Rising SEND numbers strain schools, author warns of systemic failure

In his latest work, Dave Clements examines the dramatic rise in special educational needs (SEND) designations, noting that Liverpool Walton records the highest share of such pupils in England at 32%. He critiques a system that prioritises paperwork and labels over substantive interventions, leaving families to navigate slow, complex assessments. Clements rejects claims that parents are exploiting the system, emphasizing instead that many simply seek appropriate help for their children.

He links the trend to broader cultural changes, including the 2011 removal of the Gifted and Talented register and a growing tendency to medicalise normal childhood variation. The book warns that the expanding SEND regime risks diluting resources for the most severe cases and reshapes teaching into a compliance-driven activity rather than a focus on academic learning.