News

Funding proposals could threaten future of SEN units

Schools could be forced to close special needs units if proposed funding reforms go ahead, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has warned.

The government recently consulted over changes to the funding formula for children with SEND and is currently considering the responses.

Among the proposals is a reduction in the per-place funding for mainstream schools with special units – from £10,000 to £6,000. The rest of the funding would then become dependent on the number of pupils in the unit in any one year.

The NAHT says that this could be “disastrous” for such units and could lead to “potential closures”. It is urging the Department for Education (DfE) to consult further before making its final decision.

The issue is among those tackled in the NAHT’s latest “Getting it Right” pamphlet – Funding Pupils With Complex Needs – which was published last week.

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