A recent report published by Ofsted on 14 September has identified gaps in expertise and lack of classroom support to effectively support many pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The report states that just over one in five pupils - 1.7 million school-aged children in England - are currently identified as having SEN. It found some pupils are being wrongly identified as having Special Educational Needs in order to access additional provision to make up for poor day-to-day teaching and pastoral care which can divert attention away from pupils with genuine need. The report calls for an overhaul of the current identification system and highlights the importance of additional support and expertise being channelled to those pupils who need it and more of a focus on outcomes (rather than provision) for all pupils with SEN.
Read the full report and a summary version on the Ofsted website here.
Read the National Autistic Society's response here.
Read the TreeHouse response here.