The government has unveiled plans to overhaul the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system in what is set to be the biggest shake up in education policy for more than a decade. SEND Reform: Putting children and young people first sets out the government’s vision to redesign the SEND system around universal inclusion in an attempt to improve academic outcomes for the one in five children with special needs and, over time, reduce demand for costly specialist provision.
The plans are comprehensive, setting out a 10-year process for remaking the system of support for children with SEND, with practitioners and the public having the chance to feed back their views through a three-month consultation. Some elements of the reform programme had been announced earlier this year – including improving SEND skills for teachers, training more educational psychologists, and investing in more school places – but here’s the key new measures to be unveiled this week. Read more.
