The White Paper - 23 February

Too long for me to get my head round totally. But a quick skim does show some promising stuff in there. I just cant see them being able to deliver it in all the mainstream schools across the country. They'll need a lot more funding than they're currently suggesting. I also still dont understand how they're ever going to make it so that noise and crowd sensitive children are able to move around the school and access things like the dining room and break time.

Then there's also this. Which I am going to try and have a read of:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/.../The_Neurodivergence_Task_and_Finish_Group_report.pdf

I think what I'm most concerned about is the logistics of the support. It looks pretty good, but currently we can't even get through 1 EHCP per child, how on earth will we manage 3?! 

Also, the reason EHCPs are rising is because families aren't getting the required support without the legal obligation that the document supplies. The ISPs could help, I've seen great examples of effective in school support, but only if they are actually followed. If they're not, families will turn back to the legally obliged support EHCPs give, and we'll be in an even worse place than we were before.

I feel we need a major overall of mainstream schooling for schools to be able to be inclusive.

There is evidence of threupict classrooms having great success for focus, encouraging kids into school and better learning 

But what they are suggesting isn't redesigning the classroom so a better learning environment for all kids (which is what inclusion would really be)

Instead we're going to have an inclusive hub which if I've read correctly is a separate area in the school, who will decide who can use the hub or how often?

And how is it truly inclusive?

And what about learning and testing styles, I failed my GCSEs due to the exams, I just don't understand exam questions, and extra time wouldn't of helped with that 

My niece also failed her exams and she always said she didn't need more time,she needed to move, I don't see the white paper saying anything about this 

• Inclusion hubs doesn't seem the right answer to me,
• reviewing how the actual classroom can be more inclusive should be looked at 

Let's look at 

• Visual clutter within schools 
• Colour scheme throughout schools 
• Seating, remove the uncomfortable plastic/wooden chairs
• Different seating arrangements, introduced high tables so kids can stand if that's what they need 
• Round tables, instead of long tables in rows, for better collaboration 
• Remove harsh lighting 
• Quieter corner within the classroom, where an over regulated kid can sit and use a blanket etc, but still be part of the classroom and listening to the lesson 

The white paper isn't really looking at inclusiveness, it wants mainstream schools to accommodate children who are finding school environments and the way of learning and testing hard, but what they are suggesting just isn't addressing the fundamentals issues in mainstream schooling 

And making the right changes would help all children not just sen children, yet this isn't what they are doing 

Expecto_Patronum I am lost for words. What you have written should not come with an apology. I not so secretly  hope that your letter gets picked up by the media, as it is incredible.

I hope you have a pen-name that you can write under and have it published in the papers. That would be amazing.

I feel the same as you. Best wishes.

Working in SEND I am struggling with this one. I don't think the white paper has clarified anything.

They keep referring to the most complex needs but what does this mean? Does it just include those with severe medical needs? Those with very low academic ability? Does it include those with autism and ADHD that means they cannot manage a busy school? Are we about to have a load of neurodivergent kids thrown into an environment they cannot manage?

They keep throwing around the word inclusive but these hubs they are talking about setting up are likely to isolate these children. They won't be able to leave the hub as the school is too much. Having worked in both send and mainstream schools, send are far more inclusive as the kids can access the whole school.

I have concerns about the needs being regularly reviewed. Yes I can see the need to have reviews as needs can change. But what worries me is are they going to see a child coping with the support in place and go oh they're ok now we will remove that support now. This would obviously have a negative impact and the child would go back to not coping.

They also talk about more training, experts running hubs etc. Where is all this coming from? What experts are we talking about because outside of send schools there are very few experts. You would also need a range of expertise in the different send needs. Some training is absolute nonsense so who is deciding what training is going to be given.

I'm not against them not having EHCPs for all send kids. EHCPs aren't fit for purpose so do need an overhaul. I worry about the isps or whatever they're calling them not being legally binding though. I worry this will reduce parents ability to get their kids what they need.

I do not see a way that you can make mainstream truly inclusive for neurodivergent child. I think many of us here had hellish experiences of school. 

The word inclusive just seems to be used to fit whatever people want it to these days. It's lost its true meaning.

That was a much longer reply than I intended. Apologies.