The scale of proposed SEND reforms alongside other policy changes risks “smothering” the school system, the government has been warned. School leaders’ union NAHT, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), as well as teaching unions NASUWT and the NEU have published responses to the Department for Education’s SEND consultation which closed on 18 May. All responses welcomed the move to create more inclusive environments with early intervention. But they also warned that funding and resources may not match up to expectations. Here’s everything you need to know. 1. ‘System-level smothering’ Leadership unions have warned that the SEND reforms – alongside changes to curriculum, enrichment and suspensions guidance – will be overwhelming for schools. The NAHT and CST both said implementing everything at once represented a “cumulative burden”, while ASCL said it had “serious concerns about the scale of expectations being placed on schools”. CST described this as “system-level smothering”, while the NEU said reform was “unsustainable before it has got off the ground” without protected and …