Following the publication of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) report on Wednesday, Dan Crossman, Headteacher of Marlborough St Mary’s, has been speaking to BBC Breakfast and Radio 5 Live about the challenges facing headteachers nationwide of balancing the school budget. The IFS report estimates a 2.8% growth in mainstream school funding which will fall short of the expected 3.6% rise in costs.
Despite falling birth rates and therefore lower pupil numbers, the increase in costs is partly due to funding the agreed teacher pay rises and support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities(SEND).
Speaking to Radio 5 Live Dan explained how SEND services are currently underfunded. “The money I get in hasn’t kept pace with the rising costs of meeting SEND needs. We receive the same money now as in 2014 and since then inflation rose by 51%.”
Marlborough St Mary’s has received philanthropic donations to fund the gap and being able to have an in-house speech and language therapist and forest school benefits all pupils not just SEND pupils. However, as Dan points out, “A common complaint amongst headteachers is you have to become a fund raising manager rather than a headteacher. It’s a tough job keeping your eye on teaching and learning and what’s going on in classrooms whilst you’re having to be a fund raiser at the same time.”
Dan firmly believes that if the government gave more money to support SEND services in primary schools this would fund interventions which would stop SEND pupils having to be sent to expensive specialist boarding schools later on. “If you get it right early you will stop having to spend more money further down the line. We don’t need a long term strategy for this. We know what the solutions are. Walk around St Mary’s and you’ll see the job being done brilliantly. We just need the money to continue doing that and we need that money pretty quickly.
“I do love my job, it’s a privilege to work in this sector, but at the same time it is worth reiterating that I’ve never seen it more challenging for headteachers across the country than it is now. The government really do need to listen. The current level of SEND funding is not a sustainable one and local authorities need more investment to make sure they can meet their legal duties to support schools.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said, “We are determined to fix the foundations of the education system that we inherited and will work with schools and local authorities to ensure there is a fair education funding system that directs public money to where it is needed to help children achieve and thrive.”
If you would like to read/listen to more about this topic follow the media links on the Marlborough St Mary’s website here.
Caretaker – St Michael’s CofE (Aided) School, Aldbourne
