Commenting on the confirmation from the Education Secretary of a further delay in SEND reforms, Matt Wrack, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said:

“We have raised numerous and serious concerns with the proposed plans for the SEND system and if this delay results in these being addressed then we would welcome this pause. It is essential to get these changes right, than to rush through what we consider to be underfunded and ill-thought out plans. Teachers are concerned that badly planned changes risk pushing more responsibility onto the shoulders of teachers and school leaders, with no guarantee of better outcomes for pupils and families.

“Any plans for SEND must ensure the right school infrastructure, staffing levels and specialist support and these need the guaranteed funding to deliver this.

“However, the current financial burdens on local authorities, the workload demands on teachers and the uphill battle many families face in getting the support their children need mean that change is desperately needed. The Government must urgently demonstrate that it is going to bring forward revised plans which will tackle the current crisis in SEND provision and which address the concerns that NASUWT teachers and others have about the current proposals.”