The government will publish 鈥渂est practice鈥� guidance to help mainstream schools set up and run SEN and pupil support units as part of their inclusion push. The Department for Education has chosen the National Children鈥檚 Bureau (NCB) as the lead partner for the work, with interim guidance for schools due to be published in December. The final guidance is scheduled for February. It will form part of Labour鈥檚 SEND strategy to educate more pupils with additional needs in the mainstream, rather than costly special school placements. A government said the NCB would 鈥渨ork in collaboration with the DfE to engage lead practitioners and stakeholders, coordinating working groups and produce interim and final guidance鈥�. ‘High quality’ guidance It said the review would develop 鈥渉igh-quality鈥� guidance for local authorities and schools to establish SEN units and resourced provision. The NCB will receive 拢119,000. SEN units, resourced provision and pupil support units all involve provision for pupils with additional needs in mainstream schools. SEN units offer specialist lessons, while resourced provision acts as a support base for SEN pupils, who are mainly integrated into mainstream classes. Meanwhile, pupil support units are planned interventions occurring in small groups for behavioural reasons or, in some cases, as a final preventative measure to support children at risk of exclusion. Units on the rise According to , there were 449 schools with SEN units and 1,217 with resourced provision in January 2025. These numbers have been on the rise, with 392 schools having units in 2024, and 1,168 having resourced provision in 2023. DfE survey data from January shows about 50 per cent of secondary schools have, or are planning on opening, a pupil support unit. Labour pledged in its manifesto it would take a 鈥渃ommunity-wide approach鈥� to SEND, improving 鈥渋nclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring that special schools cater to those with the most complex needs鈥�. The government is also testing a 鈥榣ocal inclusion support offer鈥� in councils across its 鈥渞eformulated鈥� SEND Change Programme, which seeks to 鈥渂etter identify needs early on in mainstream settings鈥�.
Anton 6 October 2025 It is about time that people started to fight back against all this nonSENce, before EVERYONE is tarred by the same brush. The world existed before it’s invention. So stop it before it`s too late. The country could become bankrupt if something is not done to stop this ever-increasing `disease` from taking over like an unstoppable pandemic. CONTROL this nonSENce, before IT CONTROLS EVERYONE!
Patrick Hanlon 7 October 2025 Ignorance doesn’t give you the right to be stupid. Here is a small bit to help your ignorance: