A new House of Commons Education Committee report has called for fundamental reform of SEND support in mainstream schools.
The committee of 11 MPs launched its inquiry, Solving the SEND crisis, last year. Their findings make clear that the current system requires drastic solutions which will not come cheaply.
Support staff need
Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union, highlighted a section from the simplified Easy to Read summary of the report, titled Give staff what they need.
He explained that staff must be able to help those with SEND in the right way. They also need education and health professionals in local authorities to provide support.
Mr Shreeve added that more educational psychologists and health professionals, such as speech and language therapists, are required. He emphasised that there should be enough staff with the right training, resources and support, with all teachers trained to teach and support SEND children. He said this needs the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care working together.
Looking ahead to the White Paper
The forthcoming autumn Education White Paper, Mr Shreeve said, must build on this inquiry if true supportive school inclusion is to be created.
However, he warned that aspiration alone is not enough. He pointed to the conclusion of the 202-page report which states,
“Government does not appear to have a realistic understanding of the scale of investment required to deliver a genuinely inclusive education system.”
Investment and inclusion
Mr Shreeve said government must “get real”.
While recognition that schools need additional resources is welcome, he said curriculum and assessment reform with inclusion at its core is also essential.
He added a reminder not to forget about tackling poverty.
