In a bid to get a grip on the spiralling cost of special school provision, the Government wants more SEND pupils to be taught in mainstream schools. It wants ministers to create a sustainable SEND system, build SEND capacity in schools and invest in specialist services. “Educators see first-hand the impact of an underfunded SEND system on children, families and school staff,” said general secretary Daniel Kebede. Kebede said a huge investment is needed to deliver a reformed SEND system, with access to specialists, more teaching assistants in class, improved curriculum and assessment and investment in mental health support. The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a £200m funding package to make all teachers SEND teachers – a policy first revealed by The i Paper in June.