Staffordshire County Council is calling on the Government to review how schools and special educational needs funding is allocated.
Councillor Janet Higgins, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Education and SEND, has written to Lucy Powell MP, Secretary of State for Education, asking the Government to tackle long-standing inequalities in the way funding is shared out.
The council says Staffordshire receives some of the lowest levels of funding in England for schools and for support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Almost 11,100 children and young people in Staffordshire currently have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), and demand for support continues to rise each year.
The council is working to improve services, help more children learn in mainstream schools where appropriate, and create more local specialist places. However, funding has not kept up with growing need.
The council's analysis shows Staffordshire gets less funding per pupil than the national average and many similar councils. If Staffordshire received funding in line with national averages, schools in the county could get tens of millions of pounds more each year.
The council says this funding gap is putting pressure on the whole education system. More children need SEND support, specialist placements are becoming more expensive, and transport costs are rising.
Janet Higgins said:
"Every child in Staffordshire deserves the best possible start in life and the support they need to achieve their full potential.
"Our schools, teachers and support staff do a fantastic job, but they are being asked to do more and more with less funding than many other areas of the country receive.
"The number of children and young people needing SEND support continues to grow. We as a council are investing in local provision and working hard to improve services, however the current funding system simply is not fair to Staffordshire.
“As a large rural county, we also face additional costs, particularly home to school and SEND transport, that are not fully recognised. We need a funding system that reflects real need and gives every child the same opportunities, regardless of where they live.
“I am asking the Government to look again at how funding is allocated and work with councils like Staffordshire to create a fairer system that supports children, families and schools both now and in the future."
In the letter, the council asks the Government to:
- Review the National Funding Formula to make it fairer.
- Increase school and High Needs funding for councils that currently receive less.
- Recognise the extra costs faced by large rural counties, including transport for children and young people with SEND.
- Support earlier help and more inclusive mainstream education.
- Improve how funding for education, SEND, post-16 education and employment is joined up.
The council says fair funding is important for schools and for Staffordshire's future. It would help improve skills, support the workforce of the future and give children and young people better opportunities.
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