“The LGA has long called for fairer funding for all schools and for councils to be able to work with schools to set budgets that reflect local need."
Responding to the Government’s announcement on the national funding formula for schools, Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said:
"The Local Government Association has long called for fairer funding for all schools and for councils to be able to work with schools to set budgets that reflect local need. We are therefore pleased that the Government has recognised the important role councils can play in the introduction of the national funding formula by giving councils and schools the flexibility to set budgets locally. This will help schools and local areas adapt to the new formula in the long term.
“Councils have been concerned for some time about the growing funding pressures facing support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It is therefore right that the Government has allowed councils to retain the ability to make additional funding available, with the agreement of schools, to meet the rising demand and pressures for SEND support.
“However, asking schools to meet the shortfall in central government funding for this vulnerable group is not sustainable in the long term, particularly given the huge pressures facings schools’ core budgets.
“Councils are calling on government to launch a fundamental review of high needs funding in order to ensure we meet the needs of our most vulnerable children.”