Letter to Secretary of State for Education about the direction of travel on the Government’s proposed reforms to SEND.
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Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this letter along with Sian Berry MP, Carla Denyer MP and Dr Ellie Chowns MP.
Dear Bridget,
We are writing to you collectively as the Green Party Members of Parliament to raise concerns about
the direction of travel on the Government’s proposed reforms to the system supporting SEND
provisions ahead of the anticipated White Paper.
This is a critical moment for children, families, and schools. It is vital that the proposed reforms do not
weaken a child’s legal right to an education that meets their needs at a time when the system is failing
to deliver for children and families. The Education Select Committee has been clear that the SEND crisis
stems from failures of delivery, capacity, and resourcing. Earlier intervention and inclusive education
are achievable within current law; weakening rights would worsen inequity and reduce families’ routes
to challenge decisions. Any reforms should seek only to strengthen provision, not dilute statutory
entitlements.
1. Long waits for diagnosis and Education, Health and Care Plans
Families consistently tell us that navigating the SEND system is one of the most distressing experiences
they face, particularly relating to unacceptable delays in diagnosis and in securing EHCPs. These delays
undermine early intervention, exacerbate children’s distress, and have lasting impacts on mental health
and educational outcomes. We are aware of cases where children have been placed in mainstream
settings despite being non-verbal because no specialist language unit places were available, and where
families must privately fund speech and language therapy (SALT) after receiving only one NHS
appointment. In other cases, delays by NHS trusts in assessments have directly prevented children from
accessing EHCPs and the support they need.
2. Insufficient support for inclusive education in mainstream schools
Government data shows that the majority of children with EHCPs are already educated in mainstream
settings. Special schools are for children with the most complex needs and should not be used as default
destinations. Many schools put support in place even before EHCPs are secured, often beyond what
resources allow. Without sufficient capacity, children who could thrive in mainstream settings with
appropriate adjustments can experience exacerbated problems and, in some cases, school avoidance.
There is also growing evidence that inadequate support for children with autism or ADHD/ADD can lead
to long-term mental health harm.
We consistently hear from teachers who are committed to inclusive practice that they lack the staff,
specialist expertise, and funding to meet the diversity of needs in the class. Teachers are operating
under intense and unsustainable pressure, with growing class sizes, rising levels of unmet need, and
insufficient specialist support. Many report expectations to deliver increasingly complex provision with
inadequate resources, contributing to burnout and low retention of teaching staff, and further
exacerbating resource pressures. This is a systemic failure, not a failure of school ethos or staff
commitment.
We are also concerned that rigid, standardised learning environments and testing create additional
barriers to inclusion. Children with SEND can show better academic and social outcomes when learning
is creative and dynamic, including through play and adaptive, relational approaches to education.
3. Shortages of suitable alternative provision and specialist places
For children whose needs cannot be met in mainstream settings, there is a serious shortage of
appropriate alternative provision and specialist placements. We are seeing prolonged periods where
children are left out of education altogether, moved repeatedly between placements that cannot meet
their needs, or placed in settings that even the schools themselves believe to be unsuitable. In some
cases, children have been out of education for a year or more, with devastating impacts on their
wellbeing and on families’ ability to work and function.
4. Financial pressures without improved outcomes
The National Audit Office has made clear that, despite increases in high-needs funding, outcomes for
children and young people with SEND have not improved consistently, and the system remains
financially unsustainable. DfE estimates that by March 2026 around 43 per cent of local authorities will
have high-needs deficits exceeding or close to their reserves, contributing to a cumulative national
deficit of up to £4.9 billion when current accounting arrangements end. This points to structural failure
and bottlenecks in assessment and provision. Bringing this liability onto national government will not
solve the problem with cost inefficiency.
5. Tokenistic engagement with families and professionals
We are concerned that recent ‘Conversations’ did not allow meaningful engagement from families or
professionals. Reform developed without genuine co-production risks repeating past mistakes and
undermining trust. Tokenistic engagement not only fails to improve policy design, but actively alienates
families and frontline staff whose expertise is essential to making reform work in practice.
6. Lack of clarity about how the reforms will improve support for all children
It remains unclear how the proposed reforms will improve the system’s ability to meet the needs of all
children and young people with SEND. The five ‘principles’ cited by Ministers are already embedded in
law and policy, so reforms should focus on making those duties work in practice, not on redesigning the
framework. Proposals that narrow eligibility for Education, Health and Care Plans or weaken routes of
redress risk excluding children whose needs are currently unmet and would undermine inclusive
education, rather than strengthening the system’s capacity to support every child to thrive.
Our requests
We ask for your clear assurance that the White Paper and associated SEND reforms will:
Address structural bottlenecks in education and health services that delay assessments
Expand and properly resource specialist and alternative provision so that no child is left without
suitable education.
Invest in workforce capacity and inclusive practice in mainstream school
Co-produce with families, children and young people, and frontline professionals.
Preserve and strengthen existing legal rights to support that meets their needs.
Retain access to SEND tribunals and effective routes of redress for families.
Prioritise full and consistent implementation of existing legal duties, including timely diagnosis,
assessment and early intervention.
