A teaching union has criticised Labour’s new funding package for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), warning it risks falling short of what schools require to stabilise a system under sustained pressure.
The reforms are due to be unveiled by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who is expected to outline a major restructuring of SEND provision in England.
The Department for Education will channel £1.6 billion into an “Inclusive Mainstream Fund” to help schools adapt classrooms, staffing and specialist provision for pupils with SEND.
There will also be £1.8 billion over three years for a new “Experts at Hand” service, designed to give schools faster access to specialist advice through local authorities.
The Department for Education’s plan to reduce delays in assessments and support more children within mainstream settings aims to bring hope and reassurance to educators, policymakers, and families that progress is being made.
The leading teaching union’s critique that the funding is “barely a drop in the bucket” underscores their concern, helping the audience feel that critical issues are being recognized and addressed.
Union leaders argue that local authority SEND deficits have risen sharply in recent years, with many schools reporting staffing shortages of up to [X] % and caseloads exceeding [Y] pupils per specialist, making effective support difficult.
Demand for EHCPs continues to outpace funding growth.
They warn that without structural reform to the high-needs funding system, the new money may only address immediate gaps, emphasising the need for collective action to achieve long-term stability.
However, Matt Wrack, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said, “While increased early support for Send is welcome, years of underfunding and diminished external services mean that this new funding is barely a drop in the bucket of the investment necessary to drive real improvement in schools. £1.6billion over three years may sound like a lot of money, but it equates to just a few thousand pounds per setting.
“It is absolutely ridiculous to suggest that Send provision can be adequately overhauled with this low level of funding, or that the associated workloads for teachers could be in any way offset by throwing a bit of money in their general direction.
“Extra specialist support for secondary schools is welcome but we have no clarity as to whether it will be significant enough to meet the considerable additional demands these proposals will place on teachers. Extra specialist support proposals for primary schools are also currently unclear, which is worrying if they are to become hubs of early intervention.”
The National Autistic Society spokesman warned, “We’re concerned the Government’s reforms aren’t anywhere near enough to fix the broken Send system that’s been buckling under pressure for years.”
Phillipson insists Labour is “fiercely ambitious for children and young people with Send”.
She said: “These reforms are a watershed moment for a generation of young people and generations to come, and a major milestone in this Government’s mission to make sure opportunity is for each and every child.”
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