'The danger is that these changes create a loophole': head's fears over special needs education reforms
The head of a school which specialises in dyslexia has warned that the Government's shake-up of special needs education could leave vulnerable children worse off.
Daryl Brown, joint principal of Maple Hayes Hall School in Lichfield, welcomed parts of the reforms, but warned that they also carries serious risks that some pupils might fall through the gap.
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This week Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced plans to integrate more pupils with special needs and disabilities into mainstream schools, committing £4 billion over the next three years.
But Mr Brown, whose pupils are all in receipt of Education, Health and Care Plans (ECHPs), voiced concerns about proposals to phase out the programmes for all but the most complex cases over the next nine years.
The Government proposes that children in receipt of the care plans should be reassessed to see if they are still necessary, with the majority being moved to the new school-led Individual Support Plan instead.
The amount of money spent with independent specialist schools, such as Maple Hayes Hall, will also be capped, reportedly at £60,000 per year.
