10% decline of Disabled pupils with SEN attending mainstream schools

10% decline of Disabled pupils with SEN attending mainstream schools is a shocking indictment of the Government’s lack of commitment to human rights. General Election press release.

Leading disability education charity, the Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE) is calling for political parties to support the human right of Disabled pupils to an inclusive education and put a stop to the flood of Disabled pupils with SEN disappearing from mainstream education. The Department for Education has just released their SEN statistics showing a stark decline of Disabled pupils with SEN on the roll of mainstream schools. Over the seven years of Conservative Party rule, there has been around a 10% decline of Disabled pupils with SEN attending mainstream school – the majority of pupils with high needs are now on the roll of special schools.

ALLFIE wants the political parties to consider the high price that will be paid by Disabled pupils of increased selective and segregated education coupled with a drop in SEN support funding in mainstream. Earlier this year the LGA warned the political parties that school funding levels will not be sufficient to meet all aspects of Local Authority statutory duties.

When the state is paying up to £250,000 for residential special school placements, clearly decisions are not based on cost effectiveness. The Department for Education and Local Authorities are clearly willing to withhold resources from local services whilst spending vast sums on residential special education placements. It is also clear that the Government’s 2010 ideology of a ‘bias towards inclusion’ continues to be at the heart of their funding and policy decisions. ALLFIE is therefore calling on each of the political parties to support our two General Election asks:

• Commit to the full implementation of Disabled pupils’ and students’ human right to mainstream education under UNCRPD Article 24 and the Children and Families Act 2014.
• Commit to the full funding of a universal inclusive education system that will include the support Disabled pupils and students need to flourish in mainstream education.

ALLFIE’s Director, Tara Flood said

“the UK Government is clearly happy to repeatedly breach its global obligation to protect Disabled people’s human rights at a time when human rights, equality and inclusion should be at the heart of everything this country stands for – it is an absolute scandal that Disabled pupils are being denied their right to thrive in mainstream”.

For more information please contact: Tara Flood – 07932750667 or Simone Aspis – 07467797 453

ENDS

Editors Notes

For information about ALLFIE and our General Election’s campaign work

Department for Education Statements of SEN and EHC plans : England 2017

Department for Education Statements of SEN and EHC plans : England 2016