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), Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union, told News OnTheWight,
“Almost all working in SEND are disappointed with this long-awaited review. The main concern being: how will new National Standards improve access to specialist support services?
“Will keeping students in already overstretched mainstream schools without better funding and without rapidly increasing wide-ranging specialist support (e.g. in speech and language and mental health) improve things?”
Shreeve: Good news but will not meet the Island’s needs
He went on to add,
“Since 2015 nationally the numbers with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) have increased by 97 per cent. DfE funding has increased by 65 per cent, before taking account of seven years of inflation. There is a national £3.3 billion gap between DfE funding provided through the High Needs Block and the cost of restoring the value of an EHCP to its real terms 2015-6 value.
“Last week’s funding announcement to create a SEND free school for 75 Island pupils, is good news for those needing specialist help.
“However, a local single school or the total planned 33 new special schools nationally will not meet the current, let alone future needs of SEND young people.”
More than one in 18 Island pupils have an EHCP
Mr Shreeve finished by saying,
“A January Council report noted ‘a significant gap remains for 2023/24 with an underlying budget shortfall in the region of £2.08million as the funding formula does not fully account for the Isle of Wight’s higher demand and incidence of special educational needs’.
“Hardly surprising that rising costs are failing to keep up with rising student needs and numbers. More than one in 18 school students have an EHCP locally.
‘The intention to upskill teachers to support SEND education is commendable. An additional single specialist Island school: great! But training specialist teachers takes time.
“In case the Government hasn’t noticed – teacher recruitment and retention are in crisis and Government is unable or unwilling to act to reverse these trends.”
Image: taylor flowe under CC BY 2.0
