Commenting on The MAT Factor - Exploring how multi-academy
trusts are supporting pupils with SEND, a new study from the
National Foundation for Educational Research looking at the
demand for SEND support in multi-academy trusts (MATs),
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National
Education Union, said:
“It's good to see this report explore the issues of collaboration
across schools and what can help or hinder good collaboration.
MPs should note that this presents yet further evidence around
how the growing complexity of pupils' needs are straining
resources and placing pressure on mainstream schools due to a
lack of special school places.
“NFER conclude that to enable MATs to perform at their highest
level, it is crucial that local authorities are adequately
resourced so that their provision is both timely and effective.
The Government has made the mistake of running down the capacity
of LAs to support families and children with SEND, and this
short-term thinking isn't working.
“The main challenges, as this report shows, are timely access to
SEND and mental health specialists, SENCOs with time to do their
job, and well-trained teaching assistants.
“Our most recent survey of members showed that one in three
teachers have no behaviour support team whatsoever, a quarter no
educational psychologist or CAMHS. Only a minority believe that
referral for SEND assessment will result in students getting the
right support in a timely fashion.
“Undiagnosed SEND is connected to exclusion and attendance rates,
meaning children's engagement with learning is jeopardised unless
we can deliver more teachers, more capacity and more personal
learning support.
“Across MATs and LA schools, there is a shared challenge because
national education policy isn't working for enough children and
young people with SEND. A more flexible curriculum is needed,
with better funding, more stable staffing and a more varied range
of pathways. All schools in a local area need to be working
together, and we think that restoring a central role for the
local authority in SEND planning, commissioning places and
admissions is the only way to tackle the huge funding
challenge.”
