Watch my question on why fixing our SEND system requires a radical shift in attitude

Just after the start of conference recess, the Education Select Committee, which I am a member of, released a damning report on SEND services in England.

This week, with parliament returning, we finally had an opportunity to debate it. So many MPs wanted to contribute that our allotted speaking time was cut, hence why I overran slightly! If I’d had the chance to go on, I would have said that this report and the extensive evidence we received that contributed to it shone a light on why we must change how we rank and assess successful schools.

The most striking bit of evidence we received came during our trip to Ontario. In Ontario, there is a massive focus on communication right from kindergarten. Parents there do not have to fight for support, because dialogue works better.

Families are listened to, and all behaviour is seen as a form of communication; they understand that we must listen to what SEND children are trying to tell us. And not focus on exclusion, but on inclusion.

It was radically different from the combative system we have here. Changing this attitude is almost as important as additional funding, and in my new role as Schools Spokesperson, I’ll strive to ensure the listens we learnt in Ontario are fed through to the system we have here.