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As SEND reform moves to the top of the national agenda, Tes SEND Show North 2026 will bring education leaders, practitioners and policymakers together this March to examine what change will mean in pr ... -
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The report highlights severe issues including delayed support, a postcode lottery in access to services, and a lack of understanding from the Department for Education (DfE) about the rising demand for ... -
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Her extensive experience spans community and inpatient mental health services, including work in medium secure forensic settings, where she treated individuals with complex mental health needs. It was ... -
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For three decades, our literacy software has been transforming classrooms, supporting children’s learning, and making a real difference for pupils of all abilities. To celebrate this amazing achieve ... -
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For children with SEND, including those with SEMH needs, the benefits can be profound—ranging from improved communication and focus to greater independence and resilience. With a few simple adaptation ... -
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The platform, Reading On Your Head, has been a passion project for Cowie, who has been working on it for four years alongside coding expert John Applin. The website’s goal is to support children, part ... -
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Introducing not one but two new SEND advisers in the form of Dame Christine Lenehan, former Director of the Council for Disabled Children and Tom Rees, Chief Executive, Ormiston Academies. The Ministe ...
Welcome to Tes SEND Show North News!
A message from André Imich, SEN and Disability Specialist Adviser, AI SEND Advisory Services
The wait is over - the Government has now published its consultation document: SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People. There is much to absorb, and we have 12 weeks in which to consider its implications and provide feedback to DfE.
This is clearly an effort to restructure the SEN system whilst building on the foundations of the 2014 reforms. It aims to align responsibilities more closely with those who have the most direct responsibility for delivery and who engage most closely with children and young people and their families. Statutory rights to EHC plans remain for those whose provision requirements are the greatest, and new rights will be created for pupils in receipt of proposed Individual Support Plans that schools will be required to develop.
The announcement of significant additional funding of £3.6bn is, of course, greatly welcomed. However, SEN history shows that more funding does not on its own lead to improved outcomes or experiences for children and young people, and needs to be accompanied by other measures, including accountability and transparency for its spend.
Over the next 12 weeks, we need to explore how each of the pieces of this large jigsaw fit together. In the meantime, we need to emphasise that these remain proposals and nothing is changing in the short term.
André Imich
SEN and Disability Specialist Adviser
AI SEND Advisory Services