SEN units
Find out more about the issues, what Contact is calling for, and download findings from our focus groups.
Some mainstream schools in England have specialist units or resource bases that provide extra support to children with special educational needs (SEN).
The government has been clear in its intention to increase the number of SEN units and resource bases. This is reflected in stated policy aims and significant funding commitments. A £740 million High Needs Provision Capital Allocation is intended to support the creation of 10,000 new SEN places and specialist facilities within mainstream schools.
Experiences of units and resources
Calls to our helpline suggests these units vary dramatically from one school to another.
When specialist units and resource bases work well, they enable inclusion. Their success depends on how well they are resourced, as well as how well they interact with the wider school. It’s important that they are staffed by those who have appropriate teaching qualifications.
Recently, many local authorities have increased the number of specialist units in mainstream schools without any government guidance. This has led to a postcode lottery in the quality of teaching, specialist support and inclusive practices.
We conducted a series of focus groups to further capture the experience of parent carers of children who either currently attend a unit or base or have done in the past. We also wanted to hear from parents who have considered this type of placement for their child.
The discussions revealed significant inconsistency in how these units operate, particularly regarding inclusion but also in the support they offer. Parent’s experience of the support in units and bases varied widely: from well-resourced, flexible provision to underfunded hubs without qualified teachers or adequate therapy input.
To find out more about Contact’s findings, read the full write up of the findings from the focus groups.
What Contact is calling for
We’d like to see clear guidance for specialist units to ensure they are appropriately funded, staffed and founded on the principle of inclusion. They must respect and protect every child’s right to a mainstream education, while not replacing the role of special schools.
Done well, specialist units have the potential for more young people to feel included in their local school community. Increasing them without suitable regulations or guidance could lead to them being entirely separate in teaching and location from the mainstream school, segregating pupils with SEN.
