Schools in England need 'a lot of work' to include more pupils with special needs

Overhauling England's schools to take more children with special needs will require a concerted effort to make the government's plans into reality, according to an expert review.

- Richard Adams

While the review found many examples where schools have accommodated a wide range of children with special educational needs (SEN), it also pointed to the lengths schools have had to go to promote inclusion.

Tom Rees, who led the review and chairs the Department for Education's expert advisory group for inclusion, said: "There's a lot of work that needs to be done so mainstream schools become more inclusive for pupils with special needs - but in our work we've seen many examples that show it can be done... Making mainstream schools more inclusive doesn't just help those with special needs - it improves the quality of education for all children."