Labour’s focus on ‘change’ during their most recent years in opposition meant many in the specialist sector were cautiously optimistic come election day. Twelve months in, that hope prevails – but it does so despite some worrying observations.
While SEND didn’t feature heavily in its manifesto, there was a sense that Labour intended to take stock of the true extent of the challenges before putting pen to paper and setting out detailed policy.
Some key commitments have certainly been acted upon since, including the removal of tax exemptions for independent schools.
However, there is a growing and justified unease as the public starts to better understand what those of us in the specialist sector have long known about education and the types of schooling on offer: education is far more nuanced than we are willing to admit – and ‘need’ takes many forms.
Independent schools are not solely populated by the wealthiest. Many are from families who have scrimped to secure a place for their child who struggles in mainstream yet lacks an EHCP. Many more are there because councils lack the capacity to offer the places required by EHCPs.
For these families and the state sector, closures as a result of this policy could be disastrous.
That said, addressing socio-economic disadvantage remains the right priority. The appointment of Sir Kevan Collins, first as a member of the DfE’s non-executive board last July and then as its lead in January, is reassuring on that front. His experience adds credibility.
But to see the changes we desperately need, we also need champions embedded throughout the system, not just at the top.
Meanwhile, Labour’s emphasis on inclusion (at least rhetorically) is an encouraging, necessary and positive step. But it’s hard not to feel disappointment when the reality on the ground suggests that far too often SEND continues to be treated as an afterthought.
It’s hard not to feel disappointment
Yes, the SEND crisis has created a financial black hole. However, opportunities have been missed to make progress towards a more inclusive system.
For example, recent government-funded programmes to improve the maths teaching and enhance early language acquisition in primary schools are brilliant. But they are not open to special schools – or at least not to mine, which have been advised they are ineligible.
What message does that send about who these reforms are really for and what ‘breaking down barriers to opportunity’ looks like in practice?
The same applies to the government’s push to expand nursery provision. It makes good sense to make use of falling primary numbers and underused classroom space. But again, special schools were excluded from capital investment.
The reason given is that they are already at full capacity and cannot absorb nursery places as well. But this overlooks the opportunity that early intervention presents, both for children and for easing long-term system pressure.
Similarly, while proposals to increase Integrated Resource Provision (IRP) or Enhanced Resource Provision (ERP) within mainstream schools are logical on paper, they must be implemented with care.
It’s sensible to utilise empty mainstream classrooms for learners with SEND, but that’s not inclusion. Too often, these spaces are physically and socially isolated, set apart at the far end of the building or in a temporary classroom across the playground.
This may improve access and integration, but it doesn’t necessarily create a sense of belonging.
These examples point to a deeper issue: the failure to fully involve specialist and alternative provision in shaping policy from the start. The creation of a truly inclusive education system must begin with collaboration.
Engage with colleagues in specialist and alternative provision. Let them share their expertise in designing environments that support sensory integration. Let them share resources on pedagogical approaches that include, stimulate and stretch all learners. And let them support with behaviour that challenges, so teachers can teach, and learners can learn.
The expertise is here. Those of us in the specialist and alternative sector are not a threat; we’re here to help and we’re part of the solution.
So, as the government enters its second year, enough has happened to mean hope still prevails. Mine is chiefly that it’s ready to listen to us. For our part, we’re ready to contribute.
Every day this week, Schools Week will publish an article from an education leader reviewing the government’s performance in education in its first year in office. Read them all here
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