"The hope you give parents ​is nothing short of a miracle"
[a previous client]

SEND Tribunal Direction on Bundles

Here's a video where Douglas talks about:

 "The Practice Direction On Procedure For
The Preparation Of Bundles In The Special Educational Needs And Disability
And Disability Discrimination In Schools
Jurisdictions Of The Health, Education And Social Care Chamber" 
​ ​(6m 39s) ​ 
(read the transcript below)

The UK Parliament Education Committee’s “Solving the SEND Crisis” Report – September 2025

Below, I’ve tried to summarise the key findings and implications of the recent “Solving the SEND Crisis” report, released just last week by the UK Parliament Education Committee.

This report is a response to the ongoing crisis in special educational needs and disabilities—SEND—in England.

Why Was This Inquiry Launched?
For years, families, professionals, and local authorities have highlighted serious problems: unmet needs, delayed support, fragmented services, and exclusionary practices for children and young people with SEND. This inquiry set out not to re-examine every problem, but to focus on real solutions—aiming for both immediate stability and long-term sustainability in the SEND system.

A System at Breaking Point
The Committee’s main message is clear: the existing SEND system is “no longer fit for purpose.” Too many families face battles for basic entitlements, while schools, local authorities, and health services work under impossible pressures and shortages.

Defending Children’s Rights and Inclusion
Crucially, the Committee states that answers to the crisis must not involve stripping away legal rights. Individual statutory entitlements, particularly Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), should not be revoked or diluted. Instead, the Committee calls for raising the floor—ensuring every school and setting has the baseline resources, staff, and expertise to meet needs inclusively—rather than lowering the ceiling of rights and entitlements.

Main Recommendations
Let’s break down the highlights of the Committee’s comprehensive 48-point policy proposal

1. National Standards

• The Department for Education must publish clear national standards for SEND provision. Every school would be required by law to have access to certain resources, equipment, and specialist expertise, making inclusive practice the norm everywhere.

2. Mandatory Training and Expertise

• SEND-specific qualifications should become mandatory for new headteachers. All teachers, leaders, and teaching assistants should receive continuous, practical SEND training. Importantly, at least one leader per school or multi-academy trust must have a SENCO qualification.

3. Accountability and Inspection

• Schools, local authorities, and Ofsted will be held accountable for inclusion. Inspection frameworks should reflect real pupil experience—tracking attendance, exclusion rates, outcomes, and parent satisfaction for children with SEND.specialneedsjungle+1
• SEND Tribunal outcomes—especially repeated local authority failures—will directly affect inspection ratings and trigger targeted intervention.

4. Funding Reform

• SEND funding must be directly linked to inflation and true need. The Committee proposes uprating the current £6,000 notional threshold annually and reviewing the National Funding Formula for fairness.
• Local councils facing unsustainable SEND deficits—estimated at £5 billion—may need partial bailouts.b

5. Early Intervention

• Support for children with SEND should begin the moment needs are identified—not only once an EHCP is in place. All Best Start Family Hubs should offer early SEND screening and have dedicated qualified staff.

​
6. Inclusion in Mainstream Schools

• Inclusive education is defined as not just physical integration, but real cultural and practical changes in mainstream schools, supported by appropriate funding and a strong workforce.
  

​
7. Strengthening Workforce and Specialist Services

• There is an urgent need for a joint SEND workforce plan across education, health, and social care, to address critical shortages in therapists, educational psychologists, and support staff.
• High-quality state special schools should act as “Centres of Excellence,” supporting expertise and capacity-building in other schools.

8. Retaining Statutory Entitlements and Legal Recourse

• Statutory rights, including EHCPs and access to the SEND Tribunal, must be protected.
• The powers of the Local Government Ombudsman should be extended to cover complaints about EHC plan delivery and school-based support.
• Tribunal powers should also be extended to issue binding recommendations to health services, not just education providers.

9. Health and Care Integration

• Departments for Education, Health, and Social Care must coordinate more closely. A "NICE for SEND" is proposed to set evidence-based intervention guidelines, and health services must be held equally accountable for their statutory duties.

10. Transport and Post-16 Issues

• School and college transport should be guaranteed by clear, fair criteria at all ages, not withdrawn at 16 as is often the case now.
• Replace rigid English/maths GCSE resits post-age 16 with a more flexible, three-route model.

Strengths and Limitations
Experts and charities largely welcome the Committee’s approach. They praise its defence of children’s rights, emphasis on accountability, and focus on practical solutions over quick fixes. The family voice is at the heart of the inquiry, and the recommendations reflect calls from parent groups for real change.
However, the report is school-focused and is light on detail in areas such as social care and specialist FE colleges—gaps that sector organisations hope will be addressed in future reforms.natspec+1

Will These Changes Be Implemented?
It’s important to note that while the Education Committee is highly influential, it cannot itself set government policy. Previous reports have sometimes been ignored by ministers. The new government’s reaction—and whether their upcoming white paper will adopt these recommendations—remains to be seen.

​Conclusion
The “Solving the SEND Crisis” report is a landmark document, urging the government to build a truly inclusive, well-funded, accountable system for children and young people with SEND. It calls for a culture-shift in mainstream education, robust legal protections, stronger guidance, and sustained investment—not just for now, but for the future.
If you want more detail, or to fully understand how these reforms might affect you or your family, it is essential that you read the report itself, which you can do here.

​T: 020-8349-7700 

E: [email protected]
​
Or: Make An Enquiry Online