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Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ's position statement on Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

school-environment pupil and their guardian holding hands walking towards a school

¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ’s view is that the current system is fundamentally broken and requiresÌýradical change.ÌýMore information can be found inÌýourÌýpublished SEND paper.ÌýÌý

Governing boards have statutory responsibilities for pupils with SEND and can lead the way in setting a school or trust culture which emphasises inclusion.ÌýHowever, many boardsÌýare currently forced to balance statutory duties and a vision for inclusion againstÌýa backdrop ofÌýincreased demand for support, cost pressures and reduced capacity within local authorities and external services alike. This means that for many schools and trusts, the necessary improvements to provision and outcomes are beyond the capacity of boards and their staff.ÌýÌý

To resolve this crisis, ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ advocates for reform built on four essential pillars:Ìý

  • Restructuring funding:Ìýwe must shift from reactive, EHCP-driven allocations toÌýproactive mainstream investment. This requires protecting the real-terms value of Notional SEN budgets and increasing the decade old £6,000 threshold for top-up funding to reflect inflation adjusted costs.Ìý
  • Building professional capacity:ÌýaÌýnational workforce strategyÌýisÌýrequiredÌýto embed SEND training at all levels – fromÌýinitialÌýteacher training to ongoing CPD. Collaboration through MATs and partnerships should beÌýleveragedÌýto share specialistÌýexpertiseÌýand multi-agency support.Ìý
  • Transforming parent relationships:Ìýpartnership must replace the current "parents versus schools" dynamic. We recommend co-designed set ofÌýnational standardsÌýtoÌýestablishÌýuniversal expectations and relationship-building training for staff to prevent the escalation of complaints.Ìý
  • Refocusing EHCPs:ÌýTo break the cycle of dependency, the system should implementÌýcohort-based interventionsÌýfor shared needs across a group of pupils with similar presenting needs. EHCPs should be reserved for pupils requiring complex multi-agency coordination, with simplified processes to ensureÌýequitable access for all families.
Find out more about SEND