Having spent more than two decades in mainstream education before moving to my current role as headteacher of a social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) specialist provision, I have witnessed first-hand the diverse needs of students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and the limitations of a one-size-fits-all approach.
So when I read Tes’ coverage on the interim Delivering Better Value (DBV) report on SEND commissioned by the Department for Education, which suggests that more than 50 per cent of special school pupils could be better off in mainstream settings, I could see both sides in the debate sparked by the report.
While I understand the desire to create a more inclusive and cost-effective education system, I believe that this report paints an overly simplistic picture and fails to acknowledge the crucial role that specialist schools play in the lives of many vulnerable pupils.
SEND: The need for special schools
Mainstream schools can undoubtedly provide excellent education for many students with SEND, but I believe there are several key reasons why specialist SEMH settings like ours remain essential.
I will use the example of a pupil to demonstrate the point.
In my mainstream setting, there was one pupil who accrued more than 15 days of suspension and whose escalating anxiety and consequent behavioural challenges had led to a cycle of exclusion and disengagement.
The solution we put in place was a resourced provision within a regular school setting, exactly like those referenced in the DfE report. But for him, this was unsuccessful and his behaviour continued to lead to the need for exclusions.
I was the one who made the case for specialist provision and then only months later I was the one greeting him at the door of the special school in which he had been enrolled. His “new” headteacher was actually his “old” one.
Personalised support
After he entered our SEMH specialist setting, his journey took a quite different turn.
While I would love to say that our meticulously designed support systems, tailored to his unique needs, meant that he flourished from day one, this would be misleading. Unlocking potential takes time, intensive bespoke support and dedication.
But slowly, over a period of weeks and months, we started to see that Lord Wilson was making a change in him, a change not possible within the constraints of a mainstream setting.
Our environment grants us the freedom to innovate beyond traditional approaches. We are eagerly exploring exciting new qualifications in fields like motor vehicle maintenance, gym instruction and esports. This expansion is in direct response to student voice and reflects our commitment to offering diverse pathways that ignite passions and develop skills relevant to each individual pupil’s aspirations in a way that is not possible in the mainstream.
Behaviour management
Pastorally, from the moment our students step out of their taxi (some travel for more than an hour to reach us), they are met with a structured and supportive environment designed to address their individual needs.
Before pupils even arrive at the school gates, our whole team meets each morning to anticipate the challenges of the day ahead. There have often been early morning email exchanges and phone calls and it is important that we respond as a “whole family” to each challenge.
Our staff are highly trained in de-escalation techniques and proactive interventions, creating a secure and predictable environment that fosters learning and growth. This includes delivering emotional regulation strategies - one of our teachers is trialling “sensory diets” - and personalised communication approaches in a way that mainstream schools, often stretched thin with limited resources and competing priorities, will, realistically, always struggle to replicate.
That’s not to say that there aren’t similarities to mainstream. We recently implemented a subject options process and mock examinations for the first time, providing our students with experiences that mirror those of their mainstream peers. We have started using FFT data to set individualised target grades and to closely track progress, ensuring that each learner receives tailored support and the appropriate level of challenge.
Curriculum approaches
But in a special school environment we are able to tailor and pivot these approaches to meet the needs of young people who have experienced complex trauma, which sometimes presents as emotional dysregulation.
It is important to emphasise that specialist SEMH schools like ours are not in competition with mainstream education. Having been a leader in both settings, I recognise that we are part of a wider SEND ecosystem, working collaboratively with mainstream schools, families and other professionals to ensure that every child receives the support they need to thrive.
I hope that the findings of the DfE serve as a catalyst for productive discussions about improving SEND provision across the system, rather than a call to dismantle specialist settings like ours that are lifelines for many vulnerable young people.
We must remember that every child is unique, and having a diverse range of educational options is essential to cater to their individual needs and help them reach their full potential.
Dr Nigel Matthias is executive headteacher at LWS Academy (formerly called Lord Wilson School) in Hampshire
