Delays in SEND review ‘nothing short of appalling’, says Chair of Education Committee
The new Minister for Children and Families, Will Quince MP, faced his first accountability hearing this week with the House of Commons Education Committee. Much of the session focused on the upcoming SEND review.
Chair of the committee, Robert Halfon MP, said that the Department for Education’s response to solving problems in the SEND system has been ‘nothing short of appalling’. Will Quince said that although he had only been in position for 10 weeks, he sees it as his responsibility to get the SEND review over the line. He said that too many children and parents are being let down under the current SEND system, and agreed that it had taken too long to address this.
Additionally, the minister said that the DfE’s communication and expectation management with parents, the SEND community, and stakeholders has been regrettable, given the scale of the challenge. While there are areas which need urgent changes, Will Quince said that we also need to think about longer term structural changes. This involves working hand in hand between the DfE, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Department for Levelling Up.
It is encouraging that, despite the delays to the SEND review, the minister recognises the scale of the challenge within the SEND system, and the importance of longer term thinking and cross-departmental collaboration. The SEND review is due to be published in the first quarter of 2022, and Schools North East will continue to lobby the department if there are further delays.
Following on from discussions in SEND, Gateshead MP Ian Mearns asked about maintained nurseries. He noted the financial difficulties many providers faced, asking what guarantees the Department can give to maintained nursery schools about their financial security beyond 2025.
Will Quince recognised the importance of maintained nursery schools in supporting disadvantaged communities, noting their differences to other early years settings, having a Headteacher, qualified teachers, and a SENCO. He said that supporting the sector is a priority for the government, and that he is committed to meeting representatives of maintained nursery schools.
Throughout the pandemic, Schools North East has held virtual roundtables with key policymakers so that they can hear the challenges schools in our region face directly from school leaders. We will be extending an invitation to the minister to attend a roundtable in the new year.