The Education Committee will question experts on how funding to
help children with special educational needs and disabilities
(SEND) can be planned and spent more effectively.
MPs will hear from the National Association of Head Teachers
(NAHT), the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), and National
Association of Independent Schools & Non-Maintained Special
Schools. The panel also includes the County Councils Network and
the F40 group, which represents local authorities receiving the
smallest amounts of education funding under the Government's
National Funding Formula.
All types of school receive funding for SEND from local
authorities, which distribute money issued by the Government.
Schools typically receive £6,000 per pupil needing ‘SEND support'
as a part of their funding – an amount that hasn't increased
since it was introduced in 2014.
MPs will ask the panel what level of funding should be provided
and whether it should be ringfenced, as previous witnesses have
told the Committee this funding is sometimes used for other
purposes than SEND.
Schools receive further funding for pupils with more severe
needs, and who have an Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan.
According to the IFS, the Government's ‘high needs' funding has
increased by 59% since 2015-16. But the F40 group said these
increases have been insufficient due to increased demand from
children with complex needs, inflation and other factors – in
real terms it amounted to a 35% cut, according to the NAO. F40
also argue the Government's funding formula doesn't fairly
distribute money according to levels of need.
There will be questions on how the Government can make the
distribution of funding more targeted and equitable between local
authorities.
The witnesses will also be asked about how greater focus on early
intervention could provide better value for money; how spending
on transport for children with SEND could be more efficient; and
how better use of data collection and analysis could assist the
government on where money could be better spent.
Later in the session there will be questions about accountability
and oversight of SEND provision that is commissioned from
independent schools, and how local government should be funded
for SEND in the future as budget deficits continue to rise.
Witnesses from 10:00
- Philip Haslett, Deputy Chair, F40
- Dr Luke Sibieta, Research Fellow, Institute for Fiscal
Studies
- Councillor Kate Foale, SEND Spokesperson, County Councils
Network
- Rob , Senior Policy Advisor, National
Association of Head Teachers
- Claire Dorer, CEO, National Association of Independent
Schools & Non-Maintained Special Schools
