Fears over special needs funding

Money given to schools for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) should be ring-fenced, campaigners say.

Under system of formal "statements" for those who have the greatest needs, money in England follows the pupil.

But to reduce bureaucracy in the process, councils increasingly are giving it directly to schools.

The National Association of Special Educational Needs (Nasen) and even some councils fear that it might end up being spent on other projects.

But the government is keen to cut the time and paperwork involved in issuing these statements, such as the numerous hours spent by educational psychologists writing up reports.

This has led many local authorities to issue SEN funding directly to individual schools, often on the basis of how many pupils are entitled to free school meals.

Statements are still issued, but councils are increasingly offering block funding to schools for pupils who require, for example, 15 hours of help, or less, each week.

Where is the money going?

Nasen is supportive of this approach, saying it cuts bureaucracy and puts the money directly where it is needed.

But the organisation does have concerns about where that cash is being spent.

Chief executive Lorraine Petersen said: "Money for special needs is going into the school via the school budget.

"That is fine, as long as school are using it for that purpose. But that money is not being ring-fenced.

"Our concern is that it is used appropriately and for the needs of the children in question."

Mrs Petersen said is was important that special needs co-ordinators (Sencos) and special needs governors had a say in how that money was spent.

Windsor and Maidenhead

Similar concerns were voiced by Windsor and Maidenhead council, which gives schools block funding for SEN provision of up to 15 hours a week and funds anything above this itself.

Its SEN education officer, Rhidian Jones, said the council wanted to see a direct correlation between funding and pupil attainment.

"Having given money to schools, we expect to see them using it for SEN and that children in receipt of this do attain better results," he said.

"There is a possibility money could be hived off for other - probably very worthy - areas."

The council is sending out a booklet to schools which sets out what sort of provision it expects to see for pupils with special needs.

Mother's concern

But this approach has caused concern among many parents whose children have special needs.

Julie Maynard, whose son has a range of problems including cerebral palsy, said local education authorities could use concerns over bureaucracy to stop giving children statements.

"We're going to have very vulnerable children in mainstream schools without appropriately targeted support assessed by a professional and I think you'll have chaos in the classroom," she said.

Mrs Maynard also criticised the linking of SEN budgets to free school meal quotas.

"They're saying SEN is associated with poverty - well I'm not from a deprived background."

While sympathising with the concerns of parents like Mrs Maynard, Mr Jones from Windsor and Maidenhead council said the new approach meant more time and money being made for the pupils themselves.

"There's a huge amount of work on the part of educational psychologists that goes into writing statements - there are several days' worth of work that go into writing a report for a statement.

"This is time that could be spent in the school, advising on ways of adapting the curriculum, differentiating teaching methods and so on."