We back teachers to take the necessary steps to keep classrooms safe and calm, which starts with early identification and help. That is why we are focusing on support given to children and families in the early years, and why our upcoming schools White Paper will transform support for children with special educational needs.
While the suspension rate for pupils without identified special educational needs declined by 75% in the 2024 autumn term, suspensions for pupils with an education, health and care plan increased, according to the Department for Education’s own data. I have previously urged the Government to tackle this crisis centrally, as local authorities across the country continue to prove to be unable to manage. With their SEND reforms already delayed until 2026, how will the Government bridge this divide to ensure that every child is able to succeed at school?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question and for his interest in this important issue, and I recognise the statistics to which he refers. The Government take the issue extremely seriously and we will be setting out our plans in the White Paper in due course. We are investing in the early years, which is my own area, and ensuring that we have the Best Start in Life family hubs in our communities and SEND-trained professionals, so that we can identify special educational needs early and give children the support that they need before problems escalate.
I call the shadow Minister.
The Minister will be aware of the horrific case of Harvey Willgoose, who was stabbed to death by a fellow pupil who had previously brought an axe into school. Parents are rightly worried about such situations, so does the Minister agree that safety must come first and that any child who brings a knife into school must be expelled, regardless of their background—no ifs, no buts?
The case that the hon. Member raises is absolutely horrific. If a child has brought a knife into school, I do not think that there is a headteacher anywhere in the country who would think that that child should continue to be in school.
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
In July, the Secretary of State promised a better SEND system, with strengthened support, improved access and more funding, yet even a charitable interpretation of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s analysis of the Government’s decision, announced at the Budget, to absorb SEND funding into core budgets shows several billion pounds of unfunded SEND commitments. Parents around the country are worried that the support that they have fought hard for their children to receive may now be taken away. Will she explain how she will deliver strengthened support, while seemingly having to cut billions from SEND funding through upcoming reforms? Can she guarantee that children will not lose support because of this change?
I thank the hon. Lady for her question, but I encourage her to read the documents from the Treasury and the OBR. I am glad to have the opportunity to clarify the matter, given the wilful misrepresentation of the situation by the Conservative party. Those deficits are council deficits—they will not be coming from the schools’ budgets. In fact, over the course of this Parliament, this Government will be investing more into SEND. It is irresponsible for Opposition Members to cause such concern to families when they know full well that what they are saying is wrong.