Statement on SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan

Confederation of School Trusts Chief Executive Leora Cruddas CBE said: "This improvement plan rightly focuses on dignity for pupils with SEND and brings a welcome clarity to the analysis of challenges facing the system. It also takes the first steps in the right direction to improve it. These should lead to better support and outcomes for children and families, and better value for public money.

 

"We welcome the new Special Educational Needs Coordinator National Professional Qualification and investment in educational psychology and early language support. We need to build on this to offer compelling, evidence-led workforce development more widely, and especially to SEND support staff to help with recruitment and retention.

 

"The ambition for an effective, single national system is the right one, and we welcome the proposals for strengthened accountability and guidance between health and education. As we move towards that, we must ensure new approaches are adequately funded and that existing deficits are dealt with without moving funding away from children and schools.

 

"We do need to take the time to get these important reforms right, but we must also better support children and families in need today. We will know that reforms are successful when parents tell us that they and their children experience a system - and particularly an assessment system - that is based on dignity and affirmation.”