Mainstream School Inclusion Encouraged for SEND Pupils Amid Funding Strain

Due to pressures on education funding, children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are being encouraged to remain in mainstream educational settings. Somerset Council has developed a series of proposals aimed at assisting local mainstream schools in implementing education, health, and care plans (EHCPs) for pupils requiring additional support. The council’s objective is to implement a universal funding model and enhance the inclusivity of mainstream schools, thereby lowering the expenses associated with delivering specialist education. However, one parent voiced criticism of this strategy, stating: “The people making these decisions … don’t understand neurodiversity.” At present, specialist schools are allocated three times the funding of mainstream schools, even though the cost of providing SEND services is comparable. Nevertheless, the framework for supporting children with SEND faces considerable strain, both across the nation and specifically in Somerset, due to escalating costs and current provisions failing to achieve their intended outcomes. With a projected £230 million deficit in its dedicated schools grant by the 2029/30 financial year, the council has conducted a consultation regarding the proposed modifications designed to help stabilize its budget. These plans are slated for presentation to the executive committee for a conclusive decision. Somerset Council indicates that research suggests specialist schools receive “proportionate funding,” whereas mainstream schools are considerably underfunded. This disparity can result in placement failures, behavioral issues, academic difficulties, or exclusions for pupils who may encounter challenges in a mainstream setting. Consequently, the authority wants to implement a universal funding model where a SEND pupil receives identical funding irrespective of the school they attend. The expectation is that this would encourage schools to provide enhanced support and intervene proactively when a child faces the risk of exclusion. Nevertheless, immediate implementation for all children would incur an estimated cost of £10.3 million, leading to a plan to introduce it incrementally based on pupils’ EHCP requirements. Furthermore, the council has issued explicit guidance outlining the procedures to follow when a SEND pupil experiences difficulties in a mainstream school. These steps involve a period of resetting at home for a few weeks, followed by attendance in small classes at a pupil referral unit, then a special school, and ultimately a transition back to a mainstream school. Despite this, some parents perceive the initiative as merely “smoke and mirrors,” contending that it addresses the lack of support for SEND children as a symptom rather than the underlying cause. Gemma Barrett, a mother from Highbridge, has three children with specialist needs. Her children have been home-schooled for the past two years, having been “traumatised” by their experiences in mainstream education. “Funding a mainstream school is not going to fix the problem,” she asserted. “They are too big, too loud, too bright, and there are too many people. You’re surrounding them with neurotypical children who they can’t communicate properly with, who they’re misunderstood by, who they don’t fit in with. How is that supposed to help?” Ms Barrett advocates that rather than implementing universal funding for all schools, resources should be directed towards constructing additional specialist schools, enabling children to “thrive in an environment surrounded by others like them.” She further commented, “The people making these decisions at the local authority don’t understand neurodiversity.” Concluding, she stated, “As parents we’re saying ‘just listen to us, stop wasting money’.”