Local authority leaders have called for councils to be given a central role in admissions to new school inclusion bases, as the Government publishes landmark guidance designed to end the postcode lottery in SEND provision.
The Government's guidance builds on its commitment that every secondary school will eventually have an inclusion base – a dedicated space providing targeted teaching and specialist support, run by a qualified teacher and never used as a sanction.
The aim of providing inclusion bases is to prevent families from being forced to travel long distances to access special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: ‘We are giving schools a clear, practical blueprint to become truly inclusive, from calmer classrooms and sensory-friendly spaces, to specialist support embedded right in the heart of the school, so children can learn alongside their peers rather than miles from home.’
The Local Government Association (LGA) welcomed the package, describing it as ‘a once-in-a-generation opportunity’ to ensure children and young people with SEND receive the right support in mainstream settings.
But the LGA's Children, Young People and Families Committee chair, Cllr Amanda Hopgood, warned that inclusion bases must meet all local need to succeed and that councils need to be empowered to work with schools to ensure they deliver the right support quickly and effectively.
The LGA also cautioned that inclusion bases should not be treated as an alternative to mainstream education, stressing they must remain focused on enabling pupils to spend as much time as possible learning alongside their peers in mainstream classrooms.
