So, how big an issue is it, what solutions might there be to tackle it, and what does this tell us about the state of inclusion in England? A lopsided situationīetween 20, the number of students with SEND in England rose from 991,981 to 1,083,083, while the number with an EHCP rose from 236,806 to 325,618, according to the most recent government data. They point to the fact that their higher-than-average proportion of students with SEND is not significantly recognised by Ofsted, by the government, by accountability metrics and, most of all, in the funding formulas.Īs the publication date for the long-awaited SEND review approaches, it becomes ever clearer that this is an area needing closer attention. It’s a question that many schools with high populations of students with SEND - the so-called magnet schools - are asking. That is worrying because, while we want to do the best for these students, how long can we maintain it?” “We had parents coming from all over the nearby authorities we serve because of our reputation. “This year’s open evening was frightening,” says Di’Iasio. However, he is concerned that the situation is becoming unsustainable. He is proud of his school’s reputation and that parents feel so compelled to send their children there. “It’s like having a five-star review on Tripadvisor,” says Di’lasio. This, combined with other schools having less favourable reputations for SEND provision, means the magnet school then draws in an ever-larger proportion of students with SEND from across the school’s catchment area and beyond - and eventually more than other schools nearby. Parents of children with SEND then promote this to other parents. This situation occurs because the school begins to get a reputation for delivering a broad and inclusive curriculum for students with SEND.

The terms “magnet school” and “honeypot school” are now commonly used to represent the schools that have a percentage of students with SEND on roll that is far higher than the percentage of students with SEND in the local population. Given the current state of SEND provision in England and the hypercritical nature of social media, you might expect this to be a cause for concern, with parents echoing the frustrations of others like them across the country: inclusion has failed, SEND provision is a mess, some schools try their best to deter children with SEND from applying.īut, in fact, the opposite is true: Di’Iasio reveals that parents are highly positive about the school and its SEND provision.Īs a result, he explains, his provision is increasingly becoming a “magnet school”. “There is a large cohort of parents who mention our school on social media all the time,” says Pepe Di’Iasio, headteacher of Wales High School in Sheffield.

Whats a magnet school