LGA responds to NAO report on school funding

“Councils face significant financial challenges to deliver much-needed SEND support to all those who need it and to meet rising demand, reporting a spending deficit of £675 million last year. This is a huge increase since 2014/15."

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Responding to a report by the National Audit Office into the Financial Sustainability of Schools in England, Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the Local Government Association Children and Young People Board said:



“Councils face significant financial challenges to deliver much-needed SEND support to all those who need it and to meet rising demand, reporting a spending deficit of £675 million last year. This is a huge increase since 2014/15.



“The Government should urgently complete its ongoing review of the SEND system and set out reforms that increase mainstream inclusion, provides councils and schools with long-term certainty of funding to meet the needs of all children with SEND, and gives councils the power to hold education and health partners to account if their provision for identifying and supporting children with SEND is not adequate. We are also calling for high needs block deficits to be written off.”