19th August 2024 • My Family Our Needs

The County Councils Network (CCN) and the Local Government Association (LGA) have released a new report on the educational outcomes of SEND pupils.

The report found that educational outcomes for young people with special educational needs and disabilities have not improved in the last decade since the last introduction of major reforms.

The report predicts that councils are set to spend £12bn on SEND services by 2026. This is an increase of £8bn since 2015 when the last set of major reforms were put in place. Despite the steep increase in cost, the report suggests there will still be £5bn funding ‘black hole’ for councils if they were to meet projected demand.

In addition to these rising costs, educational outcomes for SEND students have not improved during that ten-year period. This includes subjects like reading, writing and mathematics at varying ages.  At the end of primary school in 2022/23, only 8% of SEND pupils in mainstream schools reached the expected level in these three areas.

Alongside the rising costs are the rising number of children identified as having special educational needs. This number has risen 240,183 in 2015 to 575,973 in 2023/4, an increase of 140% over the same timeframe as the above figures. However, these higher identification numbers do not lead to receiving the support needed in mainstream schools. This has led to a 60% increase since 2014 in the number of SEND pupils being placed in state-funded special schools and a 132% increase since 2014 in the number being placed in independent and non-maintained special schools.

The CCN and LGA have concluded that the system is not working for anyone involved, from the SEND students to the councils funding these programmes. The organisations hope that this report will act as a warning that reform is unavoidable as the services are at ‘a breaking point’.

The recommendations put forth by the report are based on the engagement with young people, parents, schools and councils that was completed throughout the research period.

As a result, councils are calling for the new Government to set out reforms for the SEND educational system within the next 18 months. They are urging for the reforms overarching objective to be ensuring that mainstream schools are able to support more SEND pupils in order to reduce the current reliance on specialist school places. As the cost of a mainstream school placement for a SEND pupil is £8,200 per annum, compared to £25,000 for a place in a special school.

Cllr Tim Oliver, CCN Chairman, said, ‘The SEND system is broken. […] Parents often feel they struggle to access schools’ services, lack the capacity to support pupils and councils have seen a doubling in needs over the last ten years and have amassed deficits that threaten their financial solvency. Most importantly, education outcomes and employment opportunities have not improved for children with SEND.

‘As this landmark report shows, the case for reform is unquestionable. […] 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.’

Cllr Louise Gittins, LGA Association Chair, 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.

‘For too long, the current system has failed children with SEND and left parents struggling to ensure their child gets the support they desperately need. […] we are calling for action which builds new capacity and creates inclusion in mainstream settings, supported by adequate and sustainable long-term funding.’

You can read the full report here.

In other news, July 19^th saw holiday home chain, Butlin’s, open its first Changing Places toilet at its Minehead location.