WIREDGOV

Special schools and alternative provision settings are fighting an “uphill battle”, often serving children in some of the most deprived areas of the country while lacking the vital information about their needs to properly support them, the Children’s Commissioner has warned.

• Two-thirds of alternative provision leaders are concerned about the impact of poverty – with a third of settings located in England’s most deprived areas  
• Special schools and alternative provision lack vital information needed to meet pupils’ additional needs across education, health and social care – despite supporting some of the most complex children 
• Funding and staffing pressures limit support, with more than half of special schools reporting staff shortages  
• Commissioner calls for guaranteed access to specialist services for every child, embedded social care support in schools and better post-16 options to improve vulnerable pupil’ long-term outcomes 

Dame Rachel de Souza’s latest report provides, for the first time, a comprehensive national picture of resources, staffing and social challenges across state-funded special schools and alternative provision (AP) settings, like pupil referral units.  

Despite the vital and often undervalued role these schools play in supporting children with complex and varied additional needs – those with disabilities, behavioural challenges, at risk of criminal exploitation or otherwise unable to attend mainstream school – these settings are operating under mounting pressures from funding shortfalls, workforce shortages, and weak coordination with wider health and social care services.  

The recent report, Special and Alternative Provision Sector Report: The Children’s Commissioner’s School Census, builds on Dame Rachel’s previously published Children’s Plan, a state of the nation of England’s schools based on responses from around 90% of school leaders. It follows similar themes, with leaders in special schools and AP settings raising concerns about the availability and coordination of wider services in the community and the impact this has on their pupils’ lives. 

Click here for the full press release