Arabic version: خطط الحكومة لإصلاحات كبيرة للطلاب المحرومين في إنجلترا
The government says it plans to halve the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers in England by the time children born in this Parliament finish secondary school. This initiative is expected to be part of a new Schools White Paper, which will be published in full on Monday morning. According to BBC News, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated that these reforms aim to end the ‘one-size-fits-all system’ that has denied children from disadvantaged backgrounds the same success as their peers.
The proposed reforms will focus on how schools allocate funding for disadvantaged students, with Phillipson emphasizing the opportunity to cut the link between a child’s background and their success. She remarked that the Schools White Paper would present the blueprint for opportunity for the next generation, with an education system that truly serves every child, whatever their needs and wherever in the country they grow up.
However, the reforms are expected to include significant and potentially controversial changes to support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Leaked information suggests that children’s rights to support will be reviewed as they progress through the education system. Starting in 2029, children with education, health, and care plans (EHCPs) will undergo reassessments after primary school.
Additionally, every child with identified special educational needs, even those without an EHCP, will have Individual Support Plans (ISP) created by their schools, which will have some legal status. Parents like Hannah Luxford, whose son has anxiety, express concerns about the potential impact of these changes on existing rights and support mechanisms for children currently benefiting from EHCPs.
The latest data from the Department for Education indicates that the disadvantage gap index for year 11 students has reached the highest level in a decade. The index stood at 3.94 for the 2022/2023 academic year, highlighting the urgent need for effective reforms to address educational inequalities in England.
