facing a £6 billion annual shortfall, with no savings yet identified to meet it, the spending watchdog has warned
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/government-faces-6bn-send-shortfall-once-override-ends/
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/government-faces-6bn-send-shortfall-once-override-ends/
Government faces £6bn SEND shortfall once override ends
Spending watchdog warns 'no savings have been identified' to offset pressure on government coffers
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Finally got to the bottom of a confusing set of budget documents and OBR forecasts
- Once override ends in 2028, govt takes on burden of rising SEND costs
- OBR estimates £6.3bn pressure in year 1
- Govt has set out no plans to meet it, nor on whether existing deficits (to hit £14bn) will be wiped
- Once override ends in 2028, govt takes on burden of rising SEND costs
- OBR estimates £6.3bn pressure in year 1
- Govt has set out no plans to meet it, nor on whether existing deficits (to hit £14bn) will be wiped
No mention that I heard in Reeves' speech on this v. big deal - so we are waiting for the budget docs to confirm the situation
Breaking: Leaked OBR document states government will fund full cost of SEND provision from within central government departmental spending from 2028 - not clear if this means wiping the existing council deficits
November 26, 2025 at 1:43 PM
No mention that I heard in Reeves' speech on this v. big deal - so we are waiting for the budget docs to confirm the situation
Reposted by Samantha Booth
Breaking: Leaked OBR document states government will fund full cost of SEND provision from within central government departmental spending from 2028 - not clear if this means wiping the existing council deficits
November 26, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Breaking: Leaked OBR document states government will fund full cost of SEND provision from within central government departmental spending from 2028 - not clear if this means wiping the existing council deficits
Reposted by Samantha Booth
❗A cash-strapped council facing a £183 million SEND black hole is warning ministers the deficit is 'forcing' them to make 'impossible financial decisions' with 'devastating consequences', ahead of tomorrow’s budget
schoolsweek.co.uk/council-faci...
schoolsweek.co.uk/council-faci...
Council facing £183m SEND deficit warns of 'devastating consequences'
A council facing a £183 million SEND black hole is warning ministers the deficit is “forcing” them to make “impossible financial decisions” with "devastating consequences”
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 5:35 PM
❗A cash-strapped council facing a £183 million SEND black hole is warning ministers the deficit is 'forcing' them to make 'impossible financial decisions' with 'devastating consequences', ahead of tomorrow’s budget
schoolsweek.co.uk/council-faci...
schoolsweek.co.uk/council-faci...
ICYMI: A council cited as a 'success' story of the government’s controversial £1 billion SEND spending bailout scheme for mostly clearing its deficit is facing a £4.5 million black hole
schoolsweek.co.uk/send-safety-...
schoolsweek.co.uk/send-safety-...
SEND safety valve ‘success story’ racks up £4.5m deficit
Richmond council was cited by top government official as mostly clearing its high needs SEND deficit. But it has now fallen back into the red
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 2:03 PM
ICYMI: A council cited as a 'success' story of the government’s controversial £1 billion SEND spending bailout scheme for mostly clearing its deficit is facing a £4.5 million black hole
schoolsweek.co.uk/send-safety-...
schoolsweek.co.uk/send-safety-...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
A social media post by the Department for Education lauding its achievements appears to have gone viral for the wrong reasons, as sector leaders slammed it as 'smug' and 'tone deaf'
schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-social-m...
schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-social-m...
Viral DfE social media stunt slammed as 'completely tone deaf'
A social media post by the Department for Education lauding its achievements appears has been widely lambasted by the sector and members of the public
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 19, 2025 at 3:10 PM
A social media post by the Department for Education lauding its achievements appears to have gone viral for the wrong reasons, as sector leaders slammed it as 'smug' and 'tone deaf'
schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-social-m...
schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-social-m...
This post from DfE is going down like a sack of spuds.
Many teachers replying with their experience from the frontline right now…
Many teachers replying with their experience from the frontline right now…
November 19, 2025 at 9:11 AM
This post from DfE is going down like a sack of spuds.
