The SEND Crisis: A Head Teacher's Perspective

The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) crisis in England and Wales has reached a breaking point. As a retired headteacher, I now feel able to speak openly about the immense pressure school leaders and Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) face in an education system that is failing its most vulnerable children.

Everyone enters the teaching profession with an unwavering desire to help every child…and, for me, this became even stronger as I entered headship. I naively thought that now I was ‘in charge’, I could initiate the changes and put the provisions in place to help every child in my school. Sadly, how wrong I was….

In my experience as a Headteacher for 20 years, I saw first-hand the consequences of a stretched and under-resourced SEND system. Although the idea of inclusive education has been touted for decades and is right in so many ways, the situation on the ground is quite the opposite. Schools are often called upon to meet the needs of children who face complex and diverse challenges, but the resources to do so are grossly insufficient.

The Weight of Unmet Needs

Headteachers and SENCOs are placed in positions of immense responsibility with little to no power to solve systemic issues. We work tirelessly to support children and their families, but we are frequently met with barriers that prevent real change. Local Authority officers, constrained by funding thresholds, are often unable to allocate the limited High Needs funding desperately required to support an ever-increasing number of children. This leaves school leaders caught in a relentless cycle of advocacy and rejection, fighting for resources that simply do not exist.

The emotional toll of this cannot be overstated and the human cost incalculable. I often felt helpless, frustrated, and bereft at my inability to meet the needs of the children in my care. Watching families reach the end of their tether, desperate for support that schools could not provide, was heartbreaking. The professional boundaries imposed on us in our roles prevented us from speaking out as openly as we might have liked. But now, out of post, I feel enabled to raise awareness of this crisis. The children and families deserve better- but so do the professionals, striving to do their best each and every day.

The Bigger Picture

The latest report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), reported 15.1.25, paints a stark picture of a system in chaos. With 1.7 million children identified as having SEND in England and 576,000 requiring an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the demand for support is staggering. The rise in EHCPs—up by 140% over the past decade—has overwhelmed Local Authorities and schools alike.

Parents who turn to the system for help for their children face a chaotic, inconsistent and inequitable system that has been termed a 'postcode lottery'. This means many councils do not meet the legal timeframes to deliver EHCPs within 20 weeks, often resulting in children missing out on the required support. Local Authorities are financially at breaking point, with a predicted 40% going bankrupt when the current deficit-management scheme ends in 2026.

The Impact on Schools

For schools, the strain is relentless. Leaders are expected to champion their schools to be more inclusive, yet HM Government has not clearly defined what inclusive education looks like or provided adequate funding to achieve it. Many schools lack the resources to adapt buildings, train staff, or implement tailored interventions. As a result, the burden falls on overworked SENCOs and teaching staff who already operate under significant pressure, with school leaders under further pressure to reduce workloads and manage the health & well-being of stressed-out staff.

This, coupled with a shortage of specialist places, makes it worse. Families often must travel for hours to get to suitable schools, and mainstream settings cannot manage the competing demands of SEND pupils alongside their peers. This creates a situation where no one’s needs get fully met, creating frustration and resentment among staff, pupils and families. Certainly, in the area where I worked, there was a desperate need for more special school placements, but HM Government had removed the ability to build new schools.

A Call for Urgent Reform

We must heed the PAC’s recommendations for urgent reform. A definition of inclusive education, with the means to implement it, must be given by HM Government. This means enough funding, better data collection, and a clear, costed plan to tackle the disparities and waiting lists. The voices of headteachers, SENCOs and families should be front and centre, so reforms reflect the classroom realities.

As a headteacher, I believed in the potential of every child to thrive with the right support. But belief alone is not enough. Without systemic change, we risk failing a generation of children who deserve better. It is time for central government to match the gravity of the situation with meaningful action. Schools cannot shoulder this burden alone, and until the system is fixed, the pressure on leaders and educators will remain unrelenting.

Let this serve as a wake-up call. The SEND crisis is not just an issue for parents or teachers; it is a national emergency. Addressing it demands commitment and the capacity to hear those who stand on the front lines. Only then will we build an education system that leaves no child behind.

Sara Spinks

SSS Author & Former Headteacher

20 January 2025