More SEND pupils may be taught in mainstream schools

More pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Wolverhampton could be taught in mainstream settings, under plans being considered by the city council.

Identifying their needs earlier and offering better access to specialist support are among reforms being looked at in a draft SEND and Inclusion Strategy for 2027- 2029.

A six-week public consultation over the plans, drawn up in partnership with education providers, health services, parents and carers, has started.

Rosemary Ward, whose three children have support at a unit within a primary school, said she backed a move to mainstream schooling, but hoped teachers would get better training to support pupils.

The council said the reforms it was setting out would see a shift "towards earlier identification and intervention, stronger inclusion in mainstream settings, and better access to specialist support".

"The reforms will also expand local provision and build capacity within mainstream schools, helping reduce reliance on high cost independent and out-of-area placements," it added.

A new Experts at Hand model - a government initiative to bring specialists directly into mainstream schools - would provide quicker access to advice and support, the council said.

The number of pupils with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has risen by more than 50% in the past five years, from 2,185 in 2021 to 3,352 in 2026.

EHCPs are legal documents that identify a pupil's needs and set out what support they should receive, with local authorities responsible for ensuring EHCPs are followed.

Ward, whose children attend Springdale Primary School in Penn, said it took some time for her son to get an EHCP and she wanted more teachers in mainstream schools to have better training to help pupils while plans were arranged.

Earlier this year, the council said the school's SEND service was to be expanded from the September term through £500,000 in funding.

Ward said she had good communication with her school.

"I think it's just because of having three children and their needs are so different. I'm in there quite a lot talking to the teachers and trying to help them," she said.

"If this was to happen, and they increased more SEND children at mainstream settings, they just need teachers that are trained so that children that can't get EHCPs as easy as my oldest two, for example, they won't be left out and feel not included."

The consultation will include workshops and feedback sessions, the council said.

"The All Means All Inclusion Plan has been developed by the city's SEND Partnership Board and is all about making sure children and young people with SEND can access the right support at the right time, as close to home as possible, helping them to be safe and thrive," councillor Jacqui Coogan said.

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