Wisbech headteacher admits rising demand for SEND support 'a challenge for anybody'
A new study's calling for reforms made to support for children with special educational needs
The headteacher of a Wisbech school that helps students with special educational needs (SEND) hopes more families will get the support they need.
A national study commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA) and County Councils Network (CCN) has found councils are predicted to spend £12 billion on support for children with SEND by 2026, three times more than 10 years ago.
But the study said authorities will still face a £5bn '"funding black hole" due to expected demand that year.
"The need to keep pace with demand is a challenge"
Michelle Flanz is head at Meadowgate Academy:
"The need is going up, so trying to meet and keep pace with the demand is going to be a challenge for anybody, and it is a challenge I think the Government and local authorities are facing as we see across all sectors," she said.
"All of us are trying within the resources we've got to do our very best, and we welcome more resources and support because demand is increasing.
"The provision for our children is very good; I know lots of families are looking for specialist provision and I hope all children that have got additional needs get the support they need in the future."
What's in the study?
In the study, authorities said they are facing a financial "cliff edge" driven by a sharp increase in demand for pupil support since the introduction of landmark special education needs reforms in 2014.
The report concluded that current arrangements are not working for pupils, families or authorities.
The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced education, health and care (EHC) plans as part of reforms aimed at improving outcomes for children in need of support.
But performance across key education milestones has since flatlined, or declined, among these children, the report by Isos Partnership said.
In 2022-23, just 8% of children with EHC plans achieved the expected level of literacy and mathematics at Key Stage 2 (Year 6 in schools in England).
This shows no improvement since 2016-17 while the gap in performance between those with EHC plans and their peers "has remained stubbornly large", the report said.
Meanwhile, only 30% of pupils with EHCs achieved Level 2 qualifications equating to five GCSEs with A* to C grades by the age of 19, compared with nearly 37% who achieved that level in 2014-15.
Children on education plans more than doubled
Since 2015, the number of children with EHC plans has more than doubled from 240,000 to 575,973 in 2023-24.
A further 1.2 million children have been identified as requiring support below the level of a statutory support plan - an increase from 990,000 in 2015.
The supply of specialist school placements has also outstripped the number of families whose child has been assessed as needing one, the report said.
This has led to councils paying higher fees to fulfil their statutory duties, often after a tribunal has upheld a family's challenge to the support being provided.
As a result, the previous Government allowed councils to keep growing deficits driven by support spending off their balance sheets, despite authorities being legally required to balance their books annually.
The report said this arrangement, known as a "statutory override", is being applied to £3.2 bn that has already been spent by councils.
"Adversarial relationships" between councils and parents
The current support system creates "perverse incentives" for public bodies to shift responsibility elsewhere, creating "adversarial relationships" between councils and parents, the report added.
It identified a system "weighted down by legal disputes through tribunals and an over-reliance on special schools due to a loss of parental confidence that mainstream schools can meet their children's needs".
Overall, 185,000 pupils with an EHC plan were in state-funded or independent special schools in 2024, an increase from 109,000 in 2015.
These placements cost between £25,000 and £58,000 a year, compared to an annual cost of £8,200 in a mainstream school.
The report argues that reform should focus on ensuring more children have their needs met in mainstream education, but added such settings often lack the "capacity, resources and, in some cases, expertise" required.
"The case for reform is unquestionable"
Tim Oliver, CCN's Conservative chairman, said: "As this landmark report shows, the case for reform is unquestionable.
"With a new Government in place and elected on a 'change' platform, it is vital that reform happens over the next 18 months.
"The Government should build on this report's clear recommendations and work with local government to create a system that is sustainable for councils and schools and works better for parents and pupils."
Louise Gittins, Labour chair of the LGA, said: "What parents and children need and deserve is a properly reformed and funded SEND system that meets the care and support requirements of every child and young person with special needs.
"As set out in our Local Government White Paper, we are calling for action which builds new capacity and creates inclusion in mainstream settings, supported by adequate and sustainable long-term funding, and the writing off of councils' high needs deficits."
Just over a third of councils are likely to face severe financial difficulties this year which will have a significant impact on the delivery of essential services, other research has found.
What has the Government said?
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has labelled the findings as "damning" and stressed that the Labour Government's approach can make a difference to parents and children.
“Whether it’s transforming the early years to intervene earlier and deliver better outcomes for children, or launching our curriculum and assessment review to put high and rising standards and inclusion together at the heart of every school," she said.
“We will restore parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need in mainstream school, if that is the right place for them.
"And that there will always be a place in special schools for children with the most complex needs.
“We have a broken system in desperate need of long-term renewal.
"I won’t make false promises, change won’t feel as quick as parents – or I – would like. I will make sure our approach is fully planned and delivered in concert with parents, schools, councils, and everyone who works with children.”