MP asks Education Minister to learn from ‘excellent’ Cumbrian education provider to help children with special educational needs

On the floor of the House of Commons yesterday, local MP Tim Farron encouraged ministers in the Department for Education to meet with a Cumbrian education provider who specialise in supporting children with special educational needs.

The Mighty Oak Initiative, which has settings at both Kendal and Penrith, was set up last year and provides support for young people who are unable to meet their potential in mainstream education.

Speaking during Education Questions in Parliament, Tim said: “Two excellent teachers in my constituency - both experts in special educational needs provision - set up an organisation called the Mighty Oak Initiative, whose work is focused on helping young people with special educational needs who are not attending school at the moment, either not fully or at all. Its work is exemplary. 

“Would the Minister meet Mighty Oak and myself to look at how we can support the organisation, learn from what it does and apply it elsewhere so that young people with special educational needs can get the best out of their educational experience, rather than being left on the sidelines?”

Responding, Education Minister Catherine McKinnell said: “We are absolutely committed to improving attendance rates of all children, but particularly those with SEND, and to addressing challenges in the school setting to ensure that children have the support to achieve and thrive. 

“I would be happy to engage with him on any good practice in this area that can support us in our endeavours.”

Kate Lindsay, Founder and CEO of the Mighty Oak Initiative, said: “At Mighty Oak, our approach is to facilitate a young person’s diverse developmental experiences, enabling them to enter the world as young adults with the skills and qualifications required to be both happy and successful. 

“We do this with empathy and an absence of judgment, celebrating their achievements and normalising differences. Our students achieve a broad range of formal qualifications in readiness for further study or employment, but there is no expectation as to how they should achieve this. Group sizes and timetables are agile, pastoral care is priority and relationships (between staff/student/parent/carer) come first. 

“Thereafter, our results speak for themselves. Children previously non attending (for years) now in attendance, electively mute student beginning to speak, young people with outstanding/100% attendance, increasing independence amongst children who wouldn’t leave home, outstanding academic results etc.”