(UK) Stockton: Govt may 'compel' schools to take MORE SPED students; "demand predicted to rise"
The government may "compel" schools to cater for more children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) under new reforms, councillors have been told.
Stockton Council's children and young people select committee heard previously how the authority created 155 school places and invested in additionally resourced (ARP) and SEN units from September 2025. Primary schools got on board, but the committee heard of a "disappointing" response from secondary schools showing "no interest" in the SEND units leading to "significant gaps", and parents' fears about their children's futures.
Now, with SEND demand predicted to rise by another 9%, the units - which have been praised as "a positive and necessary step in modernising SEND provision in Stockton" - will have to adapt to national reforms. A government White Paper introduces "significant future changes, including a shift away from ARPs and SEND units towards school-led inclusion hubs and a stronger universal offer", says the committee's report on SEND provision.
Committee chair Councillor Carol Clark said on Tuesday (July 21): "At first when we contacted all the schools we were not particularly happy about the lack of numbers of secondary schools who were interested.")
The children and young people select committee had paused its review of SEND provision to await the government White Paper. The review listed SEND units at seven primary schools providing 80 places, none at secondary schools, with ARPs at 10 primaries and four secondaries providing 155 places.
Cllr Lynn Hall said at a meeting of the council's executive scrutiny committee as it heard of the review: "It's a bit worrying if there hasn't been an uptake from some of the secondary schools.
"I'm worried about that because that isn't the usual way. That's where the SEND young people are and that's where we need to get our information from to make really solid, robust recommendations.
"It's one of the major topics and it's one of our major overspends. We need to really keep a careful eye on it."
She also asked about the rising number of young people with education, health and care plans (EHCPs) and said it affected budgets needed to support young people: "We need to be fully aware of all the statistics, all the information, for lots of reasons, not just for the budget but for the care and wellbeing of our young people, particularly in secondary schools."
The committee heard from a scrutiny officer that the government's approach was "quite prescriptive", it was "going to be required from all schools" and superceded the council's SEND review. Cllr Clark said there would be more information in September, when more meetings will be held and the SEND report will go to cabinet.
She said: "As far as I'm aware, the White Paper expects schools to take part in additionally resourced provision, therefore they would have to. So we will get that information from the schools."
Cllr Tony Riordan asked whether insufficient provision at some primary schools contributed to secondaries' reluctance to take up the units if they had to "dip into their own resources". Cllr Clark answered: "I wouldn't have thought so. . . .
"Education, health and care plans have risen, this is an ongoing worry. I'm not bothered about budgets. I am totally wanting the best thing for our kids. We'll do everything we can."
Cllr Jim Beall said: "It's a growing issue, it's a very important issue. But there's a White Paper and we're expecting actions from the national government which will, dare I use the word, compel schools to engage."
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