Whatever you think of having more students with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) taught in mainstream schools, there's a significant practical problem.
At the vey same time that the Govt. has claimed it wants to reduce burdens on teachers (not least to try & raise recruitment), once again (as with additions to the curriculum) a policy is predicated on teachers having sufficient extra time to provide more teaching;
its madness.
#schools #education #SEND
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15dzz8z153o
Emeritus Prof Christopher May
@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
Retired Professor of Political Economy (Lancaster University, UK - retired 2021) (also #ProfDJ across the Lune Valley) Contributor: North West Bylines #NoBridge
zirk.us
Emeritus Prof Christopher May
@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
Retired Professor of Political Economy (Lancaster University, UK - retired 2021) (also #ProfDJ across the Lune Valley) Contributor: North West Bylines #NoBridge
zirk.us
@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
·
Mar 29, 2026
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Silversnapples
@Silversnapples@mastodonapp.uk
Biophile. Interests in the environment, nature and social equality. Part of a little left wing bird exodus. #diversity #lgbtqia+ally #ProEurope infj-t Avatar: gender inversion of medusa statue "girls will be girls" across her bare chest. Header alt text: dusk view across a riverbank
mastodonapp.uk
Silversnapples
@Silversnapples@mastodonapp.uk
Biophile. Interests in the environment, nature and social equality. Part of a little left wing bird exodus. #diversity #lgbtqia+ally #ProEurope infj-t Avatar: gender inversion of medusa statue "girls will be girls" across her bare chest. Header alt text: dusk view across a riverbank
mastodonapp.uk
@Silversnapples@mastodonapp.uk
·
Mar 24, 2026
Well I'm gutted.
Just discovered a load of NHS trusts just quirlty during neurodiversity week, halted Right to Choose for adhd and autism tests.
No announcements. No consultation. Just stopped.
For children waiting diagnosis for SEND assistance in education this is likely to cause irreparable harm... for adults with no advocates waiting diagnosis, struggling waiting for treatment they dont know might help.
Id like someone to ask the health secretary what is going on @ZackPolanski@mastodon.green
https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose/right-to-choose-wait-times/
#neurodivergent #RightToChoose #NHS #MentalWellbeing #SEND
Just discovered a load of NHS trusts just quirlty during neurodiversity week, halted Right to Choose for adhd and autism tests.
No announcements. No consultation. Just stopped.
For children waiting diagnosis for SEND assistance in education this is likely to cause irreparable harm... for adults with no advocates waiting diagnosis, struggling waiting for treatment they dont know might help.
Id like someone to ask the health secretary what is going on @ZackPolanski@mastodon.green
https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose/right-to-choose-wait-times/
#neurodivergent #RightToChoose #NHS #MentalWellbeing #SEND
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Matt Turmaine
@MattTurmaine@mastodonapp.uk
Watford MP. Promoted by Steve Cox on behalf of Matt Turmaine, both at 270 St Albans Road WD24 6PE.
mastodonapp.uk
Matt Turmaine
@MattTurmaine@mastodonapp.uk
Watford MP. Promoted by Steve Cox on behalf of Matt Turmaine, both at 270 St Albans Road WD24 6PE.
mastodonapp.uk
@MattTurmaine@mastodonapp.uk
·
Feb 24, 2026
Parents contact me frequently about battling the broken #SEND system. I am delighted that the #Labour government, which promised to help fix the system, has announced its plans. You can have your say here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first
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the roamer
@the_roamer@mastodonapp.uk
University teacher, father, dog walker. A European in England. Posting micro-comments on all things that come my way, large and small. #pedagogy, #taoism, #literature, #programming, #typography, #TeX, #politics, #covid. Kindness will prevail. Posting about #noAI. #StopTheAICorruption. Personal long-term strands: #MastodonCulture, #whippet_moments, #Plutarch's #ParallelLives. Regular comments on the #Pepys diary. Most of my comments come up in conversations. Please view my "Posts and Replies".
