ent government statistics from Department for Education Statistical Release (2013) indicate that the attainment gap is narrowing between Level 2 achievement in English and Maths from 2010/11 and that in 2011/12. In 2011 22.4 % of pupils with any SEN achieved level 2 in both subjects whereas 69.2 % of those with no SEN, which is an attainment gap of 46.8 percentage points. In 2010/11, the equivalent statistics were 22.1% with SEN and 69.5% without SEN, a gap of 47.4 percentage points. Both statistics would suggest that inclusion of SEN students in mainstream schools is improving attainment, self-esteem and life chances. Therefore this would suggest that the implementation of the EA has had a positive impact on the inclusion of SEN and within that group, disabled students, improving their attainment

What next for SEN provision in schools?

The Lamb Inquiry was set up by the government in 2009 to investigate parental views of the SEN system and improvements that could be introduced. Parents and students were interviewed and were asked about their experiences of provision. According to Lamb (2009) the SEN system was in need of a radical overhaul, and the focus for SEN and disabled students had to have a greater emphasis on the outcomes and progression for these students after school. It also stated that there has to be a stronger voice for parents in order to build confidence in the system and that schools have to be more accountable through monitoring and reporting. Lamb (2009) states that a school cannot be a good school unless it caters properly for all children it is there to serve.
The latest SEN initiative to be introduced is the Children and Families Bill which according to The Secretary of State for Education (2013 p3) ‘the Bill has a dual focus on vulnerable children and to put ambitions for strong families at the heart of those ambitions. The government hopes that the measures will improve services for vulnerable children and transform the special educational needs system. The promotion of children’s rights is to be the main issue for the Bill’.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (2012) was asked to analyse