Teachers need better training in special educational needs, and MPs have emphasized the necessity of introducing national standards to rectify a system described as being on the brink of failure. The education committee in the Commons has urged for a significant shift in culture to integrate special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision into mainstream schools rather than treating it as an add-on.
The committee has proposed the establishment of national standards to ensure that all SEND support adheres to a consistent baseline, aiming to enhance inclusivity in educational settings. In a critical assessment, the committee deemed the current support inadequate and highlighted the unsustainable increase in demand for education health and care plans (EHCPs), which provide tailored support. The report stressed the urgency and essential nature of implementing changes in the system.
Members of Parliament have urged the Department for Education (DfE) to outline statutory requirements defining the minimum resources, expertise, and equipment that schools must offer for SEND, irrespective of formal diagnoses of children. Additionally, they criticized the existing SEND funding of up to £6,000 per pupil in mainstream schools as insufficient and outdated, suggesting an annual increase aligned with inflation.
The committee recommended exploring the feasibility of mandating all teachers to undergo a placement in a specialist setting during Initial Teacher Training or the Early Career Framework. It also proposed that professional development in SEND should be compulsory for all teachers in mainstream schools, with new headteachers required to obtain a SEND-specific qualification within four years.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is preparing to revamp the troubled SEND system through a forthcoming white paper this autumn. Concerns have surfaced regarding potential Government plans to eliminate EHCPs in the upcoming SEND reforms.
The education committee emphasized that rather than removing EHCPs from the system, evidence indicates that enhancing inclusivity in mainstream schools can reduce the demand for such plans. In a recent interview with The Mirror, Ms. Phillipson expressed her desire for all mainstream educators to receive training in special educational needs and disabilities.
Helen Hayes, a Labour MP and chair of the education committee, stressed the need for a comprehensive transformation to ensure that every child with SEND can attend a local school that caters to their needs. Various stakeholders, including school leaders’ unions, echoed the importance of comprehensive training in SEND support for all staff and the necessity of adequate funding for a reformed system to be effective.
Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, welcomed the committee’s recommendation of national standards and enhanced accountability systems to enforce inclusive practices in schools. However, he highlighted the challenges faced by school leaders due to funding shortages, lack of resources, and insufficient specialist staff.
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