‘They’re not listening!’: the government’s gamble on special education reform – podcast

Political correspondent Alexandra Topping and special educational needs student Jake with his mum, Laura, explore the government’s controversial plans for reform Next week, the government is expected to announce its education white paper. It is a moment, as political correspondent Alexandra Topping explains, of high political peril. Part of the proposals will be reforms to special educational needs provision in England. And while nearly all agree that the current system is broken – extremely expensive, very divisive, and failing the most vulnerable children – the mood around the announcements is still tense. Simply put, many disability rights campaigners fear the reforms are not about improving the system, but cutting costs. Continue reading...

By Presented by Annie Kelly with Alexandra Topping; produced by Ruth Abrahams, Ivor Manley, Eleanor Biggs and Brian McNamara