England's largest teaching union is sounding the alarm over the government's ambitious special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms, warning that mainstream schools simply lack the necessary workforce to make the changes a reality.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), stressed that while teachers overwhelmingly support the principle of inclusion, the general consensus is that it cannot be accomplished "on the cheap."
The overhaul, unveiled in February, centers around establishing dedicated "inclusion bases" across all mainstream schools. The Department for Education (DfE) has touted the plan as a "once-in-a-generation" shift toward educational equity, supported by an extra £4 billion cash injection through 2029 to help schools prepare for the transition.
Defending the strategy on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson pointed to the funding as proof of the government's commitment.
"I'm determined to transform this system, to deliver better life chances for children. We are investing up front to make that happen," Phillipson stated.
Of the total budget, £1.6 billion is earmarked for an "inclusion fund" to be distributed to early years centers, schools, and colleges over the next three years. Another £1.8 billion will be dedicated to securing transitional expert support, local authority funding, and staff training.
However, the NEU argues this financial boost falls dangerously short. The union estimates the inclusion funding will merely cover the cost of a single part-time teaching assistant for a typical primary school, and just two assistants for an average secondary school.
Kebede cautioned that schools are already bracing for severe budget constraints, noting that administrators will struggle to afford even a 2% pay increase for teachers next year. He described the new inclusion fund as something that will "merely soften the blow of underfunding."
"I think everybody recognises that the government has difficult economic choices to make," Kebede explained. "However, if there is investment in education today, government will save much more money in the future."
A recent snapshot survey conducted by the NEU ahead of its Brighton conference paints a stark picture of the frontline reality. Adjusted to reflect the national workforce, the poll of 10,300 teachers and 3,000 support staff revealed that 86% view staffing shortages as a primary roadblock to inclusion. Additionally, 73% of respondents cited excessive workloads as a major hurdle.
Educators also raised serious red flags regarding ballooning class sizes, inadequate training, and an already broken pipeline for securing specialist interventions like speech and language therapy.
Under the proposed framework, schools will be required to draft an Individual Support Plan (ISP) for every SEND pupil. The ultimate goal is to restrict formal education, health, and care plans (EHCPs)—legal guarantees for support that have nearly doubled over the past decade—to only those with the most profound needs.
While shifting ISP responsibilities onto schools aligns with the government's vision of reducing EHCP reliance, the NEU fears this will crush educators under new administrative burdens.
"Teachers and support staff want inclusive education," Kebede told the BBC. "The problem is they are just so overstretched, they are being asked to do much more with less resource - it becomes an impossibility."
Adding to the crisis is an alarming exodus of vital support staff. Recent data from the independent education charity NFER highlights that approximately one in five school support workers left their roles between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, gutting the very workforce relied upon for individualized classroom support.
In response to the union's claims, the DfE reiterated that it remains "fiercely ambitious for every single child" and is actively consulting with schools and parents to refine the proposals.
The unfolding SEND crisis is expected to dominate discussions at the NEU's annual conference this week, where the union is also testing the waters for potential industrial action over pay. In a pointed message to the current Labour government, Kebede noted that Green Party leader Zack Polanski—who is scheduled to address the conference—has become "the most favoured politician amongst our members," framing the shift in political loyalty as a significant "wake up call."