SEND reforms<\/a> \u2013 alongside changes to curriculum, enrichment and suspensions guidance \u2013 will be overwhelming for schools.<\/p>\nThe NAHT and CST both said implementing everything at once represented a \u201ccumulative burden\u201d, while ASCL said it had \u201cserious concerns about the scale of expectations being placed on schools\u201d.<\/p>\n
CST described this as \u201csystem-level smothering\u201d, while the NEU said reform was \u201cunsustainable before it has got off the ground\u201d without protected and funded time, and argued the proposals were dependent on staff who \u201cdidn\u2019t exist yet\u201d.<\/p>\n
Clearer alignment is needed across education, health and social care, otherwise there is a \u201crisk that expectations continue to fall disproportionately on schools and trusts\u201d, the union added.<\/p>\n
The NASUWT said it did not believe the timeline for reform is realistic, and suggested reforms should be piloted and independently evaluated before wider implementation.<\/p>\n
2. Funding \u2018gaps\u2019 will remain<\/h2>\n Funding for the reforms include \u00a33.5 billion in extra high needs funding by 2028-29, a \u00a31.6 billion inclusive mainstream fund, \u00a31.8 billion \u201cexperts at hand\u201d service and \u00a3200m in teacher training.<\/p>\n
ASCL and the NEU said it was not clear whether funding will be enough to implement the reforms. The teacher training funding in particular is a \u201cdrop in the ocean\u201d, according to ASCL.<\/p>\n
CST also warned that current gaps in funding \u201cwill remain\u201d. It proposed a two-layer model that creates separate funding for commissioned provision and meeting individual needs through the universal offer.<\/p>\n
3. \u2018Confusion\u2019 on experts at hand<\/h2>\n Unions have also welcomed the experts at hand service, which aims to make more external professionals including educational psychologists and occupational therapists available to support schools.<\/p>\n
The NAHT said clear, nationally consistent response times must be set, with clear protocols on how to escalate concerns when response times are missed.<\/p>\n
CST said there was \u201cpotential\u201d in the model, but also \u201csignificant confusion\u201d in the system about how it will operate in practice.<\/p>\n
4. Inclusion bases<\/h2>\n One of the main proposals in the white paper is for all secondary schools to have an inclusion base to support pupils with additional needs.<\/p>\n
ASCL said it supported this in principle, but warned such bases are \u201cnot a silver bullet\u201d, and inclusion must be system-wide.<\/p>\n
The union also said inclusion bases \u201cshould not become holding pens, standalone units or exclusion by any other name\u201d, but welcomed the attempt to simplify the language used for the bases. At present they can be called SEN units or resourced provision.<\/p>\n
While the NAHT said inclusion bases had a critical role to play, it \u201cfundamentally challenges the assumption that inclusion bases can meet the full range of SEND\u201d.<\/p>\n
CST said guidance must clearly differentiate between support bases commissioned by schools, and those commissioned by councils.<\/p>\n
5. \u2018Light\u2019 EHCPs?<\/h2>\n Reforms will require schools produce an individual support plan (ISP) for every pupil with additional needs, including those with an education, health and care plan (EHCP).<\/p>\n
While an EHCP would be secured for pupils with the \u201cmost complex needs\u201d, this would be through a nationally defined specialist support package.<\/p>\n
But the NAHT raised concerns ISPs risk becoming a \u201clight EHCP\u201d, adding complexity rather than reducing bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
As ISPs will be looked at during Ofsted inspections, the union also outlined concerns the plans will evolve into accountability tools, rather than supporting provision.<\/p>\n
CST said the relationship between ISPs, EHCPs and new specialist support packages \u201crequires much greater clarity\u201d, as it is not clear how they will interact.<\/p>\n
The NASUWT said reducing EHCPs \u201cis likely to compound the problem of schools being accountable when things are outside of their control\u201d.<\/p>\n
ASCL warned that an average secondary school may have around 200 ISPs.<\/p>\n
6. Complaints process<\/h2>\n Government has said parents will have to appeal decisions on ISPs through their school\u2019s complaints process.<\/p>\n
But CST said this risks an \u201cexponential rise\u201d in complaints, which could \u201coverwhelm\u201d schools.<\/p>\n
ASCL said school complaints should be independent, put through the local government ombudsman.<\/p>\n
The leadership union also did not agree that a SEND specialist should sit on the complaints panel, warning the \u201cfocus on schools and colleges to self-monitor is unfair for them and for families\u201d.<\/p>\n
7. Health \u2018must play more active role’<\/h2>\n The NASUWT said the health and social care sectors \u201cmust play a more active role\u201d in delivering and resourcing support for SEND.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe extent of [Department of Health and Social Care] involvement with, and ownership of the reforms, is unclear,\u201d its consultation response said.<\/p>\n
CST agreed there should be more clarity on the role of health services, ICBs and local authorities in the reforms system.<\/p>\n
8. More resource needed for SENCO aims<\/h2>\n Ministers want to make the role of special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) more strategic under the new system.<\/p>\n
The NAHT said this would only work if schools had more resources and staff members, while ASCL said guidance and examples of how SEND responsibility can be spread throughout school leadership should be shared.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sector leaders have warned changes to SEND provision, curriculum and enrichment could ‘overwhelm’ schools<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":315335,"featured_media":246775,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[62],"post-theme":[2354],"class_list":["post-246752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-send","post-theme-inclusion"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t