In the heart of west London, All Saints Catholic College is championing a classroom model that, while seemingly innovative, exposes the systemic failures of a government more committed to bureaucratic labels than effective solutions. The Bethlehem unit, designed for just eight pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), epitomizes the government's misguided push towards integrating children with specific educational needs into mainstream schools—an approach that risks diluting standards and overburdening already stretched classrooms.
Supported by the state's misguided belief that individualised learning can be achieved through small specialist units within mainstream schools, the Bethlehem model offers a temporary façade of progress. Yet, this approach glosses over the deeper issue: the chaotic underfunding and poor resource allocation plaguing our SEN system. While some schools like All Saints put on a brave face, the reality is that with record numbers of children with EHCPs—nearly half a million—local authorities are drowning in a £5 billion shortfall. Despite this, ministers continue to promote policies that push children, particularly those with complex needs, into mainstream environments ill-equipped to support them.
This reliance on private providers, where costs soar to nearly three times higher than in state-funded schools—averaging £62,000 a year per pupil—reveals a government disillusioned with its own failed policies. The increasing dependence on costly private placements underscores systemic underfunding and the inability of the public sector to meet demand. Parents caught in this setup face a postcode lottery: inconsistent access, delays in receiving support, and schools stretched to breaking point, further fueling dissatisfaction and burnout among teachers tasked with managing ever more complex needs.
While Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson talks about “thinking differently,” little tangible action has been taken to address the crumbling foundation of SEN funding and resources. The government’s focus on integrating SEND into mainstream education—rather than fixing the root problems—is a symptomatic failure that will only serve to complicate matters further. The proposed reforms, including plans to phase out traditional EHCPs in favor of broader integration, risk ignoring the diversity of needs unless backed by substantial investment and targeted support.
The Bethlehem unit is, at best, a symbol of what could be achieved with proper backing—an example of how ambitious, specialist education can coexist within mainstream settings. But it is also a stark reminder that without a fundamental overhaul of the current system, children with special needs will continue to be shortchanged. Until the government recognizes that real change requires cutting through the red tape and providing adequate funding, these piecemeal initiatives will fail to deliver lasting improvements. The hope for reform lies in honest assessment, not in superficial models that merely paper over a crumbling system.
Source: Noah Wire Services