Many teachers replying with their experience from the frontline right now…
Many teachers replying with their experience from the frontline right now…
Interesting analysis by NFER today looking at the characteristics of 'high-SEND' schools...
❗Some schools are at 'breaking point' amid a widening gap between the schools with the most and fewest numbers of pupils with education, health and care plans, research warns
schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-at-b...
schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-at-b...
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Interesting analysis by NFER today looking at the characteristics of 'high-SEND' schools...
Edu committee chair @helenhayes.bsky.social has written to ed sec @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social asking for more info on the SEND reforms "co-creation" process. ⤵️
Announcing the delay last month, BP decided to have a "further period of co-creation" to test proposals w parents, educators, experts.
Announcing the delay last month, BP decided to have a "further period of co-creation" to test proposals w parents, educators, experts.
November 12, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Edu committee chair @helenhayes.bsky.social has written to ed sec @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social asking for more info on the SEND reforms "co-creation" process. ⤵️
Announcing the delay last month, BP decided to have a "further period of co-creation" to test proposals w parents, educators, experts.
Announcing the delay last month, BP decided to have a "further period of co-creation" to test proposals w parents, educators, experts.
Reposted by Samantha Booth
🤖 Ministers will use AI to set minimum attendance targets for every school in England
Targets will not be published, or be given to Ofsted - but failure to improve will result in a referral to RISE teams
schoolsweek.co.uk/ai-to-set-mi...
Targets will not be published, or be given to Ofsted - but failure to improve will result in a referral to RISE teams
schoolsweek.co.uk/ai-to-set-mi...
Attendance: AI-generated targets to be set for all schools
AI-generated targets will be set for all schools in England, government has announced, as it looks to crackdown on absence rates.
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 7:03 AM
🤖 Ministers will use AI to set minimum attendance targets for every school in England
Targets will not be published, or be given to Ofsted - but failure to improve will result in a referral to RISE teams
schoolsweek.co.uk/ai-to-set-mi...
Targets will not be published, or be given to Ofsted - but failure to improve will result in a referral to RISE teams
schoolsweek.co.uk/ai-to-set-mi...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
📋Ofsted's new education inspections have launched this week, and I'm keen to find out what leaders and teachers make of them.
If your school's inspected this week or next and you're up for sharing your thoughts, anonymously or otherwise, please do get in touch! Email in bio.
If your school's inspected this week or next and you're up for sharing your thoughts, anonymously or otherwise, please do get in touch! Email in bio.
November 11, 2025 at 9:49 AM
📋Ofsted's new education inspections have launched this week, and I'm keen to find out what leaders and teachers make of them.
If your school's inspected this week or next and you're up for sharing your thoughts, anonymously or otherwise, please do get in touch! Email in bio.
If your school's inspected this week or next and you're up for sharing your thoughts, anonymously or otherwise, please do get in touch! Email in bio.
Exclusive: Ofqual will not publish detailed modelling that informed a key curriculum review policy to reduce the time pupils spend taking GCSE exams by around three hours
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofqual-wont-...
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofqual-wont-...
Ofqual won't publish modelling on 10% exam time cut
Regulator told review the reduction was 'feasible with current content levels'
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Exclusive: Ofqual will not publish detailed modelling that informed a key curriculum review policy to reduce the time pupils spend taking GCSE exams by around three hours
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofqual-wont-...
schoolsweek.co.uk/ofqual-wont-...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
📢 Join us on Friday for Under the CAR Bonnet - a free Schools Week webinar on the curriculum and assessment review
We'll interview review chair Professor Becky Francis to get behind the headlines of her landmark report, followed by audience Q&A
Sign up: events.zoom.us/ev/AofhjYOxI...
We'll interview review chair Professor Becky Francis to get behind the headlines of her landmark report, followed by audience Q&A
Sign up: events.zoom.us/ev/AofhjYOxI...
