Source · National Audit Office

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in England

Published: 11 Sep 2019 Recommendations: 7 Type: Value for Money NAO confirmed: 7 Department: Department for Education

This report assesses how well pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are being supported.

Dept: Department for Education Topics: Childcare and children's servicesCommercial and financial managementEducation, training and skillsFinancial sustainabilityLocal service deliveryLocal services and housing nao.org.uk →

Recommendations

7 items

4 accepted 3 partially accepted 2 implemented 2 in progress

Rec	Recommendation	Addressee	Acceptance	Implementation
1	The Department should prepare for the next full Spending Review by making an evidence-based assessment of how much it would cost to provide the system for supporting pupils with SEND created by the 2014 reforms. It should use this assessment to determine whether the system is affordable, and to inform its funding and spending plans. Ref Page 12, point a · Implemented 03/2022	Department for Education	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
2	The Department should set quantified goals, for 2020-21 onwards, including outcome measures such as metrics relating to preparing young people for adulthood, to make clear what level of performance would constitute success for the support provided for pupils with SEND. It should put in place mechanisms to collect the data needed to assess progress against these measures, including tracking long-term outcomes. Ref Page 12, point b · Implemented 08/2026	Department for Education	Partially accepted	In progress ✓ NAO
3	The Department should review the incentives in the funding arrangements and the accountability system, and make changes that encourage and support mainstream schools to be more inclusive in terms of admitting, retaining and meeting the needs of pupils with SEND, whether they have EHC plans or require other support. Ref Page 12, point c · Implemented Awaiting opportunity	Department for Education	Accepted	Not relevant ✓ NAO
4	The Department should identify and share good practice on how mainstream schools can effectively meet the needs of those pupils with SEND who do not have EHC plans. Ref Page 12, point d · Implemented 08/2026	Department for Education	Accepted	In progress ✓ NAO
5	The Department should set out publicly the circumstances under which it considers public money should be used to pay for independent provision for pupils with SEND. The aim should be for the amount that local authorities pay for independent provision to be comparable with the amount paid for state provision for children with similar needs, unless there is a good reason for paying more. Ref Page 12, point e · Implemented Awaiting opportunity	Department for Education	Partially accepted	Not relevant ✓ NAO
6	The Department should work with Ofsted to identify what more can be done to make inspections of mainstream schools, in particular short inspections, provide more assurance specifically about SEND provision that is easily accessible and clear to parents Ref Page 12, point f · Implemented 09/2019	Department for Education	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
7	The Department should more robustly investigate the reasons for local variations, drawing on the data available and supported by its specialist advisers and NHS England, and establish the extent to which the variations can reasonably be explained. It should challenge local areas that are outliers in respect of measures such as the proportion of pupils with EHC plans and use of high-cost provision, in order to reduce unnecessary variation, increase confidence in the fairness of the system, identify good practice and promote improvement. Ref Page 12, point g · Implemented Awaiting opportunity	Department for Education	Partially accepted	Not relevant ✓ NAO