Have you noticed many schools are trying to assign labels to pupils who may not necessarily need them - why is there a huge increase in SEN statements and the sheer number of pupils being diagnosed ?

lol! Schools don’t diagnose. If a sen is sort for so that that child can get the support they need - an echo- it takes FOREVER and is never a battle entered into lightly.ot also has to involve the parents.
children who have diagnosis- say for autism and adhd don’t automatically qualify for support anyway.
There is a child in my school who finally secured her place in our unit- she is year 4- we had been trying since she was in year 1.

Why do you think it is the schools that are doing it?

My daughter has severe dyslexia and is ADHD.

The dyslexia was diagnosed when she was 7.5 years old - and was incredibly obvious given she was unable to read, or spell but was very advanced verbally with wide vocabulary and obviously clever. The discrepancy was huge and Primary paid for all the assessments and Ed Psych reports.

Why is she dyslexic? It's very heritable. DH is mildly dyslexic, one of his brothers is severely dyslexic, my brother and mother were mildly dyslexic.

ADHD is highly heritable - around 80% genetic. Two out of 4 siblings with it, and 5/8 cousins. I knew DD was ADHD since she was about 5, but didn't get her diagnosed until Y9 for various reasons. Medication has been life-changing for her.

In terms of benefits - it helps her understand why some things are a major struggle. She has access arrangements for exams, lots of tech to help, and medication to help manage the ADHD.

It's not simple to tick the boxes, and giving your child stimulants every day is absolutely not something you would ever want to do without very good reason and having tried everything else.

Oh and there is no money involved unless you count the vast amounts that I've ended up spending on tutors, tech, whacky pens and overlays and helping my child excel at the specific area where she happens to be unusually gifted.

Pahahahahahaha. I've taken it you've never had to go through the trials of trying to get an assessment let alone a diagnosis for your child 🙄

You don’t label a child.

a child with SEND may get a diagnosis.

Pupils who are quirky as seen as quirky.

Arty kids are seen as creative.

Some pupils will excel at math and others at English.

Schools will support pupils who are struggling but that’s for a pupils benefit - not necessarily the schools.

what’s your specific concern?

There are a lot of questions in your post and I am not sure which one you want answered.

Statements of SEN are no longer used so there has not been a huge increase.

I am not sure what you mean by “pupils with a quirk about them”, but I do think that if a child has ASC then it is helpful for them to have a dx; there may not be any concrete support available as a result but at least there will be a clearer understanding, which must always help.

lol at the thought that schools might be overly diagnosing, and especially at the thought they will get extra funding as a result. I’m guessing you’re at best on the fringes of this issue rather than having direct experience?

Is there? Evidence?