Shadow minister: ‘We should hang our heads in shame’ over SEND

The Conservatives “didn’t do enough” to fix the SEND crisis and “should hang our heads in shame”, according to one of the party’s shadow education ministers. 

Gagan Mohindra told the party’s annual conference that Hertfordshire council, in his constituency, “has invested more money into SEND provision but actually, it’s awful”.

He told a NASUWT union fringe event: “I hold my hand up as a Conservative member of parliament saying: my government didn’t do enough on this. 

“Yes we were fighting both the pandemic and the cost of living crisis and the rest of it, but actually the inability for politicians to step in when those most in need needed our support, I think is something we should hang our heads in shame and apologise for, and I’ll happily do that on stage today.”

Hertfordshire has “widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns” about children with SEND, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission found when when they gave it the lowest rating in a joint area SEND inspection last year. 

‘Fix is not overnight’

Mohindra, appointed in July, said the “fix is not overnight” in Hertfordshire and will involve building new schools, but added: “I do think it will take parents and local communities being vocal, and as a Conservative that’s quite an unusual place to be, to say to elected members at all levels that actually this needs to be a priority”

Patrick Roach, NASUWT’s general secretary, said he could be “very critical” of the previous government’s SEND work but “even the current government hasn’t got the answer”. 

“This is really, really difficult stuff… and challenging stuff to get right and work out what is going to be most effective.”

The union has written to chancellor Rachel Reeves to “make the argument about SEND amongst other things”. 

Mohindra added he wanted to see “evolution of education that says actually how do we educate” youngsters to have “the confidence and the soft skills to be successful”.

He acknowledged the new government was looking at curriculum and Ofsted ratings, “but in my mind that’s playing around the edges”. 

He also told the event he was the “interim” shadow minister in education. A Conservative leadership contest is ongoing, meaning shadow ministerial positions may change.