Portsmouth MPs Stephen Morgan and Amanda Martin have said a better SEND system is possible following a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Roundtable event with local people.
The sold-out event brought together Portsmouth parents, carers, educators and local organisations to discuss how we can build a SEND system that truly works for every child.
Taking place at St George’s Church, the roundtable got local people to share their views on how they would like to see Government investment spent as well as what principles should underpin any reforms.
The Labour government has kickstarted engagement on plans to help more pupils with SEND have their needs met in local schools.
This Roundtable discussion will feed into these new plans to modernise the education system so that inclusion is at the very heart, and that every local school is able to meet children’s needs.
This follows a £740 million cash injection from the Labour government last year, used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, and to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support, adapted to suit pupils’ needs.
As well as funding, the Government has also announced a new “Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group” to bring together charities, campaigners, experts and academics to drive support for neurodivergent children in mainstream education and spread understanding of what good practice looks like.
The MPs intervention comes as the current SEND system is failing children, harming their life chances. In 2023, only 20% of pupils with SEND were meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of primary school.
Conservative Shadow Ministers have themselves admitted that they ‘did not do enough on SEND and as a result they should ‘hang [their] heads in shame’.
In a damning indictment of the SEND system they left behind, the previous Conservative Education Secretary labelled the system as ‘lose, lose, lose’.
Commenting on the roundtable, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“It is clear from speaking to parents, carers and schools across Portsmouth that the current SEND system is broken, failing families and failing children. That’s why I’m delighted that this Labour government is tackling the SEND crisis head on.
“It was wonderful to meet with Portsmouth people to hear how we can get our vision of inclusive education right.
“This reform is a key pillar in our Plan for Change to ensure every child gets the best start in life.”
Commenting on the roundtable, Portsmouth North MP Amanda Martin said:
“It was a real privilege to host over 100 local parents, carers, teachers and headteachers yesterday to discuss the future of SEND support in Portsmouth. The passion and insight shared made it clear: families are crying out for a system that works, one where children’s needs are understood and met without a fight.
“That’s why I’m proud to support Labour’s mission to reset our education system with inclusion at its heart. As a former teacher in our city, I know we are beginning to transform local classrooms, but it’s conversations like the one we had here in Portsmouth that will shape the next steps of reform.
“Families in our city deserve better and this government is finally listening. The views shared at our event will be fed directly into the Department for Education to help build a system where every child, whatever their needs, can achieve and thrive.”
Bridget Phillipson MP, Labour’s Secretary of State for Education, said:
“Children have been let down for far too long by a system that is in crisis.
“My commitment to reform is steadfast. Inclusion should be at the heart of everything we do so that every child, no matter their background, can achieve and thrive.
“I’m delighted that teachers and parents alike are putting their fingerprints on our plans for reform so that we can break down the barriers to opportunity for all children.”