November 5, 2025 at 4:58 PM
📢 Join us on Friday for Under the CAR Bonnet - a free Schools Week webinar on the curriculum and assessment review
We'll interview review chair Professor Becky Francis to get behind the headlines of her landmark report, followed by audience Q&A
Sign up: events.zoom.us/ev/AofhjYOxI...
We'll interview review chair Professor Becky Francis to get behind the headlines of her landmark report, followed by audience Q&A
Sign up: events.zoom.us/ev/AofhjYOxI...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
Breaking: The government is proposing sweeping reforms to progress 8, the main league table measure for secondary schools, in a bid to boost arts take-up – and will ditch the EBacc from this academic year
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-ignores-francis-review-and-proposes-sweeping-progress-8-reform/
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-ignores-francis-review-and-proposes-sweeping-progress-8-reform/
November 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Breaking: The government is proposing sweeping reforms to progress 8, the main league table measure for secondary schools, in a bid to boost arts take-up – and will ditch the EBacc from this academic year
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-ignores-francis-review-and-proposes-sweeping-progress-8-reform/
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-ignores-francis-review-and-proposes-sweeping-progress-8-reform/
Reposted by Samantha Booth
The government will introduce a new national curriculum from 2028, scrap the EBacc league table measure, make citizenship compulsory in primary schools and force all secondaries to offer triple science GCSE
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/new-curriculum-to-be-introduced-in-2028-as-review-published/
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/new-curriculum-to-be-introduced-in-2028-as-review-published/
November 5, 2025 at 7:10 AM
The government will introduce a new national curriculum from 2028, scrap the EBacc league table measure, make citizenship compulsory in primary schools and force all secondaries to offer triple science GCSE
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/new-curriculum-to-be-introduced-in-2028-as-review-published/
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/new-curriculum-to-be-introduced-in-2028-as-review-published/
Reposted by Samantha Booth
🚨The curriculum review is out!
First: Government commits to a new national curriculum in 2028. Will also replace year 6 writing test, new oracy framework, financial literacy in primary
Our news story on the government's response to the key review findings: (1/4)
schoolsweek.co.uk/new-curricul...
First: Government commits to a new national curriculum in 2028. Will also replace year 6 writing test, new oracy framework, financial literacy in primary
Our news story on the government's response to the key review findings: (1/4)
schoolsweek.co.uk/new-curricul...
New curriculum to be introduced in 2028 as review published
Government commits to scrap the EBacc and make citizenship compulsory in primary schools
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 6:15 AM
🚨The curriculum review is out!
First: Government commits to a new national curriculum in 2028. Will also replace year 6 writing test, new oracy framework, financial literacy in primary
Our news story on the government's response to the key review findings: (1/4)
schoolsweek.co.uk/new-curricul...
First: Government commits to a new national curriculum in 2028. Will also replace year 6 writing test, new oracy framework, financial literacy in primary
Our news story on the government's response to the key review findings: (1/4)
schoolsweek.co.uk/new-curricul...
Reposted by Samantha Booth
Professor Becky Francis has published her final curriculum and assessment review report.
She spoke to Schools Week about some of its key recommendations and the thinking behind them
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/interview-becky-francis-on-the-big-ideas-in-her-curriculum-review/
She spoke to Schools Week about some of its key recommendations and the thinking behind them
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/interview-becky-francis-on-the-big-ideas-in-her-curriculum-review/
Q&A: Becky Francis on the big ideas in her curriculum review
Chair explains thinking behind year 8 tests, scrapping EBacc and triple science guarantee
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Professor Becky Francis has published her final curriculum and assessment review report.
She spoke to Schools Week about some of its key recommendations and the thinking behind them
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/interview-becky-francis-on-the-big-ideas-in-her-curriculum-review/
She spoke to Schools Week about some of its key recommendations and the thinking behind them
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/interview-becky-francis-on-the-big-ideas-in-her-curriculum-review/