0370 270 6000

Search

Search Mobile

collapse

already registered?

Please sign in with your existing account details.

Email address

Password

Sign in with LinkedIn

need to register?

Register to access exclusive content, sign up to receive our updates and personalise your experience on brownejacobson.com.

Privacy statement - Terms and conditions

Register with LinkedIn

Forgotten your password?

collapseSign

Browne Jacobson home

Home

Insights

Blogs

Appropriate support for special educational needs

Appropriate support for special educational needs?

7 April 2015

A recent report has considered the impact of recent government reforms on the provision being made for children with special educational needs. The report suggests that the closure of more expensive specialist provision and the presumption in favour of mainstream education is resulting in children with SEN being cast adrift in secondary schools. The report also states that such children are sent home during Ofsted inspections and that some schools cherry pick SEN students from wealthier backgrounds and dissuade others from joining their school given the 'reputational risk' that SEN pupils may present.

The report presents a negative view of current provision and does not appear to take account of the changes taking place to SEN provision as a result of the Children & Families Act 2014 which placed SEN and disability at the centre of educational provision. Whilst such reforms require cultural change to effectively embed in the sector, they do provide a firm basis on which positive outcomes can be achieved for all children.

Related opinions

Schools face scrutiny over Covid-19 vaccinations for children

On 4 June, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds.

School not liable for reckless actions of a student

The decision reinforces that the standard of the duty of care owed by schools is one or reasonableness.

Avoiding grade challenges on ‘unconscious bias’

A system based on teacher assessed grades, rather than external exams, was inevitably going to give rise to speculation about bias and objectivity in teacher assessment and grading decisions. Schools can prepare now for these kinds of challenges by ensuring that they have clear written evidence readily available.

Teachers report inadequate training on peer-on-peer abuse

Despite the increased media and regulatory focus on peer-on-peer abuse within schools, teachers are still reporting that they feel undertrained and ill-equipped to recognise and respond to allegations and incidents.

View all blogs

Richard Freeth

Partner

Mailing list sign up

Select which mailings you would like to receive from us.

Sign up