Teacher Cites Lack of SEND Support for Resigning
A former teacher described leaving the profession due to the inability to adequately support students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The personal account highlights systemic issues such as large class sizes, insufficient resources, and rigid curricula as significant barriers to providing meaningful inclusion and accommodation in schools.
- In January 2025, there were over 1.7 million school pupils in England identified with Special Educational Needs (SEN), which accounts for 19.6% of all pupils. Of these, around 1.3 million receive SEN Support within their school, while approximately 500,000 have more comprehensive Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plans. - The UK government released its "SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan" in March 2023, which aims to establish new national standards for support, create standardized digital EHC plans, and form local and national boards to oversee the changes. However, there is concern that core elements of the plan may not be implemented within the current parliament and that funding is limited. - Despite a high needs budget of £12 billion for 2025-26, the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated a funding gap of around £1.4 billion in 2024-25. This financial pressure is compounded by rising costs for services like home-to-school transport for SEND pupils, which increased from £644 million in 2015–16 to over £1.7 billion in 2023–24. - A significant factor impacting support is staffing shortages, with a recent survey showing almost every state school in England is facing a shortage of support staff. Research from the National Foundation for Educational Research also highlighted that teachers see a need for more support from outside agencies for pupils with SEND and mental health needs to help reduce their workload. - Families often face long waits for their children to be assessed for neurodevelopmental conditions. For example, waiting times for Autism and ADHD assessments can range from three to over eight years in some areas. National guidelines suggest waiting times should be no longer than three months. - A 2022 survey revealed that 59% of education staff had considered leaving the profession in the past academic year due to pressures on their mental health and wellbeing, with workload being the primary reason. Studies have also shown that high stress levels can lead to a decline in the quality of teaching and care for students with SEN. - Ofsted, the schools inspectorate, has increased its focus on SEND provision. During inspections, they evaluate how effectively schools identify, plan for, and support pupils with SEND, making it a central priority. - The number of pupils with EHC plans, which are legally binding documents outlining support, has increased by 165% since 2014. When disagreements arise, 98% of tribunal appeals find in favor of the families, indicating a systemic disconnect between the support offered and the needs of the children.
