A report on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision published by the Commons Education Committee brings to light government failings to implement reforms in the 2014 Children and Families Act across colleges and schools.
The report says: “Let down by failures of implementation, the 2014 reforms have resulted in confusion and at times unlawful practice, bureaucratic nightmares, buck-passing and a lack of accountability, strained resources and adversarial experiences, and ultimately dashed the hopes of many.”
It gives poor administration and lack of funding as key reasons preventing education authorities and institutions from delivering on the reforms, and says it is vital that health and social care are both “at the table” to avoid the concept of an Education, Health and Care Plan becoming just a Statement. The committee recommends that SEND should be embraced by the Department for Education as part of its remit, rather than being seen as an add-on being paid lip service through “reactive, sticking-plaster policies”.
The newly published Curriculum and Assessment Review recommends the introduction of new level 1 preparation for GCSE qualifications for English language and for maths.
Check out the Skills for Life Network E-News Update November 2025 for a round up of what’s new and what’s happening in maths, English, ESOL and digital skills in the FE and Training sector.
Google Gemini Storybooks uses AI to generate online storybooks based on your prompts. The books include graphics and sound. It works in multiple languages and is free to use.
Report highlights SEND policy failures
A report on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision published by the Commons Education Committee brings to light government failings to implement reforms in the 2014 Children and Families Act across colleges and schools.
The report says: “Let down by failures of implementation, the 2014 reforms have resulted in confusion and at times unlawful practice, bureaucratic nightmares, buck-passing and a lack of accountability, strained resources and adversarial experiences, and ultimately dashed the hopes of many.”
It gives poor administration and lack of funding as key reasons preventing education authorities and institutions from delivering on the reforms, and says it is vital that health and social care are both “at the table” to avoid the concept of an Education, Health and Care Plan becoming just a Statement. The committee recommends that SEND should be embraced by the Department for Education as part of its remit, rather than being seen as an add-on being paid lip service through “reactive, sticking-plaster policies”.
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