APPG on Social Mobility discusses SEND and socio-economic disadvantage

“The latest meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Mobility (for which the Sutton Trust is Secretariat) focused on the SEND system. Our Senior Public Affairs Officer, Ryan Frost, shares insights on what was discussed at the meeting. Just a few days after the government published its Schools White Paper, which set out ambitious and wide-ranging reforms for special educational needs (SEND) support, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Social Mobility met to discuss links between SEND and socio-economic disadvantage, as well as the massive inequalities in access to support. The group’s Chair, Peter Swallow MP, was joined by the Sutton Trust’s Senior Schools Engagement Manager, Charlotte O’Regan, who co-authored the highly influential Double Disadvantage? ; Sarah Horn, Director of SEND for United Learning, which supports more than 55 schools nationwide; and Ellen Broomé, Chief Executive at the British Dyslexia Association. Charlotte began by highlighting some of the key findings from Double Disadvantage, which found that, as well as a SEND system increasingly under strain from increased demand for support (the share of English pupils with EHCPs almost doubled between 2016 and 2025), socio-economic background has a large influence on the experiences and outcomes for families with children with SEND. Those from more affluent homes are more likely to secure an EHCP, with one in ten (11%) of middle-class parents spending over £5,000 on their application, compared to 1% of working-class parents. More affluent parents are also more likely to successfully navigate the tribunal system to secure an EHCP, and middle-class parents are more likely than working-class parents to be happy with the support their children with SEND were receiving. Sarah offered reflections on the recently published White Paper, welcoming positive shifts in direction towards supporting the needs of all children and improving the early identification of SEND. She also raised questions grounded in her day-to-day experience in schools. The introduction of Individual Support Plans (ISPs) needs to be managed carefully, as schools and families are already navigating a fragmented system involving multiple agencies. Sarah also raised key issues around the enforceability and expectations of ISPs and identified funding and workforce skills as areas of implementation which will determine success of the SEND reforms. Ellen emphasised that getting a diagnosis of dyslexia is closely tied to family income, as there is no free pathway in which to do this. Nine in ten children in households earning over £100,000 get a formal diagnosis compared to less than half of children in households earning under £30,000. Girls, students with English as an additional language (EAL), and schools with deprived intakes are all undiagnosed. Ellen said a dyslexia strategy is needed to ensure consistent early identification and appropriate support. During the audience Q&A, Peter asked what could change in the culture of schools to deliver on the SEND reforms. Sarah said she would like to see National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) for Pupil Premium and SEND leads to support them in these vital roles, and Ellen agreed that the majority of the shift would be achieved through teacher training. Charlotte argued for making classrooms inclusive by design, using dyslexia friendly resources as an example, rather than have these as additions for children requiring more support. Further questions centred on workforce pressures, particularly for specialists such as speech and language therapists and psychologists; the suitability of the assessment system; improving accountability by enacting the socio-economic duty for public sector organisations; and collaboration with external agencies, such as in health. On behalf of the Chair, thank you to everyone who was able to attend. The Sutton Trust will continue to engage with government on these issues, including by responding to the open consultation on the SEND reforms in the White Paper, and we would encourage all interested stakeholders to do the same. The post APPG on Social Mobility discusses SEND and socio-economic disadvantage appeared first on The Sutton Trust .

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