In this episode, we sit down with Frances Akinde, an author, SEND expert, and co-founder of the BAMEd SEND hub, to explore the most pressing issues facing SEND provision in schools today. Frances shares her personal journey from classroom teacher to headteacher of a special school, reflecting on the challenges she faced and how they shaped her work as a leader in SEND. Throughout our conversation, we address the impact of ongoing funding cuts on the quality of SEND support across UK schools. Frances offers her insights on how these financial constraints are affecting both students and staff, particularly SENCOs, who often bear the brunt of resource limitations. We discuss the long-term effects that these funding challenges may have on inclusive education, and how school and trust leaders can mitigate these impacts. Frances also shares her thoughts on how trusts can better support SENCOs, ensuring they receive adequate training, resources, and mentorship. She emphasises the importance of consistent and equitable SEND provision across schools and explores strategies to ensure that even under financial pressure, schools can continue to deliver high-quality support to their most vulnerable students. In addition to SEND, Frances speaks passionately about the need for anti-racism in education. She explains the importance of viewing school data through an equitable lens and offers practical steps that trust leaders can take to ensure data-driven decisions promote fairness for all students. We also touch on her upcoming book, Be an Ally, Not a Bystander, which focuses on teaching children about discrimination and promoting allyship. Frances provides actionable advice for trust and school leaders on how to embed these lessons into a school's ethos, ensuring that anti-racism is not just a policy, but a lived value across the school community. Finally, we look ahead at the future of SEND and inclusive education. Frances shares her vision and ideas for a more equitable education system and the role school leaders must play in driving these changes, ensuring that every child, regardless of their background or needs, has the opportunity to thrive. For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit key.sc/trustsupport or get in touch with our team here: key.sc/trust-enquiry. Don’t forget to also subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Trust Matters, at key.sc/trustmatters. To find out more about Frances Akinde, visit her LinkedIn profile. All views expressed in this episode are the guest's own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.