Tag: Funding

Raising the Nation Play Commission ‘State of Play’ report

~ Bruce Levitan

Raising the Nation Play Commission, a year-long independent inquiry into why play is critical to the wellbeing of children in England, published its Interim Report, ‘State of Play’ on February 24th. It reveals the growing barriers to play in England, including playground closures, concerns about traffic and safety, cuts to park budgets and play facilities, … Continue reading Raising the Nation Play Commission ‘State of Play’ report

SEND in crisis campaign

~ Bruce Levitan

The f40 group of local authorities, of which Derbyshire is one, have started a campaign for: A SEND funding strategy, linked to the SEND and AP Improvement Plan, focusing on early intervention and inclusion. Additional SEND revenue funding – f40 has calculated that £4.6bn more is required per year. Substantial one-off capital funding to expand … Continue reading SEND in crisis campaign

Education Committee question Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson

~ Bruce Levitan

Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education and permanent secretary Susan Acland-Hood appeared before the Education Committee on 15th January. You can watch a video of the meeting here. Amongst other things, they spoke about: National funding formula under review; Academy changes will introduce a pay ‘floor, but no ceiling’; ‘Improving Education Together’ partnership aimed … Continue reading Education Committee question Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson

Families to receive £126 million in early years support

~ Bruce Levitan

The recent government press release regarding additional early years support funding shows that Derbyshire is NOT included in the grants, though Derby is. There are many areas of deprivation in Derbyshire as governors are no doubt aware, so perhaps you will challenge this and campaign to have Derbyshire included, e.g. by contacting your MP. ​https://www.gov.uk/government/news/families-to-receive-126-million-in-early-years-support

New specialist places to be created in mainstream schools

~ Bruce Levitan

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a £740 million cash injection from the Government to pave the way for more pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive in mainstream schools. This new funding can be used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, and to … Continue reading New specialist places to be created in mainstream schools

Government’s Plan for Change programme – Break Down Barriers to Opportunity

~ Bruce Levitan

Labour has announced it's Break Down Barriers to Opportunity milestone: Giving children the best start in life. In a bid to improve Early Years, they have promised to: Roll out government-funded childcare support to improve access; Work in partnership with the sector, reforming training and support for the workforce to drive up standards; Strengthen and … Continue reading Government’s Plan for Change programme – Break Down Barriers to Opportunity

Towards an Effective and Financially Sustainable Approach to SEND in England

~ Bruce Levitan

A report on SEND commissioned by the County Councils Network and Local Government Association has been published by the ISOS Partnership. The key findings are that: More children and young people than ever before are being identified as having SEND; There are more children and young people than ever before whose needs are not being … Continue reading Towards an Effective and Financially Sustainable Approach to SEND in England

Support for children and young people with special educational needs

~ Bruce Levitan

A new report from the National Audit Office (NAO) finds that around 1.9 million children and young people aged 0 to 25 years in England (11%) were identified as having special educational needs (SEN) in January 2024, with 1.7 million at school. This won't come as a surprise to teachers. The report finds that "although … Continue reading Support for children and young people with special educational needs

Educational outcomes for SEND pupils have failed to improve over the last decade

~ Bruce Levitan

A new report by Isos Partnership commissioned by the County Councils Network and the Local Government Association was released on 25 July. The study concludes that the current system is not working for families, schools and councils alike. The report is called Towards an effective and financially sustainable approach to SEND in England, and highhlights … Continue reading Educational outcomes for SEND pupils have failed to improve over the last decade

NGA School and Trust Annual Governance Survey 2024

~ Bruce Levitan

The NGA has just published its latest (14th) School and Trust Annual Governance Survey. Highlight findings include: Funding Financial sustainability under threat Budget pressures intensify Falling pupil numbers Curriculum breadth at risk SEND funding crisis deepens Pupil, family and community needs SEND support demands surge Attendance is high priority Expanding school services Safeguarding issues growing … Continue reading NGA School and Trust Annual Governance Survey 2024

Issues for schools requiring RAAC buildings works

~ Bruce Levitan

An atrticle from Schools Week highlights the continuing issues for schools in respect of keeping their buildings up to scratch. It highighhts the fact that some schools have had requests turned down by Ministers, and that the system is very unbalanced. You can read the article on their website, here.