Mainstream schools will get a share of £1.6 billion over three years to boost inclusion, while another £1.8 billion fund aims to provide better access to external support.
Ahead of tomorrow’s publication of the schools white paper, titled Every Child Achieving and Thriving, the Department for Education has set out how it will spend around £4 billion over three years on its reforms.
Ministers have made increasing inclusion in mainstream schools a central pillar of their proposed reforms.
Today they announced plans for a new “inclusive mainstream fund” of £1.6 billion over three years. It will be paid directly to schools, early years providers and colleges to run targeted and small group interventions at the “earliest signs” of additional needs.
This would equate to “thousands of pounds extra every year on top of existing core SEND funding” for schools.
It is not clear how it will be allocated, but splitting it evenly between all state schools, nurseries and colleges would work out at around £26,000 a year.
£1.8bn to boost expert availability
The government has said it will also fund a new “experts at hand” service, with £1.8 billion over three years to create a bank of specialists like SEND teachers and speech and language therapists in each area that schools could then draw on for support.
The support would extend to all pupils, not just those with an education, health and care plan.
Councils will use the money to commission professionals like educational psychologists so they are “routinely available”.
Special and alternative provision schools will get cash to provide training as well as direct interventions and short-term placements in their schools.
Officials predict the offer will result in the average secondary school receiving over 160 days of dedicated specialist time each year.
Ministers have pledged to increase high needs funding by £3.5 billion in 2028-29. The money announced this evening is on top of that cash.
But it is not clear what will happen to the funding after the initial three year period.
‘We’ll do right by every child’ says PM
Keir Starmer, the prime minister, said he wanted to end a “‘one size fits all’ system that only serves children who fit the mould. Instead, families will get tailored support built around their child’s individual needs, available on their doorstep.
“Whatever their background, wherever they live – this government will do right by every child.”
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said children with SEND “deserve a system that lifts them up, and that puts no limit on what they can go on to achieve.
“That means brilliant teachers and experts providing support where children need it, when they need it – in their local school, without families having to fight.”
The remainder of the £4 billion in funding includes £200 million for family hubs to have a dedicated SEND outreach and support offer, £200 million to help councils change how they operate in line with reforms and £200 million already announced to train all teachers on SEND.
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