Safety Valve and Delivering Better Value
NEU reps and activists can help ensure that Government plans do not threaten the quality or amount of SEND funding in schools.
SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan
The Plan produced by the government seeks to work with local authorities and schools on money-saving projects designed to ensure more SEND students are educated in mainstream without first putting the support mechanisms in place for this to work. Elements of the Improvement Plan, including a National Standard and an electronic EHCP template are being piloted but little information about their impact has been shared by the DfE.
If you are in a school or LA piloting any of the Improvement Plan proposals, please let us know how they are affecting your workload and impacting support for SEND students.
The NEU wants the Government to address these 5 immediate challenges on inclusion:
- Needs led funding – for SEND support, Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans and local SEND and mental health services.
- A strategy to reduce Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) workload.
- Support staff numbers must be maintained and increased.
- Time for staff planning, family liaison and CPD.
- DFE must support knowledge exchange and professional skills around inclusion across all curriculum subjects.
The following goals can build positive experiences for learners with SEND:
- Every child/young person attends a school/college with an inclusive ethos.
- Every student is assessed early and regularly for learning and social and emotional needs and appropriate support can be provided.
- Every child/young person has a strong relationship with a trusted adult in school/college.
- Parents/carers are engaged partners.
