Commenting on the publication of the Government’s plan for young
people in England with special educational needs and disabilities
(SEND) or in alternative provision (AP), Rosamund McNeil,
Assistant General Secretary of the National Education
Union, said:
“Whilst we welcome ambitions to transform the landscape of SEND,
we remain unconvinced that the measures proposed will improve the
standard of provision that is currently on offer. Throughout the
consultation process, teacher unions, parents and expert
associations raised concerns about the 'National Standards' which
will replace the SEND Code of Practice, yet the Department for
Education have pressed ahead with this ill-advised change.
“There is no evidence that National Standards for SEND will
improve access to the specialist support services that schools
tell us is the most challenging aspect of keeping students in
mainstream provision. The proposals place the emphasis on
already stretched schools doing more through the current
available provision. Without funding and a more timely
expansion of professional support, such as speech and language
therapy and Camhs, schools will buckle and more SEND young people
are likely to fall between the cracks of the system.
“Since 2015 the number of children and young people with an
Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) has increased by 97%. The
Department for Education has only increased funding by 65% and
that is before seven years of inflation is taken into account.
There is now a £3.3 billion gap between funding the DfE provides
through the High Needs Block and the cost of restoring the value
of an EHCP to its real terms value in 2015-16.
“We welcome additional special school places for those students
who need them but remain concerned that with limited numbers of
new areas accessing funding to build 33 new special schools,
there continues to be a postcode lottery of provision which will
not meet the current, let alone future, needs of SEND young
people.”
