SEND News and Reforms
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General
Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in England
While some children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are receiving high-quality support, many others are not getting the help they should, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). Local authorities are coming under growing financial pressure as the demand for supporting school pupils with the greatest needs rises.
In its report published today, which can be accessed here: pdf SEND support report NAO 110919 the NAO estimates that the Department for Education (DfE) gave local authorities £9.4 billion to spend on support for pupils with SEND in 2018-19 – 24.0% of their total core grant for schools. While the DfE has increased school funding, the number of pupils identified as having the greatest needs – those in special schools and with education, health and care plans (EHC plans)1 in mainstream schools – rose by 10.0% between 2013-14 and 2017-18. Over the same period, funding per pupil dropped by 2.6% in real terms for those with high needs, and also decreased for those without EHC plans.
Local authorities are increasingly overspending their budgets for children with high needs. In 2017-18, 81.3% of councils overspent compared with 47.3% in 2013-14. This is primarily driven by a 20% increase in the number of pupils attending special schools instead of mainstream education. Local authorities have also sharply increased the amount they spend on independent special schools – by 32.4% in real terms between 2013-14 and 2017-18. In some cases, this is due to a lack of appropriate places at state special schools.
In response to overspending against these budgets, local authorities are transferring money from their budgets for mainstream schools to support pupils with high needs. They are also using up their ringfenced school reserves, which have dropped by 86.5% in the last four years. This is not a sustainable approach.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Today, the government has announced the launch of a cross-cutting review of SEND Five years on from the Children and Families Act, it is time to review how the reforms it introduced are supporting children and young people with SEND and make sure they are being implemented as well as possible.
The internal review will look across education, health and care to consider:
- · The evidence on how the system can provide the highest quality support that enables children and young people with SEND to thrive and prepare for adulthood, including employment;
- · Better helping parents to make decisions about what kind of support will be best for their child;
- · Making sure support in different local areas is consistent, and that high-quality support is available across the country;
- · How we strike the right balance of state-funded provisions across inclusive mainstream and specialist places;
- · Aligning incentives and accountability for schools, colleges and local authorities to make sure they provide the best possible support for children and young people with SEND;
- · Understanding what is causing the demand for education, health and care plans; and
- · Ensuring that public money is spent in an efficient, effective and sustainable manner, placing a premium on securing high quality outcomes for those children and young people who need additional support.
The government also announced today that Tony McArdle, Lead Commissioner in Northamptonshire County Council, will be the new chair of the SEND System Leadership Board, which brings together sector leaders across Education, Health and Social Care to drive improvements. He will act as an independent advisor to the review, alongside Education Endowment Fund Chair Sir Kevan Collins and Anne Heavey, National Director of Whole School SEN.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Details, from SchoolsWeek, of the new Ministerial team for DfE, following the government reshuffle:
- Written by: Ian Noon
The Woman and Equalities Committee has published a report on 30 July 2019 on Enforcing the Equality Act
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
July 2019 Newsletter
Welcome to the July 2019 edition of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Behaviour, Attendance, Exclusions and Alternative Provision Newsletter. In this Newsletter, we are focusing on:
Restraint guidance and consultation
Bercow: Ten Years On – 1st Anniversary Update
Further Education and Training Centres for Excellence in SEND
Teaching online safety in schools guidance
Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education Guidance
Assistive technology and EdTech
NHS Long Term Plan Implementation Framework
Development opportunities and resources
SEND Casework Award – training and accreditation for local authority SEND staff
SENCO Induction Pack
SENCO Forum
Launch of Young Epilepsy Guide
- Written by: Brian Lamb
The DfE published new SEN figures on 4th July 2019. They are available at https://assets.publishing.
- Written by: Ian Noon
DfE have launched a new Hungry Little Minds campaign around the home learning environment
Their press release can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/society-wide-mission-to-boost-early-literacy-and-communication
The new Hungry Little Minds website for parents can be found at: https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
- The launch by the PM yesterday of a new cross-Government initiative to tackle injustices faced by disabled people in the workplace, at home and in the community. Here is the press release:
- The current Call for Evidence on character and resilience (deadline 11.45 pm on 5 July):
- The publication of the final RSHE statutory guidance:
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