Teachers should receive compulsory training on child development and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to tackle widespread inconsistencies in support, a new report has urged.
The Education Policy Institute (EPI) has found evidence of a “SEND lottery” in schools across England, with major disparities in how children with SEND are identified and supported.
The report states that gaps in teacher training, fragmented school systems, and language barriers mean many children are being missed.
Researchers analysed data from primary and secondary schools to uncover which children were most at risk of slipping through the cracks.
The findings reveal that:
• Pupils attending academies, or living in highly academised areas, are less likely to be identified as having SEND
• Children who move schools frequently or have high absence rates are less likely to receive a SEND diagnosis
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language also face reduced chances of being recognised as having SEND
Jo Hutchinson, director for SEND and additional needs at the EPI, said: “Our research has confirmed the long-suspected SEND lottery in schools.
“Children who are frequently absent, move schools, or live in heavily academised areas are at an elevated risk of missing out on vital support.”
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The report also highlights that girls with emotional disorders and children from disadvantaged backgrounds in high-deprivation areas are at risk of being overlooked.
The EPI is calling for teacher training on SEND and child development to be made obligatory in initial teacher training, early career development, and ongoing professional development.
Researchers say improved training would help reduce the huge variation in how schools identify, and support SEND students.
They are also urging further investigation into inconsistencies in SEND assessments across schools.
Arooj Shah, chair of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) children and young people board, is calling for reforms.
“It is vital that the government sets out its plans for reforming the SEND system in the upcoming spending review,” she said.
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Ms Shah added that boosting inclusion in mainstream schools should be a key priority, along with ensuring that schools, early years settings, and colleges have the capacity and expertise to support SEND children.
The LGA is also calling for a new national SEND framework and the creation of Local Inclusion Partnerships to improve coordination between schools, councils, and healthcare providers.
With thousands of children missing out on vital support, campaigners say it is time for action.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “That there is clear evidence of a postcode lottery in SEND support is no surprise to us.
“For some years it has been clear that where many academy schools were refusing admissions of SEND students and suggesting ‘needs could be met better elsewhere’.
“The choice of school and educational opportunity for these students was being denied. It is good to see this being highlighted and we want to see the government urgently looking into the reasons why.”