We would welcome your feedback on the above suggestions which are made in good faith to support
this process. Our proposals were formulated following numerous conversations with parents and
professionals from across our four constituencies, with the sole aim of genuinely resolving the SEND
crisis while upholding the rights and wellbeing of children and young people. We believe that solving
systemic challenges with diagnoses and intervention, and with targeted investment in schools and
specialist settings, every pupil will have the support they require to thrive.
Yours sincerely,
Adrian Ramsay MP co-signed this letter along with Sian Berry MP, Carla Denyer MP and Dr Ellie Chowns MP.
Every Pair Tells a Story: The Human Cost of a Broken SEND System
10th of November 2025
Recently, I joined parents and campaigners outside Norfolk County Hall for “Every Pair Tells a Story.” The steps of County Hall were lined with rows of empty shoes, each pair representing a child who has been failed by the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system. It was a powerful sight, both moving and enraging. Behind each set of shoes was a story of a family pushed to the edge by a system that has promised help, only to deliver delay and bureaucracy.
Standing there, surrounded by those empty shoes, I felt a mix of grief and rage at how badly these children have been let down. The SEND crisis is not new. It is not unforeseen. It has been warned about for years, reported on repeatedly. Yet still, children are waiting months or even years for assessments. Schools are still expected to cope with too little funding and too few resources. Still, parents are forced into legal battles to secure the basic support their child is entitled to by law.
Every one of those shoes told a story that should send a powerful message to those in power. A story of a child denied an Education, Health and Care Plan because of a stretched budget. A story of a pupil struggling without the proper support, then ending up out of school. A story of parents taking time off work, fighting bureaucracy to get their child what the system is supposed to provide. These are not statistics. They are children. And they deserve better.
Like many MPs, children who have been let down by the SEND system form a big part of my caseload, and I do everything I can to advocate for them. But the truth is that there are major systemic issues that need addressing in order for the situation to change.
What makes this situation so maddening is that the failures are systemic, predictable, and could be resolved with genuine political will. Successive governments have known for years that SEND provision is collapsing under the weight of rising demand and inadequate funding. Councils like Norfolk and Suffolk have pleaded for fairer settlements and better guidance, while schools juggle impossible workloads and overstretched budgets. The result is a system built on goodwill and desperation, where families are expected to do the heavy lifting while ministers debate policy papers and budgets.
The anger among parents is not misplaced. They are not asking for special treatment. All they are asking is that the system meet its legal responsibilities. The Children and Families Act 2014 was supposed to guarantee that children with additional needs would receive coordinated, timely, and appropriate support. More than a decade later, for many, those guarantees exist only on paper. Families are left chasing paperwork, fighting for appeals, and explaining their child’s condition again and again to a carousel of professionals who often lack the resources or authority to act.
It is time for the Government at all levels to stop making excuses and start delivering change. This means urgent investment in early intervention, proper funding for Education, Health and Care Plans, and genuine accountability when councils fail to meet their legal duties. It means ensuring schools have the specialist staff and resources to meet children’s needs and that teachers receive the support and training needed to enable far more children to thrive in mainstream schools. And for those children for whom a mainstream school is not the right setting, we need adequate spaces in alternative provision schools. At its core, we need a system that treats parents as partners, not adversaries, and children as real people whose right to proper support is non-negotiable.
Norfolk and Suffolk’s children deserve better than being represented by empty shoes on cold concrete. They deserve classrooms that welcome them, schools that have the resources to help them, and councils that see them as individuals rather than numbers on a spreadsheet. I will keep pressing both the Government and county councils to deliver the reforms and funding that are long overdue.
Every Pair Tells a Story
3rd of November 2025
I was pleased to stand with families at Every Pair Tells a Story outside Norfolk County Hall this morning. Seeing those empty shoes lined up was infuriating, because each one represents a child who has been failed by a system that should protect and support them. We cannot allow these stories to continue. Norfolk and Suffolk's children deserve better, and I will keep pressing both the government and our County Councils to deliver the changes needed to ensure every child gets the support and school place they need.
Letter to the Secretary of State for Education on school funding
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The Right Honourable Bridget Phillipson MP
Secretary of State for Education
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BTOur Ref: AR03094
23 April 2025
Dear Secretary of State,
I am writing to express my concerns about the inadequate level of funding available for schools in my constituency. I request that the Government explores options to increase that funding and to ensure that pupils in my constituency are able to access the education that they need and deserve. I would particularly like to highlight the following issues which are particularly affecting rural schools in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Real-Term Budget Reductions:
Ongoing economic challenges and rising inflation have increased operational costs, while funding has not kept pace. Schools are struggling to maintain the same level of educational provision with reduced resources. While national pay rises for staff are to be welcomed, the fact that they have been only partly funded by government is putting further pressure on school budgets, resulting in a reduced staffing model, larger class sizes, and diminished support for students. Schools are facing difficult decisionsabout staffing levels, redundancies, and service reductions along with the concomitant impact on staff wellbeing and morale.
