The Education Select Committee published its report,
Solving the SEND crisis, on 18 September 2025. The report highlights several key recommendations for post-16 education, and which are summarised below.
Please note that these are recommendations only. We await the Department for Education's forthcoming Schools White Paper (expected later in autumn 2025) which will set out the Government's policy direction on SEND.
Inclusion across all phases
- SEND should be embedded in mainstream education from early years through to post-16, not treated as an add-on.
Workforce development
- Invest in training for all education professionals, including those in post-16 institutions, to ensure they can support learners with SEND effectively, taking a whole-institution approach (not just for SENCOs).
Qualifications and Outcomes
- Concerns about attainment and outcomes for post-16 learners with SEND, particularly in relation to Maths and English GCSE resits (students with SEN support are c. 40% less likely to pass English and maths whilst students with EHCPs are 40% and 28% less likely to pass English and maths, respectively).
- Recommendation: introduce a three-route model for those who have not attained grade 4 GCSE in maths and/or English:
| a) |
|
|
Students who have a realistic prospect of achieving grade 4 in resits should be supported to work towards GCSE resits |
| b) |
|
|
Vocational courses of study should have English/maths content built into the curriculum with exemption from the requirement to re-sit. |
| c) |
|
|
Students who are very unlikely to attain grade 4 in maths and/or English despite multiple resits should take a functional skills qualification in maths and/or English |
- More flexibility and diversity in curriculum and assessment to better meet the needs of learners with SEND in post-16 education.
Funding and transport
- The DfE should introduce a dedicated and ringfenced funding stream for SEN support beyond the age of 16.
- Review home-to-school transport funding, which affects post-16 learners, especially those attending specialist settings (60% of post-16 learners face changes to transport at 16, with 1 in 7 losing funding completely).
- Support free bus passes for under 22-year-olds.
- Review the national funding formula to better reflect local needs, including those of post-16 learners with SEND.
Specialist provision
- Expand specialist school places to reduce reliance on expensive independent placements and ensure education.