Teaching Unions the NAHT and NEU surveyed over 1,500 school leaders in England this summer. They found:

• Almost a third (31 per cent) of school leaders reported making cuts to balance their budget in 2020/21, rising to 35 per cent who expect they will be forced to make cuts this academic year.
• One in four (26 per cent) school leaders predict a deficit budget in 2021/22based on current funding levels.

Head Teachers spoke of the impact of the government’s failure to invest in schools in the last decade forcing them to cut back on staff, support for pupils, and activities that enrich the school day.

School leaders also raised concerns about the insufficiency of funding for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND):

• Almost all school leaders (97 per cent) reported that funding for pupils with SEND in their school is insufficient, and similar numbers (95 per cent) reported that top-up funding for pupils with education, health, and care (EHC) plans was insufficient.
• Four in five (79 per cent) said they had to fund the purchase of additional services because they were not available or accessible from health and social care.

The crisis in funding for pupils with special educational needs is clear for all to see and is putting significant pressure on school budgets.

Changes to the way that national funding is shared between schools will not solve the problem when there is insufficient money in the system in the first place. The government needs to increase funding so that schools can properly meet the needs of all their pupils.