Special Educational Needs
Debate between Geraint Davies and James Frith(5 years, 8 months ago)
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James Frith
My colleague makes an excellent point. I enjoy serving alongside her on the Committee. Punishing school budget cuts have resulted in the loss of teaching assistants, removing capacity from the classroom. In every other walk of life, specialist provision is viewed as additional support that is scalpel-like in its focus, or as enhanced provision, but SEND provision in school classrooms is viewed as low-hanging fruit to be cut, owing to the increasing demand on budgets. My hon. Friend is absolutely right.
Teaching assistants have gone. One school I represent has lost six and another has lost four. One of my schools told me:
“We can no longer afford to provide additional elements not covered by the statement…with the result that our more vulnerable pupils find it really difficult to cope at lunchtimes. My High Needs budget is actually ALL spent supporting pupils in my school with EHC plans and SEN hours as school has to provide the first £6,000 from its own budget.”
That needs to be looked at. Another school said:
“The numbers of SEND cohort have increased significantly in terms of social, emotional and mental health”,
which has been touched on. Health absolutely needs to be at the table; it too frequently is not. I urge the Minister to look at the issue and to work cross party and on the findings of the Committee’s ongoing SEND inquiry when we report in the summer.
Geraint Davies (in the Chair)
I call Marion Fellows. It would be helpful if you keep your remarks to about eight minutes.