We are pleased to see that enabling young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to thrive in further education and beyond is a key consideration in the reforms set out in the government’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper. With more than a quarter of 16–19-year-olds in further education having a learning difficulty or disability, it is critical that the proposed ‘high-quality pathways for all young people’ work for those with SEND.
The government clearly acknowledges the need for an alternative vocational qualification to T levels, which have proven too large and inflexible for some young people with SEND. We will need to look at the proposed V levels in detail to determine if they will offer the same progression pathways to higher education and employment currently provided by Level 3 BTECs for learners with SEND. The introduction of new level 1 English and maths qualifications may also prove useful for learners, including many with SEND, who require more than one academic year to successfully prepare for a GCSE resit. However, the utility of this provision will again depend on the details of its implementation.
We welcome the government’s recognition that achieving a substantial reduction in the number of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) requires better support for the over-represented cohort of young people with SEND and mental health needs. The commitment to increasing support and improving outcomes in post-16 provision is particularly encouraging, and we are keen to engage with the upcoming work led by Dame Christine Lenehan to ensure this support includes all young people with SEND, particularly those with more complex needs
It is disappointing to see that the white paper does not significantly address the cohort of young people who are working below level 2. Given that thousands of FE students, particularly those in specialist colleges, are working at entry and level 1 and are destined for employment, they are equally deserving of high-quality, well-designed qualifications. We urge the government to explore expanded powers and duties for Skills England, Strategic Authorities and employers in relation to young people with SEND. This is essential to ensure their potential to contribute to national growth, meet local and regional skills gaps, and fill vacancies is fully considered
If the government is to achieve its stated ambition that ‘no learner should be left behind’, it must embrace the full range of young people on skills-based programmes and all provider types that deliver skills provision, including specialist FE colleges. We would be very happy to work with the DfE to ensure its FE and skills reforms are fully inclusive.