How to make SEND education more inclusive

The proportion of school age children with SEND has soared worldwide in the wake Covid-19, lockdowns, and increased social media use.

In England, more than 18 per cent of school aged children had some kind of special educational need last year. That equates to nearly 1.7 million children with SEND – an increase of more than 100,000 from 2023.

This has led to calls for a more effective and efficient system of inclusive education. Alongside the moral and social case for reform, there is also a financial imperative.

Mainstream schools are struggling to cope, and local government is facing a growing cost burden. The cost of not following an inclusive ethos tends to be higher.

It may result in the use of expensive (and distant) specialist schools, or a cost to society created by individuals ‘dropping out’ or parents choosing to home school their children.

A better process of inclusion should improve this by providing children with the help they need in a school environment.

Practical steps to improve SEND inclusion

In the UK, there is optimism that the new Labour government is keen to tackle SEND challenges, illustrated by its additional funding commitments.

It also appears to be putting more emphasis on inclusion, helped by proposed reforms to the national curriculum and changes to the school inspection system.

However, public policy is full of gaps between intention and implementation. High-level policy support may not achieve the desired outcomes without also considering what actions need to be taken at school and local government level.

Our research at WBS, in partnership with the Council for Disabled Children and National Development Team for Inclusion (RISE partnership) makes several recommendations for action to be taken by schools, local authorities, and central government.

These proposals to advance SEND inclusion cover leadership, organisational culture and structure, accountability, involving service users, and workplace skills and retention.

The research was limited to England, and concentrated on understanding what the main stakeholders need to do for schools to become more inclusive, improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND and their families.

Policy level change to improve inclusion in education

Government ministers received the research positively and expressed interest in our findings, including policy recommendations to improve regulation and enhance accountability for SEND inclusion.

These are essential before effective changes can be made on the ground by local government and individual schools.

We propose changes to the OFSTED inspection process to make SEND more central.

The current heavy focus on exam results tends to discourage schools from taking on potentially lower performing pupils. Some schools are even keen to see them leave to boost performance.

The new rules should make it easier to hold schools accountable if they are not inclusive.

More importantly, proposed changes in the government’s curriculum review are expected to be positive for SEND and promote inclusion. This includes a more varied definition of what constitutes success and a less exclusive reliance on testing across all abilities to measure progress and success.

What constitutes ‘good outcomes’ for children with SEND may differ from non-SEND students. Clear government guidance is needed that stipulates this.

These policy changes are important to ensure schools are on the same wavelength as local authorities, which already have legal responsibilities for SEND care.

A national vision for inclusive schools

Our findings also call for a national vision and strategy that champions inclusive schools. Currently, there is variability within the system. This creates something of a post code lottery for children with SEND.

We need a consistent national and local approach to inclusion with children and families at its centre. Therefore, the government should encourage a system level collaborative culture between schools, local authorities, and parents and carers.

We also recommend that:

• Everyone involved in children’s services be SEND aware, not just a nominated individual.
• Greater emphasis be placed on inclusion in initial teacher training, with ringfenced funding for multi-agency training.
• Parents, carers, and other stakeholders should be involved in co-producing a gov.uk toolkit for inclusion to prove information, advice, and support.

Our findings also suggest a new funding model is needed for inclusion and SEND. We welcome the government review of Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs) run by local authorities to fund additional care in mainstream schools. This provides an opportunity to enhance multi-agency responses to support children and their families.

To achieve all this, it is crucial that government recognises the importance of local leadership, workforce skills, and retention.

What should local authorities do to improve SEND inclusion?

A local area SEND vision and strategy for inclusion needs to be developed. This should be accompanied by a local plan of implementation.

Both should align with the national strategy and implementation plan, to support that vision in schools across the area.

Local authorities need to establish good channels of communication and develop a strong, positive relationship with parents and schools. In addition to this:

• Support services need to be provided for school staff, parents and carers, and children with SEND who experience problems at schools.
• Initiatives should be promoted to identify and rapidly respond to children who are at risk of exclusion or have poor attendance.
• Councils should establish multi-agency responses to support children and families in their area. Particular attention should be given to periods when children are transitioning into and between schools.
• Local efforts should be made to improve SEND expertise and confidence among school staff.
• Where possible, local authorities should use data and analytics to inform actions that promote inclusion.

How can schools become more inclusive for SEND pupils?

As for schools, they also need to make more use of data and analytics, as well as building a culture of inclusion throughout the school.

Teachers should establish their own direct channels of communication with parents and carers to establish strong relationships.

Most SEND needs are met with school resources, which parents often deem insufficient, so it is important that they are involved and understand the system issues and constraints. A mechanism to resolve conflict is also required.

Schools should prioritise inclusion training for all staff and promote a whole school approach to improve staff wellbeing.

It is particularly important for schools to attend to SEND needs as new pupils begin their education, and to plan carefully for transition from one school to another, which can require more cooperation between schools.

The English Government’s approach may provide a mandate for SEND inclusion, but a number of ingredients are needed for effective implementation. This is the same as any other policy intervention relating to vulnerable populations.

Putting the policy into practice effectively is a key aspect of public sector management.

We hope our research, can help achieve this for SEND inclusion, creating a more child centred and value-based approach to ensure better outcomes.

For more details and a copy of the report, visit whatworks-send.org.uk.

Further reading:

Five key ingredients to prepare care leavers for adult life

Why teachers need a better deal

Culture of inclusion: Four lessons to embrace diversity

Why is a diverse workforce important for business?

Graeme Currie is Professor of Public Management at Warwick Business School and led the research programme for What works in SEND.

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