Lack of Capital Spending on Physical Infrastructure:
School buildings are increasingly difficult to maintain as they age. They require substantial maintenance and repair, but there is insufficient capital investment to address these needs. I am aware of one school which has a leaking science block roof. This has been a health and safety risk while negatively impacting lesson delivery and student morale. Additionally, rising energy costs are placing further strain on school budgets and aging heating systems are leaving pupils cold during some lessons. Adequate funding for critical maintenance and repairs is essential to ensure that students can learn in a safe, secure, and comfortable environment.
Insufficient SEND funding:
Schools have seen a significant rise in the number of students with special educational needs, but the funding allocated for SEND support has not kept pace with the growing demand. This shortfall hinders the ability of a school to provide appropriate staffing, resources, and specialized interventions. Without sufficient funding, schools in rural areas like the Waveney Valley struggle to secure the expertise and support that every child with SEND deserves.
Reduction of Support Services and Increased Waiting Times:
Vulnerable students requiring support services such as CAMHS and SEN assessments are facing extended waiting times, negatively impacting their education and well-being. Meanwhile, the number of students requiring Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) has risen, but funding for SEND support has not increased accordingly. Local authorities are struggling to meet their statutory obligations, leaving schools to supplement inadequate SEND funding from their core budgets, which is simply not sustainable. While the focus is rightly on supporting children to be in mainstream schools as far as possible, this situation is compounded by a lack of alternative provision for those students for whom the traditional classroom environment is not beneficial.
In summary, schools in Waveney Valley need increased capital funding to repair and upgrade their aging buildings, additional SEND funding and specialized support services so that all learners, regardless of their needs, have fair access to education, and improved alternative provision. Meanwhile, core budgets for staffing and operational costs need to be protected to ensure that the basic needs of pupils can be met.
I hope you will consider these points carefully and expand funding for rural schools.
Yours sincerely,
Adrian Ramsay MP
Member of Parliament for Waveney Valley
The crisis in SEND provision in East Anglia
In my constituency surgeries, I meet people who are often at the end of their tether and have reached out to me because they don’t know where else to turn. Many of their stories are heart-rending and some of the most powerful, and most frequent, are the ones from parents who have children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). When they turn to the “system” for help, they often find they’re on their own.
In my constituency surgeries, I meet people who are often at the end of their tether and have reached out to me because they don’t know where else to turn.
Many of their stories are heart-rending and some of the most powerful, and most frequent, are the ones from parents who have children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). When they turn to the “system” for help, they often find they’re on their own.
Let me tell you about one parent. Her young child has what’s known as an EHCP, a document which sets out the educational, health and care plan the child needs because of their disabilities or a long-term illness. Her child couldn’t go to a mainstream primary school after leaving nursery but there were no places available at special needs schools. After a long period at home, the family were told there wouldn’t be a place until 2025.
Her son desperately missed being with other children and his mum had had to give up work for care for him. The lack of a special school place put enormous stress on other members of the family. Trying to navigate the system was bad enough, she said, but even worse was the “not knowing” and feeling that when she reached out for support, there was almost none there.
Even an educational psychologist who is used to navigating the relevant systems told me she struggled to get a place for her child in a suitable school and when one was offered, it was many miles from her home in a rural village.
It’s common for families to wait two years or more for an assessment of their child’s needs, whatever their age even though, by law, the process is supposed to take no more than 20 weeks. And specialist services can only be accessed once the child has been assessed and issued with that all-important EHCP which can take another year.
While the family are waiting, over-stretched teachers are struggling to support a child who has complex needs but they can’t get specialist services to help them because there isn’t yet an EHCP.
Families who are struggling are at the sharp end of this crisis. And the need is rocketing. Many of my fellow Norfolk and Suffolk MPs tell me they’re also seeing a huge caseload of SEND cases. Along with many of them, I spoke in a debate at Westminster last week about SEND provision in the East of England. And that was the eleventh debate on SEND education in Parliament just this year. That is how critical this issue has become.
I know from my discussions with Suffolk County Council leaders that they are worried about the sharp increase in cases involving children with special needs and disabilities. They’ve gone up by over 60 percent in the last two years, putting huge pressure on resources.
Norfolk County Council is spending nearly £50 million a year taking pupils with special educational needs to school, inside and outside the county. That’s not money for their education, it’s just for getting the children to school, often travelling quite long distances.
An Ofsted report late last year into Suffolk’s SEND provision said children got “lost in the system and (fell) through the cracks.” That’s certainly been the experience of some of my constituents. Six months after that Ofsted report, and despite Suffolk saying they’d find the money to turn around the service, parents were still saying the Council wasn’t acting on their concerns or dealing with their complaints.
The head of Suffolk’s SEND services highlight that they need more staff to help it improve, particularly more education psychologists who can assess a child’s needs. Speeding up the assessment process is vital.
But we also need more places for special needs children in our area, either in specialist schools or units within mainstream schools. And the system needs to be streamlined so parents find it much easier to navigate.
The Government is promising extra funding for special education, with about £13 million going to local authorities in the East of England. I hope there will be funding too for better access to mental health and other support, whether that’s for speech and language delay or ADHD.
Parents should have confidence that government and local authorities are there for them and able to provide the services their children need. They don’t feel that at the moment, and that has to change.
Adrian Ramsay MP