Nearly every principal of an elementary school has mentioned that they struggle to accommodate all their students with special needs, warning about this issue.
Labour
‘s
VAT
raid on private education.
A quick survey of 750 principals in the public primary school system revealed that 98 percent lack the necessary resources to cater to all their students with special needs.
Moreover, eight out of ten — 82 percent — mentioned that these students are placed in regular classrooms due to the lack of space in specialized facilities.
The survey conducted by the NAHT union has come at a time when there are concerns that Labour’s proposed VAT on private school fees might push students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) into the public education system.
A lot of families with children who have special educational needs and disabilities mention that they transferred their kid to a private school due to inadequate support, but they aren’t wealthy enough to afford the additional 20 percent tax.
A representative from the parent organization Education Not Taxation stated: “The worries expressed by the NAHT mirror the real-life experiences of countless parents and children nationwide.”
‘One out of every five students in private schools requires one or more special educational services.’
‘A lot of these kids transferred to those schools as the state schools were unable to fulfill their requirements, even with their utmost effort.’
‘ Labour’s suggested education levy might push students with special educational needs and disabilities out of independent schools and into overburdened state institutions, thereby deteriorating education quality for everyone.’
The survey, unveiled during the NAHT’s yearly gathering in Harrogate, revealed that 94 percent of headteachers stated catering to the requirements of SEND students has become more challenging compared to the previous year.
A participant mentioned that the SEND funding in the state sector was ‘abysmal,’ while another stated that the insufficient resources are ‘harmful’ to every student’s education.
One-third mentioned: “The staff must handle highly challenging and tense scenarios in class with insufficient support, specialized assistance, or resources while also catering to the requirements of all the other students.”
A significant number of children who are integrated into regular classrooms have an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) outlining special requirements; however, suitable placements for these needs do not exist for them.
Paul Whiteman, the general secretary, stated: “Far too many educational institutions are home to students who require specialized assistance.”
‘The school heads are vexed as they cannot entirely address the requirements of the students under their charge, and we understand that numerous parents share this frustration.’
This follows a High Court hearing last month which disclosed that Labour contemplated excluding the 100,000 SEND students in independent schools from their taxation plan but ultimately determined that doing so would be too costly for the Treasury.
Students with EHCP plans are excluded, but these constitute merely a minority among those with SEND requirements.
A government representative stated: “Less than 0.1 percent of students are anticipated to switch schools this year due to the removal of tax benefits for private institutions, which is significantly lower compared to more than a million empty seats available in educational facilities nationwide.”
‘Cancelling tax exemptions for private institutions could boost funding for public education, potentially generating an additional £1.8 billion annually by 2030.’
‘Students with the highest needs, such as those in private institutions because of their Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), will not be affected by this policy. Efforts have already started to restore families’ trust in and revamp the deficient SEND system we took over.’
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