Report: Funding and Staffing Shortfalls Impede SEND Inclusion in London Schools

A new report indicates that “seriously stretched” funding and “insufficient” staffing are preventing mainstream schools in London from effectively including pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The report, commissioned by London Councils, advocates for more “sustainable” financial resources to help schools provide inclusive education—where pupils with and without SEND learn together in the same classroom—and also urged the government to enhance support for specialist teachers. This recommendation follows Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement of an additional £1 billion in high needs funding, included in the previous week’s Budget. A spokesperson for the Department for Education (DfE) commented: “The reform families are crying out for will take time, but with a greater focus on mainstream provision and more early intervention, we will deliver the change that is so desperately needed.” The Budget presented on Wednesday designated £1 billion for SEND, as part of a total £2.3 billion increase in core school spending. However, most of this supplementary funding for the upcoming financial year is anticipated to be used by councils to mitigate deficits. The Inclusion in London Schools report indicates that merely 1% of school senior leaders believe their funding is adequate to address the requirements of their SEND students. The report concluded: “It is clear that London faces several key challenges, which present barriers to the effective inclusion of children and young people with SEND within their schools. “These include a rapidly growing SEND cohort, seriously stretched funding, an insufficient workforce, and increasing gaps in outcomes between pupils with SEND and their peers.” Consequently, London Councils, which represents all local authorities across the capital, is urging the government and the DfE to enhance support for SEND specialist teachers and to improve the skills of teaching assistant roles. The report further recommends greater collaboration among education providers, the NHS, local authorities, and parents to foster a more supportive and robust educational setting. Conservative councillor Ian Edwards, London Councils’ executive member for children and young people, stated: “Currently, school leaders and London boroughs show commitment to inclusion, but in practice they are not always able to deliver. “This has to change, and we need all education partners and government to come on board to support schools to move towards a genuinely inclusive education model.” He further added: “We’re pleased to see government taking steps, committing in last week’s Budget to spend an additional £1bn to help with the underfunding of SEND as well as promising to reform the SEND system. “We must take steps now to ensure all children in London and across the country get access to an excellent education.” The DfE spokesperson indicated that the government had taken over a system that “has been neglected to the point of crisis, with children and families with SEND being failed on every measure.“Every child and young person deserves the best life chances and the opportunity to achieve and thrive, which is why we announced a significant £1bn investment in the SEND system in the budget”. The report reveals that children with SEND constitute just over 17% of the student population in the capital. In seven London boroughs, over a fifth of pupils have SEND, marking an increase from only one borough in 2023. Among the report’s findings was a decrease in the number of teaching assistants supporting SEND pupils, coupled with a significant dependence on agency teaching assistants, a figure that has increased by 245% over the past ten years. While children with SEND in London show stronger outcomes compared to the national average, the report identified that they experience higher rates of suspensions, absences, and school departures than pupils without SEND. Furthermore, the findings indicate a disparity among Black pupils with SEND in the capital, who are more prone to suspension than other pupils, both with and without SEND. The report advises that London’s schools must become genuinely inclusive, particularly as the population of children with SEND expands. It highlighted that integrating children with additional needs into classrooms with pupils without SEND can alleviate emotional distress and improve attendance. The report also noted that retaining SEND children within mainstream education contributes to superior short-term educational results and enhanced long-term employment opportunities.