Radical reform and significant investment needed to fix SEND system says NAHT as MPs launch inquiry

Responding to the announcement that the Commons Education Committee is to launch an inquiry into the SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) crisis, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said:

“Many children with SEND are being failed, despite the best efforts of schools, local authorities and health professionals.

"We already know what many of the issues are, so it is positive that MPs are examining what can be done to fix this broken system.

“School work hard to provide an inclusive environment, but are hamstrung by shortages of the funding, resources and specialists needed to meet a growth in demand.

“As a result, many pupils are not getting the right support, at the right time, or in the right place, and this needs to change.

“Radical reform will be vital, as the committee appears to recognise, but rearranging the deckchairs and moving existing funding around will not cut it - without significant additional investment, any changes are unlikely to be a game-changer.”