- Last week we hosted a webinar entitled ‘Life after lockdown | Getting it Right' – the webinar was recorded and will soon be available to view (watch this space).
- The government have allocated funding to create over 3000 places at new special free schools specifically for children with SEND, through 35 new schools, which are “designed to drive up standards in special education”. More details can be found - HERE
- News articles this week have suggested that the SEND system is in crisis due to chronic underfunding (which won’t come as any surprise to parents of children with SEND). BBC News are reporting HERE that County Councils Network have undertaken a survey of 36 councils and they are reporting a significant gap between funding allocated and funding required. This funding gap is predicted to only get worse. We couldn’t have put it better than an unnamed spokesperson for SEND Action who said that “disabled children and their families are being broken by an underfunded and dysfunctional SEND system which frequently fails to meet basic statutory duties”
- Public Health Minister Jo Churchill has confirmed that the school fruit and vegetable scheme, where all children aged 4 – 6 in fully funded state schools to fruit or vegetables each day at school, will recommence in the Autumn. It was suspended during the coronavirus pandemic MORE
- The government have responded to recent reports about the significant effect COVID-19 has had on children and young people with SEND, exacerbating a problem that was already inherent in the system, as we have highlighted above. This was confirmed by CQC and Ofstead SEND inspections. These were suspended during the pandemic and the government is not proposing to restart them in the Autumn. However, ahead of these inspections recommencing, the CQC and Ofstead are planning to undertake more informal visits, and then publish insights, good practice and case studies from these visits. A new framework for inspections is also being developed READ MORE
If you have a question or have any concerns about your child's education, please contact our Education Law Team for free initial advice on 01926 354704 or email education@moore-tibbits.co.uk.
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