An urgent national review of the Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system and the need for rapid action has been endorsed by Cambridgeshire County Council.
The motion – which says that funding received for Cambridgeshire is insufficient to meet rising needs and a reform of the whole system is essential – was approved by a meeting of the full council.
It followed a motion from Councillor Bryony Goodliffe, in which she called on the council’s Chief Executive to write to Secretary of State for Education and the Minister for Schools to take assertive action to address the SEND crisis recognising that for the lowest funded Local Authority areas, like Cambridgeshire, children and young people are the most impacted because the funding received is not sufficient to meet the existing needs.
The motion called for an urgent request to proceed with the desperate need in Fenland for the opening of 210 places to be provided at Lime Academy in March, as well as the 60 places at Greensands Academy in Gamlingay.
Cllr Goodliffe told the council that she recognised the Department for Education’s commitment to reform and that putting inclusion at the heart of the education system, while urging them to ensure this is reflected in policy, practice, and funding at every level.
“There are record levels of children and young people who are struggling in the education system, many of whom have additional needs that are not being met. In addition, there is an enormous amount of pressure on schools and education settings to channel children and young people through a system.
“I believe the outcomes for children and young people with SEND have not improved since the 2014 reforms, which demonstrates the need for structural and systemic change rather than piecemeal adjustments,” she added.
The council’s attention was drawn to the urgent action to address the unmet existing needs of children across the county, including those in Fenland and Gamlingay areas. A continuous commitment to build provision at our mainstream schools, specifically at Lime Academy and Greensands Academy, is essential.
Cllr Goodliffe said that a recent report from the Local Government Association and the County Councils Network, which states that reform is necessary, essential, and unavoidable, is an honest and thorough assessment of the SEND crisis.
Full Council was live streamed on our YouTube channel and the papers are available on our website.
