The government has announced a plan to halve the attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their peers in England by the time children born during this parliamentary session complete secondary school. This initiative is expected to be a central element of a new Schools White Paper, which will be released on July 3, 2023.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emphasized that the reforms aim to dismantle the “one-size-fits-all system” that has hindered success for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Phillipson stated, “These reforms are a golden opportunity to cut the link between background and success – one that we must seize.” She further described the Schools White Paper as a blueprint for creating an education system that adequately serves every child, regardless of their needs or location.
The proposed changes are anticipated to include significant alterations to support systems for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). These reforms will require support from Labour MPs, as they are seen as potentially radical and controversial. The government intends to reevaluate how funding is allocated to schools for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, aiming to close the achievement gap between the wealthiest and poorest students in England.
One significant change expected in the forthcoming White Paper involves a review of the rights to support for children with SEND as they progress through their education. Children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) will be reassessed after primary school starting in 2029, as part of this broader overhaul. The new approach will also extend legal rights to encompass all children with SEND through school-led Individual Support Plans (ISP), ensuring that every child with identified special educational needs receives a plan with some legal status.
The implications of these changes are a source of concern for parents like Hannah Luxford, whose teenage son has faced challenges due to anxiety. Luxford described the existing system as “an unhelpful, adversarial, complex system that is designed to make you give up.” Although her son is currently thriving at a funded virtual school, she expressed worries about the potential impact of the new reforms on his legal rights. “I want to hear that for those of us already with EHCPs that we are protected,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the support that enables her son to receive the education he deserves.
Experts have voiced concerns about the current state of the SEND system. Luke Sibieta from the Institute for Fiscal Studies referred to the situation as the “worst of all worlds,” highlighting the increasing number of EHCPs and associated costs without improvements in quality for children. Sibieta noted, “Unfortunately, we still have a system that is characterised by conflict, by fight, but also by really patchy levels of quality.”
The latest data from the Department for Education (DfE) indicates that the disadvantage gap index for Year 11 students currently stands at 3.92. This figure had previously dipped to a low of 3.66 during the 2019/20 academic year but has widened again in the post-pandemic period, reaching its highest point in a decade at 3.94 for the 2022/2023 academic year.
As the government prepares to unveil its comprehensive strategy, the focus will remain on ensuring a fairer educational landscape for all students in England. The forthcoming Schools White Paper is expected to clarify how these ambitious goals can be achieved and the necessary measures for their implementation.
