How can online learning help SEND students access high quality education provision?
The need for high quality alternative education provision for SEND students has never been greater. The number of students with education, health and care plans (EHCPs) is rising drastically, however with less than 60% of EHCP applications being processed within the 20 week statutory timeframe as set out in the SEND Code of Practice, over 41,000 students with EHCPs are out of education. While a percentage of this figure may be down to choice, how many students are simply falling through the cracks?
In this blog, we take a look at the statistics, and discuss how online learning could prove a viable alternative to education provision for students with SEND.
The increasing demand
- Before COVID, the number of students with EHCPs had already risen by 38% in the five years between 2016-2021. Yet in 2021-2022 alone, that number rose again by a further 27%
- The total number of students in school and alternative provision settings with an EHCP is 412,342. However, the total number of students in the UK with EHCPs is more than 517,026. That means there are more than 105,000 students in receipt of education health care plans, but who are not within school settings.
Whilst a large proportion of those students might be accessing education in FE settings or non-maintained early years settings, 41,122 students are classified as NEET (not in education, employment or training), educated elsewhere or their education status is identified as ‘other’ or ‘unknown according to government data.
What's the solution?
At Tute, we’ve been responding to record numbers of students in need of alternative provision with a significant proportion of students being identified as having SEND or awaiting SEND identification or the EHCP process. It’s a privilege to be able to provide support to those who need it, and be part of a movement towards a more flexible educational approach that harnesses the opportunities and advantages of online learning, so that no student gets left behind.
If you’re asking yourself, “well, that’ sounds great in theory- but how does online provision work?” You’re not alone. Demonstrating how SEND students can benefit from online provisions, and ensuring they have the best possible experiences from online learning is at the very heart of what we do- but it’s much easier to show than tell. That’s why we’ll be hosting a special webinar on Thursday 5th October, to answer all these questions and demonstrate how Tute can support your students. Most importantly, this will be an opportunity for others to benefit from the insights that local authorities and parents of SEND students can offer.
Watch our webinar
How can online learning support students with SEND?
Thursday 5th October at 4pm
Join our 30-minute webinar, hosted by Tute’s SEND lead teacher and Assistant Head of T&L. They will be joined by guest panelists from Surrey Online School and a committed parent of a SEN student. Together, they will delve into their firsthand experiences with online learning, revealing how it has not only helped SEN students progress but also ignited their passion for learning.
Data sources:
Education, health and care plans 2023 – https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans
Academic year 2022/23 Schools, pupils and their characteristics – https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics
