红桃影视

CEOs and school leaders are turning away SEND pupils and the practice 鈥渘eeds calling out鈥�, the ASCL union head has said, as he called on leaders to adopt 鈥渆thical鈥� approaches and become 鈥渕odels for the next generation鈥�.

Speaking on the eve of , his first as general secretary, Pepe Di鈥橧asio said that, while wide-ranging SEND reform was needed, leaders had a 鈥減art to play鈥� in creating a 鈥渃ulture that is more inclusive and more open鈥�.

Schools need the money and resources to do that, and accountability structures then need to 鈥渁cknowledge, recognise and reward schools that are inclusive 鈥� and not punish them鈥�, he added.

Schools Week has documented how some schools attempt to discourage children with education, health and care plans from applying, sometimes overtly turning them away. This is because they must pay for the first 拢6,000 of support detailed in an EHCP.

‘We’ve got to be models for the next generation’

Speaking to this newspaper, Di鈥橧asio said: 鈥淭he stuff going on that some CEOs are doing, some school leaders are doing, that absolutely needs calling out. And they are our members, and I would want to do my best to help them come to a better conclusion.鈥�

He said some of the non-inclusive behaviour 鈥渉as been modelled to them by predecessors鈥�.

He added: 鈥淭here鈥檚 plenty of models out there for leadership in the world right now that I don鈥檛 think are positive models for inclusive, ethical, moral leaders.

鈥淸But] we have got to be those models for the next generation. I know that the vast majority 鈥� if not all school and college leaders 鈥� want to do that, but some of them are under immense pressure because of the way the system is set up.鈥�

Di鈥橧asio is concerned that this won鈥檛 change.

As the former head of a school with large numbers of SEND pupils, he pointed out that Ofsted鈥檚 proposed new inspection framework would require pupil attainment in national tests to be 鈥渂roadly in line with national averages鈥� in order to get a 鈥榮ecure鈥� rating for achievement.

鈥淲hat that will immediately do is put a barrier up to headteachers wanting to have students with SEND and emotional and mental health needs coming into their school.鈥�

‘Take action on SEND deficits now’

The Guardian reported this month that the government was considering drawing up a white paper to set out its proposed reforms later in the year. But Di鈥橧asio said the crisis was 鈥渟omething that that can be addressed with a realignment of investments in the first instance鈥�.

A big part of the crisis is soaring council SEND deficits. Four in 10 councils face bankruptcy over estimated deficits of 拢4.9 billion when a measure keeping them off their books runs out next April.

鈥淚f you look at the amount of money going into local authorities, that’s going in there to service a debt and pay off a debt, and we think there should just be a line drawn under that debt,鈥� Di鈥橧asio said.

鈥淭here’s an understanding about the systemic issues where money is being spent that shouldn’t be spent, be it on tribunals, be it on long drawn-out processes for EHCPs, be it on transport.  All of that money could be reinvested more directly into the provision for young people.鈥�

Some reform of SEND 鈥渨ill require legislation鈥�, but 鈥渟ome of it can be done tomorrow鈥�, he added.

Di’Iasio to press Phillipson on ‘highs and lows’ of office

ASCL鈥檚 conference will hear from education secretary Bridget Phillipson and Ofsted chief Sir Martyn Oliver today.

Di鈥橧asio said he wanted to hear from Phillipson that accountability pressures would be eased, for example through the scrapping of the EBacc performance measure.

He will interview the education secretary on stage, asking her to reflect on the 鈥渉ighs and lows鈥� of her time in office so far.

He said: 鈥淚 think I know what they are trying to achieve, but I don’t think that’s the way the messaging has always come out, particularly around the schools bill.鈥�

He also welcomed comments from Ofsted national director Lee Owston, who told the Apprenticeship and Training Conference they will 鈥渢hink again鈥� if there is sector-wide opposition to its report card plans 鈥� including another consultation if necessary.

Di鈥橧asio said that 鈥渂ehind the scenes, we’ve been working on this for six months, and I think our people would say we haven’t got very far.

鈥淲e were pushing at doors that were often bolted and secured when we were hoping that they would be willing to be opened, and they weren’t opened before Christmas.鈥�

But Owston鈥檚 comments were 鈥渋ncredibly reassuring鈥�, he said. 鈥淚 would hope that we would continue with that theme.鈥