Vulnerable pupils will miss out on the education they need unless the government recognises the high-needs funding crisis, a union leader has warned.
The major shortfall in the funding for children with additional needs is one of the biggest issues facing school leaders, the NAHT said today as its annual conference opens.
One in five of the motions at the conference is about the need to address high-needs funding concerns - more than any other issue.
The union said that real-term funding cuts facing schools, an increase in the numbers of pupils with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and an increase in children with special needs going to mainstream schools is adding to the crisis.
It said there was an increase of 50,000 children with statements or EHCPs from 2014 to 2017 with 31,000 more between 2016 and 2017 alone.
The high-needs block is the money given to educate pupils with additional needs in both special and mainstream schools or alternative provision.
Seven motions have been put forward at this weekend’s conference calling on the NAHT to campaign for the government to put more money in.
NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said: “Our analysis provides clear evidence that there is both increased pressure on the costs per pupil and increased demand for support for children and young people with the most complex special educational needs.
“The Chancellor must recognise the growing shortfall if we are to avoid our most vulnerable pupils missing out on the education that can allow them to realise their potential.”
One motion says: “The funding crisis for both mainstream pupils and high needs funding for pupils with additional needs, alongside cuts to health and social care services, threatens the ability of mainstream schools to support children with SEND.
“Conference urges national executive to call on the government to review the provision and find solutions so that mainstream schools can offer the same high-quality education to pupils with SEND.”
Tes revealed last year that funding aimed at supporting the most vulnerable pupils - those designated as having high needs - is heading for a shortfall worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
The 2017-18 projected funding gap in high-needs budgets - targeted at pupils with disabilities, behavioural problems or ill health - is more than three times what it was in 2014-15.
Responses from more than half of England’s local authorities to Freedom of Information requests show a projected shortfall this year of £226 million between the amount provided by central government and the amount local authorities say they need.
This figure could reach more than £400 million if the pattern was replicated across the rest of England’s 152 local authorities.
