It’s finally the end of January 2026! Here’s your news round up for the month.
It’s the beginning of 2026 and what a year it’s been so far, we’ve had flooding and power cuts and snow! I hope you’re all surviving okay, here’s the round up of everything that we have reported on this January and there’s been a fair few things. It’s been a high-stakes month for UK education. The government officially launched the National Year of Reading and confirmed that the long-awaited Schools White Paper on SEND reform will be published later this year, following a “national conversation” with families.
Significant legislative progress was made with the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, including a major amendment granting Ofsted new powers to inspect Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) for the first time. Meanwhile, the Department for Education (DfE) issued “tougher” guidance to make schools phone-free environments by default and introduced AI-powered safety standards for classroom tech. The month also saw the appointment of expert “curriculum drafters” to begin a total overhaul of GCSEs and A-levels, alongside a new £20 million strategy to tackle misogyny in schools.
Here’s the key highlights:
| Area | Major Update |
| Policy | Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill amended to allow Ofsted inspections of Academy Trusts. |
| Technology | New AI Product Safety Standards launched; secondary results app confirmed for Summer 2026. |
| Inclusion | £3 billion investment announced for SEND specialist places in mainstream schools. |
| Behavior | National guidance issued on “Internal Suspensions” to keep pupils learning while being disciplined. |
| Curriculum | “Curriculum Drafters” appointed to modernize GCSE and A-level subjects. |
New episode available: AMHIE on AIR episode 3: Children’s Mental Health Week 2026 featuring:
- Dr Nic Hooper – an expert in clinical psychology and a Lecturer at Cardiff University.
- Polly Harrow – DfE FE Student Support Champion Associate Kirklees College
- Amanda Collyer – student support and wellbeing lead at The Howard of Effingham School.
Coming up in February:
- Assistant Mental Health Lead training: Live online course delivered over Teams 24th February – book here
- Mental Health Conference North: Delivered in Newcastle 2nd March – book here
- AMHIE Conferences: We now have 4 dates for regional conferences starting with North in March 2026, visit https://community.amhie.com/amhie-conferences/ to book your place.
- AMHIE Membership: Our membership offer covers everything your team need to promote DfE and Ofsted compliance for mental health visit for more info: https://amhie.com/our-offer/membership/
- AMHIE Training: Members get a 30% discount on all training bookings using their exclusive code, join us to get your code. https://community.amhie.com/training/
Alerts and Releases January 2026
- In a press release the DfE announced there will be inspections for academy trusts, shifting accountability from individuals schools.
- There is going to be a £200 million investment in SEND training for teachers, but we don’t know what it’s going to look like yet!
- AI tutoring tools are going to be rolled out as part of an effort to create personalised learning structures for disadvantaged pupils.
Our Blog January 2026
- Hear from guest blogger Nic Hooper, expert in clinical psychology regarding psychological flexibility and it’s importance in young people.
- A new DfE report highlights the reality of screen time among pre school children and the challenges and impact that arise from over-use.
- For International Day of Education 2026, we released some insight into co-creation and a small resource pack.
- AMHIE Chair Richard Daniel Curtis put pen to paper and covered 5 things to consider when making reasonable adjustments to mobile phone bans.
Research released January 2026
New data suggests that ‘adolescents who are already struggling emotionally are more likely to increase their screen use.‘
As we close out a busy January, it is clear that 2026 is already becoming a landmark year for the mental health landscape in UK schools. From our successful lobbying for statutory mental health provisions within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to the launch of our new Level 4 Leadership qualifications, our collective voice is finally being heard at the highest levels of policy. We are moving away from reactive “firefighting” and toward a truly proactive Whole School Approach that prioritises both student belonging and staff clinical supervision.
As we look ahead to Children’s Mental Health Week in February, let’s carry this momentum forward—ensuring that every child feels they belong and every educator feels supported. Thank you for your tireless dedication to making mental health the heartbeat of our education system.
If you would like to access AMHIE’s resources, training and memberships you can visit the ‘our offer’ section here. To help you prepare for the upcoming month, here is a snapshot of the Whole School Approach framework we are championing:
- Targeted Support: Utilising the new Bill amendments to secure faster therapeutic interventions.
- Strategic Leadership: Ensuring MH Leads have the time and authority to implement change.
- Staff Wellbeing: Implementing clinical supervision to reduce burnout and secondary trauma.
- Student Voice: Empowering pupils to lead on peer-support initiatives.