红桃影视

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 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 found 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 creating an existential financial risk for some local authorities, caused by that same failing system.”

Schools minister Catherine McKinnell said: 鈥淭he system we鈥檝e inherited has been failing families with SEND children for far too long 鈥� this is unacceptable and that鈥檚 why we set out our plan for change to ensure no child is left behind.聽

鈥淭hese 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)

The report warned the DfE had 鈥渘ot made clear what it means by inclusive education, a core strand of its approach, or how it will be achieved鈥�.

DfE officials grilled on SEND: 7 key findings

鈥淟ittle discernible progress鈥� has been made towards a 2014 aim to support more children through inclusive mainstream schools.

Government has not 鈥渄efined or set out what inclusive education should look like, or provided specific funding for inclusivity, despite this being at the heart of its approach鈥�, and there are 鈥渇ew incentives鈥� for schools to be inclusive.

Within six months, the DfE should set out the provision children with SEND support 鈥渟hould expect鈥�, as well as what inclusive education 鈥渕eans and looks like鈥�.

It should also set out the level of resourcing needed both to 鈥渆nsure the support for children with SEND and the maintenance of educational provision for other children in the same setting鈥�.

Finally, the DfE should set out 鈥渉ow inclusive education will be achieved through earlier identification of SEND, and improved teacher training and continuous development, and how schools will be held to account鈥�. SEND performance data should incorporate factors other than academic attainment.

2. ‘Urgently’ set out plans for council deficits

During the committee鈥檚 inquiry, DfE witnesses were not able to provide 鈥渁ny potential solution to the critical and immediate financial challenges facing many local authorities due to persistent and significant SEND-related overspends鈥�.

The impact of this is being deferred under a statutory override, which keeps SEND deficits off councils鈥� wider books and prevents them from effectively going bankrupt. The overrise is due to expire next March, with half of councils at risk.

The committee warned of a 鈥渞eal risk of unfairness in the treatment of local authorities given some have accrued SEND-related deficits and others have avoided doing so. Left unresolved the issue risks undermining the whole of local government finance鈥�.

Government must therefore 鈥渦rgently involve local authorities in conversations to develop a fair and appropriate solution for when the statutory override ends in March 2026鈥�.

These plans should be set out 鈥渘o later than March 2025鈥�.

3. ‘Differentiate’ between places in mainstream and special

In the longer term, the report warned the SEND system 鈥渞emains unviable with piecemeal interventions, such as safety valve, doing nothing to provide a financially sustainable system鈥�.

Moving on from safety valve, the DfE must provide 鈥渟pecific support and guidance so all local authorities can effectively manage their SEND-related spending sustainably in the longer-term鈥�.

Forecasting is 鈥渧ital鈥� to ensure investment allocation decisions maximise value for money. The joint work with councils should therefore include 鈥渄ifferentiating between the number of places to be provided in mainstream and specialist state settings鈥�.

The work should also ensure that 鈥渁ny spending on independent schools and transport costs reflects value for money鈥�.

4. Improve data and provide ‘fully costed plan’

The department鈥檚 ability to reform the system is also hindered by a 鈥渓ack of data, targets and a clear, costed plan鈥�.

Government has a 鈥渓ong way to go to build data across a range of areas, such as on SEND mainstream schools places, home to school transport and whole system costs鈥�.

It continues to test dashboards across 32 local authorities, 鈥渂ut it is unclear how these data will be used and when鈥�.

The DfE should 鈥渦rgently improve its data鈥�, then use it to develop a new fully-costed plan for improving SEND with 鈥渃oncrete actions, and clear interdependencies, alongside metrics to measure outcomes鈥�.

5. Understand reasons for increasing demand…

The committee warned that 鈥渨ithout fully understanding why demand for support has increased, the Department鈥檚 ability to provide value for money is undermined鈥�.

For example, the department has 鈥渘ot 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鈥�.

Within six months, the DfE must work with the health department to 鈥渂etter understand the reasons for increasing and changed demand for SEND support鈥�.

It must then set out how it will provide support 鈥渕ore efficiently, such as through group support, identifying needs earlier and ensuring special schools reflect value for money鈥�.

6. …and disparities between areas and schools

The report found the SEND system was 鈥渋nconsistent, inequitable and not delivering in line with expectations, which inevitably undermines parents鈥� confidence in it鈥�.

Over the next 12 months, the DfE should work with councils, the Ministry of Justice and others to 鈥渂etter understand the reasons for differences in identifying and supporting SEND needs across local areas and schools鈥�.

They should also 鈥渞outinely identify and share good practice from better performing area, and 鈥渋mprove local authority decision-making by analysing tribunal decisions鈥�.

7. Reveal plan to reduce waiting lists

Accessing health expertise 鈥減resents a significant barrier to identifying and supporting SEND needs鈥�, the report went on to warn.

Despite 鈥渋ncreasing need鈥�, the Department of Health and Social Care lacks data to 鈥渦nderstand current long waiting times for health support鈥�, with children waiting years to access support.

Within six months, the DHSC should set out how integrated care boards will consider SEND 鈥渁longside wider priorities鈥�, and how its longer-term workforce plans will address 鈥渃urrent and forecast SEND skill shortfalls鈥�.

It must also set out its 鈥減rocesses, plans and targets for reducing related waiting lists鈥�.