Contact us
SEN Policy Research Forum Exeter

Isos report: ‘Towards an effective and financially sustainable approach to SEND in England’: Commentary by the SEN Policy Research Forum Lead Group  

24 October 2024

Isos report: ‘Towards an effective and financially sustainable approach to SEND in England’: Commentary by the SEN Policy Research Forum Lead Group by Peter Gray, Co-coordinator, SEN Policy Research Forum   This commentary on the Isos report has been produced by the Lead Group of the SEN Policy Research Forum drawing on a range […]

Read in full


Re-engaging with education: The causes, risks and implications of disengagement from education, and how we might do things differently

15 October 2024

The policy paper and presentations are now available on the website to download. Please visit: Past Policy Papers

Read in full


Save the date – 6 December 2024

13 September 2024

Our next SEN Policy Research Forum event will take place on 6 December 2024. The focus will be on curriculum. More details about the speakers and venue, together with booking details, to follow.

Read in full


National policy framework for SEND and inclusion

28 May 2024

National policy framework for SEND and inclusion   Many commentators are currently arguing that SEND policy is in crisis. This is in spite of the reforms that were supposed to improve children’s and families’ experience of the system, and in which so much time and effort was invested in the early years of […]

Read in full


New policy paper June 23

27 June 2023

The new policy paper on : ‘Constructing a framework to evaluate the SEND Green Paper plans’ is now ready to be downloaded from this website – go to policy paper page. June 2023

Read in full


We have relaunched the SEN Policy Research Forum blog!

6 April 2022

The Department for Education and Department for Health and Social Care have recently launched a new green paper and associated public consultation on their proposals for Special Educational Needs and Disability and Alternative Provision in England. See  ‘SEND review: right support, right place, right time’ for more information. The consultation closes on 1 […]

Read in full


Understanding the rise in the diagnosis of autism in children and young people

16 December 2021

For a commentary by the Forum Lead Group go to the Policy Paper page and you can read and download this commentary.

Read in full


SUMMARY OF SEN POLICY RESEARCH FORUM COVID QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS

11 November 2021

The Forum conducted a survey of stakeholders’ views about the lessons from Covid based on the conclusions of the June Covid policy paper. The results show much alignment with the conclusions from the policy seminar discussion groups. You can access this summary on policy paper web-page.    

Read in full


Variation in High Needs Block allocations to English LAs

19 July 2021

Research commissioned by the SENPRF has shown that: There is continuing and considerable inequity in the levels of HNB funding allocated to English LAs, which cannot be explained by differences in need. LA systems that make greater use of specialist provision are likely to involve greater financial costs. Download summary from Policy paper […]

Read in full


New lessons learned from Covid policy paper now released on this website

16 June 2021

The new policy paper on : ‘How are schools coping with the impact of Covid-19 on the teaching of pupils with SEN: lessons for schools’ is now ready to be downloaded from this website – go to policy paper page. June 2021

Read in full


New Covid policy paper

22 March 2021

The policy paper from the November 2020 seminar is now available to download from this website. Learning from the Covid crisis for educating children and young people with SEN / disabilities. Presentations  by Amy Skipp  (ASK Research) on ‘Special education during lockdown: Provider and parent experiences’; Sharon Smith (Parent Advocate) ‘Parents’ perspectives: what can we […]

Read in full


Review of Research about the Effects of Inclusive Education: A Summary

18 February 2021

A review of international research about the effects of inclusive education: which has been done by some members of the Forum Lead Group (Gray, Norwich and Webster) and was submitted to the SEN Review group at the DFE is available to download from the policy paper section of this website. Feb 2021

Read in full


Recently released: new policy paper on Identification

20 July 2020

Trends in SEN identification: contexts, causes and consequences  Latest policy paper is available on this website It is based on a recent policy seminar which  addressed these questions: i. Are there shifts from an interactive to within-child model of identification? And if so, what are the factors that are contributing to this, ii. What are […]

Read in full