mastodonapp.uk
the roamer
@the_roamer@mastodonapp.uk
University teacher, father, dog walker. A European in England. Posting micro-comments on all things that come my way, large and small. #pedagogy, #taoism, #literature, #programming, #typography, #TeX, #politics, #covid. Kindness will prevail. Posting about #noAI. #StopTheAICorruption. Personal long-term strands: #MastodonCulture, #whippet_moments, #Plutarch's #ParallelLives. Regular comments on the #Pepys diary. Most of my comments come up in conversations. Please view my "Posts and Replies".
mastodonapp.uk
@the_roamer@mastodonapp.uk
·
Feb 23, 2026
John Harris gives a critical assessment of the Starmer government's white paper on children with special educational needs (SEND), published today. Some positive aspects, many concerns. Good to see his assessment laid out in some detail: he never speaks without reason.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/23/labours-send-revolution-reform-bridget-phillipson
#SEND #SpecialEducationalNeeds #UKSchools #UKpol #JohnHarris
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/23/labours-send-revolution-reform-bridget-phillipson
#SEND #SpecialEducationalNeeds #UKSchools #UKpol #JohnHarris
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Tiggy
@tiggy@mastodonapp.uk
Aka Tricia. Retired statistician. A writer, poet, singer, tutor, disabilty advisor, and more . Physically disabled and neurodivergent (including being dyslexic). I love reading, especially #Asimov, #Pratchett. Still looking for a decent 'writes as well as #GeorgetteHeyer' author. I do varied voluntary work, mainly education or disability related but I run a death cafe too Trustee of a disability charity. #filker #disabled #Bahai #Poet #writer #SafeguardingAdvisor #Statistician #SchoolSpeaker
mastodonapp.uk
Tiggy
@tiggy@mastodonapp.uk
Aka Tricia. Retired statistician. A writer, poet, singer, tutor, disabilty advisor, and more . Physically disabled and neurodivergent (including being dyslexic). I love reading, especially #Asimov, #Pratchett. Still looking for a decent 'writes as well as #GeorgetteHeyer' author. I do varied voluntary work, mainly education or disability related but I run a death cafe too Trustee of a disability charity. #filker #disabled #Bahai #Poet #writer #SafeguardingAdvisor #Statistician #SchoolSpeaker
mastodonapp.uk
@tiggy@mastodonapp.uk
·
Feb 23, 2026
So rather than tackle the real problem, they went down the 'too many diagnoses' myth hole.
They'd already cut disabilty benefit entitlement again in spite of strong criticism from the UN and others.
Now they plan to remove about 270,000 children from much needed support inthe UK.
#SEND
They'd already cut disabilty benefit entitlement again in spite of strong criticism from the UN and others.
Now they plan to remove about 270,000 children from much needed support inthe UK.
#SEND
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Special Needs Jungle
@SpecialNeedsJungle@mastodonapp.uk
Influential parent-led SEND blog & resource site SpecialNeedsJungle.com
mastodonapp.uk
Special Needs Jungle
@SpecialNeedsJungle@mastodonapp.uk
Influential parent-led SEND blog & resource site SpecialNeedsJungle.com
mastodonapp.uk
@SpecialNeedsJungle@mastodonapp.uk
·
Feb 23, 2026
The White Paper has been published!
The SNJ Team has already started analysing it. Be sure to follow so you don't miss what our experts have to say!
#saveourchildrensrights #send
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving
The SNJ Team has already started analysing it. Be sure to follow so you don't miss what our experts have to say!
