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England’s largest teaching union has raised concerns about the capacity of schools to meet the government’s ambitions for supporting more children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in mainstream education settings. The National Education Union (NEU) stresses that there is simply not enough staff to deliver the promised inclusion. Daniel Kebede, the union’s general secretary, emphasized that inclusion “can’t be done on the cheap,” reflecting the widespread feelings among educators.
Earlier this year, the government unveiled a significant overhaul of the SEND framework, introducing “inclusion bases” – specialized spaces within schools designed for pupils with SEND. The Department for Education (DfE) has described these changes as “once-in-a-generation SEND reforms” aimed at centering inclusion in education. To prepare schools for these reforms, an additional £4 billion funding has been committed through to 2029, with £1.6 billion allocated to early years, schools, and colleges during the next three years as part of an “inclusion fund.” Another £1.8 billion is set aside for expert support during the transition, alongside funding for training and local authority resources.
Despite this investment, the NEU argues the funding falls short of what is needed to achieve the reforms’ goals. They have pointed out that the “inclusion fund” equates to only a part-time teaching assistant in a typical primary school and two teaching assistants in an average secondary school. Kebede highlighted schools’ struggles to budget for even a 2% pay rise for teachers next year, suggesting the additional funding will simply “soften the blow of underfunding.” He acknowledged the government’s economic challenges but warned that short-term savings could lead to greater costs later, stating, “if there is investment in education today, government will save much more money in the future.”
A recent survey by the NEU, conducted ahead of their annual conference, gathered responses from over 13,000 education professionals. The findings revealed that 86% of respondents see a shortage of staff as a major obstacle to inclusion, with 73% citing workload pressures. Other concerns raised include large class sizes, insufficient training, and difficulties in accessing specialist support to identify and assist children’s needs. A key government proposal requires schools to develop Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for all children with special educational needs, with the intention of meeting many of those needs within mainstream schools. Alongside this, by 2035, only children with the most complex needs will qualify for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). While the number of EHCPs has nearly doubled in the last decade and is forecasted to rise further in the short term, the reforms aim to stabilize these figures in the longer term.
Kebede expressed support for the principle of greater inclusion but reiterated concerns about insufficient funding and staffing to fulfill the vision. He described how teachers and support staff desire an inclusive education system but feel overwhelmed by increasing demands paired with inadequate resources, making the goal seem unattainable. Independent research from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) supports these concerns, highlighting rising turnover among teaching assistants—crucial personnel in providing individualized support to SEND pupils. Approximately one in five support staff left schools between 2023/24 and 2024/25, which could impact the system’s ability to adjust to new demands.
In response, the Department for Education reiterated its commitment to supporting schools through the £4 billion package, emphasizing its ambition to serve every child’s needs. It is currently consulting with parents, schools, and other stakeholders to gather feedback on the reforms. These SEND changes and the associated funding will be prominent topics at the upcoming NEU conference, which will also have a political dimension. Notably, the Green Party leader is due to address members, with Kebede noting that he has become “the most favoured politician amongst our members,” a situation Kebede described as a “wake up call” for the Labour government. Meanwhile, the union is exploring members’ willingness to undertake industrial action over pay, ahead of potentially initiating a formal ballot. Ministers are currently considering recommendations from an independent pay review body, information that will influence teacher pay offers in the coming years
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