Staffordshire County Council is set to overspend on pupils with special educational needs and disabilities by up to £7 million.

It comes after the authority overspent on pupils with "higher needs" by £4.96 million last year.

And this is set to grow even further this year, depending on whether it matches the same pattern as growth as 2017 or in the last three years combined.

If the overspend grows at the same rate it did in 2017 then the county council will be have pushed over its budget by £7.11 million.

Meanwhile, if it grows at the average rate over the past three years it could end 2018 at the slightly lower figure of £4.16 million.

The funding for high needs comes directly from the Government, in the form of the School's Grant.

County council officers say that the growth in school population and a rise in higher educational needs pupils by more than a quarter may have caused the overspend.

The high-needs funding system supports provision for pupils and students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) from their early years to the age of 25.

Local authorities, such as Staffordshire County Council, use their higher needs budget to provide the most appropriate support package for an individual with SEND.

They are encouraged by the Government to avoid "perverse incentives to over-identify high needs pupils and students".

Higher needs funding is also intended to support good quality alternative provision for pupils who cannot receive their education in schools.

County council officers came up with several reasons why it has overspent in this area of school funding.

  • The overall population in Staffordshire schools has increased by an average of 1.9%, when broken down by type, this is 21.3% in special schools, 19.3 in Pupil Referral Units - children who are excluded, sick or cannot attend mainstream or special schools - 8.3% at primaries and -6.4 at secondaries
  • The SEND population has increased by 29% since 2014 from 3,400 to 4,381
  • A rise in education, health and care assessments (EHCs) - which aim to find out what level of care each pupil needs - by 72%
  • Nearly half of all pupils on EHC plans are place in special schools instead of mainstream schools
  • An increased demand by 24% for places in special schools from parents through direct requests and tribunal decisions - each independent specialist placement is £200,000 per pupil
  • The number of pupils who have been permanently excluded for both primary and secondary schools is above the national average. In 2014 to 2015 there were 130, while in 2016 to 2017 there were 234 and there are forecast to be over 300 this year

Of the current £4.9 million overspend, £1.1 million is in special schools and academies, £1.6 million is in independent special schools, and £1.9 million in Staffordshire's mainstream schools.

The total budget for higher needs is £69.925 million, of which half - £35.986 million - is spent in special schools and academies.

County councillor Mark Sutton, cabinet member for children and young people, said that to tackle the rising demand for high needs education the council must work with mainstream schools and ensure that resources are used more effictively.

He said the council will be looking into a 12 to 15 month plan to examine the issue.

Councillor Mark Sutton, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for children and young people
Councillor Mark Sutton, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for children and young people

Cllr Sutton told the Burton Mail: "In common with many other local authorities, Staffordshire has seen a significant increase in demand for higher needs education funding over the past two to three years.

"To tackle this, we want to work with mainstream schools to help them better manage children with educational needs, and move to a district model in partnership with schools so we can use resources more effectively.

"Following the agreement of the Schools Forum, we will be looking at a 12 to15 month plan working with schools and other partners to examine this issue.

"By tackling this issue now, it means we can explore ways of managing the demand for higher needs funding and mitigate any potential impact on school budgets in the future."