A YORK MP has called for urgent changes to the support system for children with special education needs (SEN).

Julian Sturdy, MP for York Outer, stood in the House of Commons on Wednesday and called for a change in policy to the current system that helps support children with SEN in schools.

Mr Sturdy opened the debate by highlighting the disparity that still exists in outcomes between pupils with SEN and their non-SEN peers.

He urged the Government to reconsider the role of coursework in the assessment process, which has been abolished in certain courses, in order to level the playing field for pupils with special needs, saying the current exam system often does not provide a fair opportunity to do true justice to their abilities.

Whist praising the role of teachers and SEN coordinators in schools, Mr Sturdy argued that the Government should seek to support early intervention as well as the integration of SEN pupils into mainstream schools by providing the appropriate training for teachers to deal with a range of special needs that they are likely to encounter.

He further highlighted the strains that the SEN funding system is coming under. Currently, schools are obliged to cover the first £6000 worth of funding per pupil, despite not receiving a ring-fenced per pupil budget from the Government. Mr Sturdy said this system resulted in perverse incentives for schools to not proactively identify children with SEN, due to the financial consequences on strained budgets.

Whilst welcoming the support offered by education, health and care plans (EHCP) for children with the most complex needs, he reiterated the concerns of local authorities that the budget is largely committed to funding EHCPs, leaving little left to support the 80 percent of children and young adults with SEN who do not qualify for the plans.

Afterwards, Mr Sturdy said: “I organised this debate after being contacted by numerous constituents who expressed concern about the support available for their children.

“In particular there is deep frustration about the all or nothing approach that results from the EHCP system. I very much welcome the certainty and tailored support that these plans provide, however for many parents, applying for an EHCP can be a frustrating process and those children with complex needs can often be left without the support that they need if they just miss out on qualifying.

"I called on the Government to rethink the system to ensure an appropriate level of support for all pupils with SEN. The Government should be mindful of SEN when forming education policy, so that resources can be directed into early intervention. I received a positive response from the Minister regarding the Government’s plans for initial teacher training and their announcement of an additional £30 million for the training of Educational Psychologists.”