Plans to radically change special educational needs (SEN) provision in Kent have been met with an angry backlash from head teachers.

Twenty-five heads signed a letter to Kent County Council (KCC) questioning if proposals, which could see potential SEN pupils sent to mainstream schools instead, can work and if it is supported by the data.

Under the umbrella of the Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KsENT) - which represents maintained community, foundation and academy schools - the signatories challenge KCC’s approach to the changes.

KCC is exploring ways to reform its SEN offering while aiming to reduce a massive £170m deficit at a time the council is under increasing financial pressure.

Education chiefs say the county has become over-reliant on special school places and wants to change the system to give places only to students with severest needs.

Youngsters who do not meet new criteria could be sent to mainstream schools instead of an SEN setting.

But in a letter to county councillors, KsENT heads state: “There has been some rhetoric from KCC officers that special schools do not wish to change and are actively resisting change – this is simply not the case and is causing further friction between KCC and its schools; something that will only be detrimental to the children we all seek to serve…”

The letter claims there is “little confidence” that proposed changes to admission arrangements will have the desired impact of better outcomes for children.

The heads also say the pre-consultation process has been “superficial” and not collaborative. No data has been provided by KCC to support its aims, they claim.

The letter says: “Currently 23 out of 24 special schools in Kent are judged “good” or “outstanding” by Ofsted.

“Nowhere in recent reports is that fact sufficiently celebrated or indeed is there reassurance for children and their families on how their educational offer will be safeguarded.

“Given this impressive track record, it is difficult to understand how any compelling educational argument can be made to justify the upheaval of the special school sector on this scale.

“This will significantly alter the intake of pupils compared to the situation now and pose considerable challenges across the sector.”

Major changes to the curriculum, staffing, resources and infrastructure will come at extra cost, it argues.

The letter contends: “We agree that there are students that could move across the continuum from special to mainstream and vice versa.

“The current proposal does nothing to illustrate how we can facilitate this, and it will undoubtedly need resources such as outreach.”

KCC’s consultation document explains: “The proposals are about the future designations of special schools, the supporting admission guidance and a model of ‘school-to-school’ support. The designation of a special school shows the specific category of need for which it caters.

“Proposals have been made to ensure all Kent’s special schools are admitting and educating children and young people with the most complex needs.

“Our aim is to prepare children and young people with severe and complex special educational needs for adulthood by providing a state-funded special school place as close to their local community as possible.”

If passed, the plans would take effect from September 2026 and apply to all pupils seeking a special school placement from that date.

Parents have expressed concerns the exercise is merely to save money and may be detrimental to many children who have education health and care plans (EHCPs).

They say some children who currently attend SEN schools are not at the severe end of the needs spectrum but would fail to cope in a mainstream environment.

Critics of EHCPs in Kent have raised concerns there are around 20% more issued here than in other similar-sized counties.

Cabinet member Cllr Rory Love was approached for a comment about the KsENT letter. He said it would be included as part of the consultation exercise but declined to comment further.

Kent education observer Peter Read said KCC is “under enormous pressure” from the government to reduce the special needs deficit and signed a “safety valve” agreement.

This requires the council to find a way to reduce the deficit by £82m by 2027 in order to qualify for a £140m grant, he said.

He added: “It appears that KCC is intent on reducing costs to meet the ‘safety valve’ requirement without proper consideration of the negative effects on pupil education and welfare, and without taking into account the cost of private schools which form a huge part of the deficit…”.

The heads who signed the KsENT letter are: Neil Dipple, Aspire School; Ady Young, The Beacon; Maz Cleave, Bower Grove School; Steve Ackerley, Broomhill Bank School; John Dexter, Elms School; Peggy Murphy, Five Acre Wood School; Adrian Mount, Foreland Fields School; Kerry Greene, Goldwyn School; Renukah Atwell, Grange Park School; Maddie Arnold-Jones, Ifield School; Les Milton, Laleham Gap School; Jill Palmer, Meadowfield School; Sarah Goosani, Milestone Academy; Scott Jarred, Nexus Foundation Special School; Sam Perryman, Oakley School; Luke Mussett, The Orchard School; Rose Bradley, Portal House; Geoff Bartrum, Rowhill School; Dee Pickerill, Snowfields Academy; Robert Page, St Anthony’s School; Richard Dalton, St Nicholas School; Jane Hatwell, Stone Bay School; Roland Gooding, Valence School; Jason Cook, Whitfield Aspen School and Penny Bullen, The Wyven School.