Jan 15, 2025, Schools Week: Tell us what you mean by ‘inclusive education’, MPs tell DfE
Public accounts committee demands a 'clear, costed plan' to solve the SEND crisis, as chair warns governments have failed 'countless' children 'for years'
The government must define what it means by “inclusive education” and how it will be achieved, MPs have said in a report on the system for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The public accounts committee warned that despite having a target to make mainstream schools more inclusive since 2014, governments have made “little discernible progress”.
Labour has since taking power last July re-emphasised the need to educate more pupils in mainstream schools. But MPs have demanded a “clear, costed plan” after warning councils face bankruptcy and an “unviable” system.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Conservative MP who chairs the committee, descibed an “emergency that has been allowed to run and run”.
“It is long past time the government took action matching the gravity of this situation. And yet our inquiry foud no sense of urgency amongst officials to do so.”
He said the “immensity of this situation cannot be overstated”.
“As a nation, we are failing countless children. We have been doing so for years. At the same time, we are reating an existential financial risk for some local authorities, caused by that same failing system.”
Schools minister Catherine McKinnell said: “The system we’ve inherited has been failing families with SEND children for far too long – this is unacceptable and that’s why we set out our plan for change to ensure no child is left behind.
“These problems are deep-rooted and will take time to fix but we remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver the change that exhausted families are crying out for by ensuring better earlier intervention and inclusion.”
Here are the full recommendations.
1. Define ‘inclusive education’ (and say how you’ll achieve it) . . .
2. ‘Urgently’ set out plans for council deficits
During the committee’s inquiry, DfE witnesses were not able to provide “any potential solution to the critical and immediate financial challenges facing many local authorities due to persistent and significant SEND-related overspends”. . . .
Government must therefore “urgently involve local authorities in conversations to develop a fair and appropriate solution for when the statutory override ends in March 2026”.
These plans should be set out “no later than March 2025”.
3. ‘Differentiate’ between places in mainstream and special
In the longer term, the report warned the SEND system “remains unviable with piecemeal interventions, such as safety valve, doing nothing to provide a financially sustainable system”. . .
4. Improve data and provide ‘fully costed plan’
The department’s ability to reform the system is also hindered by a “lack of data, targets and a clear, costed plan”. . . .
5. Understand reasons for increasing demand…
The committee warned that “without fully understanding why demand for support has increased, the Department’s ability to provide value for money is undermined”.
For example, the department has “not yet explained how it will evaluate the cost-effectiveness of special schools but has started to compare outcomes for children with similar needs in state special and mainstream schools”.
Within six months, the DfE must work with the health department to “better understand the reasons for increasing and changed demand for SEND support”.
It must then set out how it will provide support “more efficiently, such as through group support, identifying needs earlier and ensuring special schools reflect value for money”.
6. …and disparities between areas and schools
The report found the SEND system was “inconsistent, inequitable and not delivering in line with expectations, which inevitably undermines parents’ confidence in it”. . . .
7. Reveal plan to reduce waiting lists
Accessing health expertise “presents a significant barrier to identifying and supporting SEND needs”, the report went on to warn.
Despite “increasing need”, the Department of Health and Social Care lacks data to “understand current long waiting times for health support”, with children waiting years to access support. . .
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