The Sector Asked for Reform: Now Let’s Get Behind it

Every day, further education colleges deliver exceptional SEND provision. Skilled staff and strong partnerships transform the lives of young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

However, those of us working in FE SEND know that the wider system around this provision is under strain. While practice in colleges is often excellent, the overall framework has become too complex and inconsistent to reliably support the outcomes we want to see for our learners. We understand the frustration that families feel when provision varies between areas, and we see the negative impact of delays and funding uncertainty.

This is why the publication of the SEND Review and White Paper by the Department for Education is such an important moment. There is clear consensus in the sector that proper reform is needed, rather than the ‘fixing round the edges’ which we have seen so many times before.

Encouragingly, there is no fundamental disagreement about the direction of travel. There is cross-party agreement that the current system is overwhelmed. Families need greater confidence and transparency, providers need more funding and Local Authorities need a framework that is financially and operationally sustainable.

Welcome Ambitions, Unanswered Questions

The SEND Review acknowledges these realities and opens the door to doing things differently – which I see as a welcome position. Much consultation has been done up to this point, with the DfE showing continued willingness to listen.

The SEND Review sets out ambitions for greater national consistency, clearer standards, and earlier support. These are not new aspirations; they reflect what many of us in the sector have been calling for over time and have stated in the many consultation documents.

Of course, there are many unanswered questions and concerns arising from this week’s proposals. For example, will the extra funding be enough? Will ISPs mean extra workload for colleges and schools? And will all children continue to get access to the support they need if there are fewer EHCPs? How will complex needs be defined? The truth is that we don’t yet know. But the important thing now is that, as a sector, we get behind the reforms to effect the positive change that is desperately needed.

Reform on this scale is complex. There will be elements that need refining as they are tested out in practice. But this strengthens, rather than weakens, the case for collective engagement. The consultation process offers a vital platform for the sector’s voice.

Colleges work with young people at a critical stage of transition to adulthood, supporting independence and employability alongside academic progress. The sector’s experience of delivering high-quality SEND provision in diverse communities will be crucial in ensuring the reforms are workable and equitable. By engaging fully with the consultation and feeding back on practical implications, colleges can help shape a longer-term, sustainable plan.

Colleges Are Well Placed to Lead the Way

At LSEC, we feel well-prepared for the reforms, having always taken a ‘whole college approach’ to SEND. We support more than 800 learners with EHCPs, the majority of whom successfully access mainstream provision. This is achieved through structured transition pathways from our own Trust schools and other local providers. We take a universal approach to SEND – every teacher should be a SEND teacher – and have developed bespoke CPD programmes to embed this. We also provide specialist pathways via our discrete Nido Volans SEND provision – enabling us to meet a wide range of complex needs to ensure that every young person is equipped with the skills they need to progress and live a fulfilling life.

A key part of making reform successful will be clarity. Clear guidelines, consistent expectations, and transparent funding mechanisms will be essential if we are to achieve national consistency. Colleges are well placed to articulate how guidance can translate into real-world delivery. Our experience can help ensure that new standards are meaningful in practice.

We must recognise that reform is a journey. The DfE’s longer-term approach, with built-in review stages, is welcome, as it will allow the system to evolve through evidence and feedback. Colleges are brilliant collaborators. We work closely with local authorities, employers, learners, communities, agencies and schools – which are very partnerships that will support successful implementation of new policy.

Colleges should feel confident in stepping forward, not because they are being asked to defend change, but because we have so much to contribute to making it work. The sector has been clear that reform is needed, and now we have the opportunity to shape it.

By engaging positively with the consultation and committing to long-term partnership, we can help build a more consistent SEND system that truly supports young people as they prepare for adulthood. This is a genuine opportunity to strengthen the framework around the excellent work colleges already deliver – and to make a real difference to the young people and adults we serve.

By Asfa Sohail, Deputy CEO and Executive Principal, London South East Colleges