Teacher retention is a persistent challenge in England, but recent evidence and powerful testimony from the Teaching Commission SEND roundtable, hosted by the Chartered College of Teaching illustrated how the crisis in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision exacerbates this problem. This has led to what some are terming an ‘SEND crisis’, which reflects the deep, systemic failures in adequately meeting the needs of these students across England. But what is causing this crisis?

It has been widely recognised by researchers, schools, local authorities and even by the Department for Education (DfE) that the crisis has several overlapping causes. Schools and local authorities report chronic underfunding. The Local Government Association (2023) estimated a multi-million-pound deficit in SEND provision and things seem to be getting worse. Mainstream schools, for example, often cannot afford specialist staff or tailored resources, leading to unmet needs. Due to this, provision varies widely across local authorities, resulting in a postcode lottery. Many families also face legal battles to secure Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), a process which was intended to guarantee tailored support.

The proportion of students with SEND has also steadily increased. As of 2024, over 1.5 million students (around 17 per cent) were recorded as having SEND in England (DfE, 2024). More complex needs and earlier identification have contributed to this growth, but the system has not expanded to cope. This has left teachers and school leaders feeling ill equipped and unsupported to meet complex SEND needs. Even many SENCOs (Special Educational Needs Coordinators) operate without adequate time, training and resources. These disproportionate pressures placed on teachers working with students with SEND have become a critical driver of attrition, and of increased workload.

The SEND challenge: Unmanageable workload

We often hear about how teacher workloads are out of control, and according to Worth and Faulkner-Ellis (2024), the intensification of workload and accountability pressures in England is a key driver of teacher dissatisfaction and early exit. There is no doubt that the increase in SENCOs, who juggle teaching with leadership of complex SEND provision, face an especially impossible task. SENCOs who attended the roundtable described this pressure of trying to juggle their roles, ‘The amount of work that is placed on SENCOs and SENCOs alone…I don’t have the time to do all of this.’ There is often little support and help they can access from other leaders, which can be very isolating, and can be due to the lack of SEND expertise in schools.

Leadership knowledge gaps

Attendees of the roundtable described significant gaps in SEND knowledge among school leaders, many of whom lack the legal and practical understanding of SEND provision. One leader advocated for mandatory SEND training within National Professional Qualifications (NPQs). This echoes Daly et al. (2024), who argue that inclusive leadership and a commitment to social justice must be embedded into school leadership frameworks. This would mean that any teacher or leader embarking on an NPQ would learn about some strategies and best practice, increasing capacity. Concerns for the lack of SEND training in ITT were also raised, but university colleagues reminded attendees that there are only nine months in which to shoehorn a huge curriculum alongside school experience. Therefore, ITT should be seen as a foundation and not a programme which covers all elements of teaching.

There should also be signposting for teachers to wider organisations and charities who can support them with training needs. Organisations like SEDSConnective can assist teachers with resources and support, which schools just do not have the capacity to provide.

Funding and resource deficits

Of course, now that the NPQs are not funded, schools may struggle to even pay for staff to complete them as inadequate funding is also fuelling the crisis. The myth of the ‘notional £6,000’ SEND budget and lack of transparency about funding leaves many schools struggling and this was a key focus of the discussions. Teachers and leaders spoke about how the lack of school funding severely restricts the capacity to properly train teachers and support students with SEND. One leader spoke about how this means that teachers feel like they need to act as teacher, social worker, counsellor and family liaison officer, which inevitably leads to burnout. This is impacting on the early exits of early career teachers too. Blewitt et al. (2021) and Donahue-Keegan et al. (2019) emphasise how lack of confidence and training in addressing complex student needs contributes to new teachers leaving within three years.

The need for systemic change

Daly et al. (2024) call for a move away from short-term fixes towards ‘teaching that grows self-efficacy, agency, and is pro-social.’ This means that schools must focus on reducing unnecessary administrative burdens for EHCPs and enhancing the quality of professional development to create inclusive cultures where SEND expertise is shared and valued. The role of the SENCO must also be properly resourced and time-allocated to avoid unsustainable workloads.

The teachers and leaders who attended the roundtable were passionate about inclusion, but it was clear that they could not continue to carry the system unsupported. An urgent, system-wide commitment to resourcing and empowering teachers is needed to reverse this worrying retention trend.

References

Blewitt C, O’Connor A, Morris H, Nolan A, Mousa A, Green R, Ifanti A, Jackson K, Skouteris H (2021) A qualitative exploration of early childhood educators’ perspectives on supporting children’s social and emotional learning. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18(4): 1530–1546.

Daly C, Hardman M, Taylor B, Riordan S, Pillinger C (2024) How do we prepare the teaching workforce that we need? Briefing Paper 1. UCL Centre for Teachers and Teaching Research: London, UK.

Department for Education (2024) Special educational needs in England. Available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england/2023-24 (accessed 13th May 2025)

Donahue-Keegan D, Villegas-Reimers E, Cressey JM (2019) Integrating social-emotional learning and culturally responsive teaching in teacher education preparation programs: The Massachusetts eExperience so far.’ Teacher Education Quarterly 46(4): 150–168.

Worth J and Faulkner-Ellis H (2024) NFER teacher labour market in England annual report 2024. Available at: https://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/teacher-labour-market-in-england-annual-report-2024/ (accessed 13th May 2025)