We call on the Government to provide increased, ring-fenced funding for mainstream schools to employ trained Special Educational Needs (SEN) staff and provide essential resources for SEN pupils.

At present, mainstream schools are expected to meet the needs of SEN children without adequate funding or additional staff. This leaves children without the vital support they rely on, places unsustainable pressure on teachers, and risks excluding SEN pupils from fully accessing education.

Every child has the right to learn in an inclusive environment. Without proper funding, mainstream schools cannot provide the specialist teaching assistants, training, and resources necessary for SEN children to thrive.

We therefore urge the Government to:

Allocate additional funding specifically for SEN provision in mainstream schools.
Ensure schools can employ sufficient trained SEN staff.
Guarantee every SEN child receives the support they are legally entitled to.
Action Needed:
Sign this petition to demand fair funding for our schools and equal opportunities for SEN children. No child should be left behind because of lack of support.

Having worked as a SEN Teaching Assistant for many years in a mainstream school, I have seen and felt the struggles and pressures placed on staff to provide the care and support that children rightly deserve. Increased funding would mean more staff, training and resources, leading to better education and improved outcomes for SEN children and their families. It is unacceptable that not every child’s needs are being met to the highest standard. It needs to change!