#saveourchildrensrights #send
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving
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Tiggy
@tiggy@mastodonapp.uk
Aka Tricia. Retired statistician. A writer, poet, singer, tutor, disabilty advisor, and more . Physically disabled and neurodivergent (including being dyslexic). I love reading, especially #Asimov, #Pratchett. Still looking for a decent 'writes as well as #GeorgetteHeyer' author. I do varied voluntary work, mainly education or disability related but I run a death cafe too Trustee of a disability charity. #filker #disabled #Bahai #Poet #writer #SafeguardingAdvisor #Statistician #SchoolSpeaker
mastodonapp.uk
Tiggy
@tiggy@mastodonapp.uk
Aka Tricia. Retired statistician. A writer, poet, singer, tutor, disabilty advisor, and more . Physically disabled and neurodivergent (including being dyslexic). I love reading, especially #Asimov, #Pratchett. Still looking for a decent 'writes as well as #GeorgetteHeyer' author. I do varied voluntary work, mainly education or disability related but I run a death cafe too Trustee of a disability charity. #filker #disabled #Bahai #Poet #writer #SafeguardingAdvisor #Statistician #SchoolSpeaker
mastodonapp.uk
@tiggy@mastodonapp.uk
·
Feb 20, 2026
@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
Given the long waiting lists for assessment this will mean they will probably start secondary school with no support.
We used to see many pupils turning up with no formal statement or funding because primary schools managed it with support staff. It could take over a year for that support to be put in place in secondary schools.
Then as budget pressures increased primaries put through EHCP applications.
Now all of them will be in that position. A saving on SEND sending at the cost of the pupils being able to engage with education.
But also a cost on the overstretched assessment service, which doesn't have enough specialists already.
And more permanent exclusions as we fail our most vulnerable children.
#SEND
Given the long waiting lists for assessment this will mean they will probably start secondary school with no support.
We used to see many pupils turning up with no formal statement or funding because primary schools managed it with support staff. It could take over a year for that support to be put in place in secondary schools.
Then as budget pressures increased primaries put through EHCP applications.
Now all of them will be in that position. A saving on SEND sending at the cost of the pupils being able to engage with education.
But also a cost on the overstretched assessment service, which doesn't have enough specialists already.
And more permanent exclusions as we fail our most vulnerable children.
#SEND
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Tiggy
@tiggy@mastodonapp.uk
Aka Tricia. Retired statistician. A writer, poet, singer, tutor, disabilty advisor, and more . Physically disabled and neurodivergent (including being dyslexic). I love reading, especially #Asimov, #Pratchett. Still looking for a decent 'writes as well as #GeorgetteHeyer' author. I do varied voluntary work, mainly education or disability related but I run a death cafe too Trustee of a disability charity. #filker #disabled #Bahai #Poet #writer #SafeguardingAdvisor #Statistician #SchoolSpeaker
mastodonapp.uk
Tiggy
@tiggy@mastodonapp.uk
Aka Tricia. Retired statistician. A writer, poet, singer, tutor, disabilty advisor, and more . Physically disabled and neurodivergent (including being dyslexic). I love reading, especially #Asimov, #Pratchett. Still looking for a decent 'writes as well as #GeorgetteHeyer' author. I do varied voluntary work, mainly education or disability related but I run a death cafe too Trustee of a disability charity. #filker #disabled #Bahai #Poet #writer #SafeguardingAdvisor #Statistician #SchoolSpeaker
mastodonapp.uk
@tiggy@mastodonapp.uk
·
Feb 05, 2026
@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
Until recently I was a panel member for school admission appeals. A lot of our caseload involved children with SEND whose current school was not meeting their needs. And too often the school they wanted was stating they had no capacity. On one hand these children had legal rights, but with no way to get the environment or teaching they need to succeed.
We have been disadvantaging them, and for too many reducing any chance of future employment. The latter is a major longer term cost but government isn't designed to pay now to save later, particularly HMT.
Short term savings by moving the goalposts, with huge personal, family and unemployment costs for decades.
#SEND
Until recently I was a panel member for school admission appeals. A lot of our caseload involved children with SEND whose current school was not meeting their needs. And too often the school they wanted was stating they had no capacity. On one hand these children had legal rights, but with no way to get the environment or teaching they need to succeed.
We have been disadvantaging them, and for too many reducing any chance of future employment. The latter is a major longer term cost but government isn't designed to pay now to save later, particularly HMT.
Short term savings by moving the goalposts, with huge personal, family and unemployment costs for decades.
#SEND
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