East Riding of Yorkshire Council receives the lowest per-pupil funding for Special Educational Needs in the country, at just £968 per child, while Camden Council receives the highest at £3564.
Despite this significant funding gap, East Riding of Yorkshire Council—working closely with local schools—continues to deliver above-average outcomes for children with SEND. But as the number of children needing support has increased over the past five years, the current funding levels are proving unsustainable.
Graham recently visited Inmans Primary School in Hedon after staff wrote to him raising their concerns about the impact of chronic underfunding. During the visit, he met dedicated teachers and parents working tirelessly to support children with SEND.
Although praised in its recent Ofsted inspection, Inmans’ specialist provision centre is now oversubscribed. The school has tripled its places for SEND pupils from four to twelve in six years yet currently supports fourteen children in the unit and receives new requests each week. On top of this, fifty-four pupils require other forms of tailored support. The school is eager to expand but lacks the funding and space to do so.
Graham and Cllr Victoria Aitken (Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families) are calling on the Government to urgently increase SEND funding for our area. They have met the Minister for School Standards, Catherine McKinnell MP, and raised the issue in Parliament on multiple occasions. Graham has requested a debate in Parliament on this issue, which he hopes will take place soon, and will continue to raise it at every opportunity.
Sue Fellows, Headteacher of Inmans Primary School, commented, “It was great to welcome Graham to Inmans to see first hand the challenges we face every day.
“We urgently need more funding to expand our provision and support the growing number of children with SEND in our area. We appreciate Graham’s ongoing support as a passionate voice for us in Parliament.
“Our goal is to give every child the high-quality education and support they deserve, regardless of their needs. With fairer funding, we can make that a reality.”
Graham Stuart, Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness, said, “The parents and teachers at Inmans Primary School are determined that every child succeeds, regardless of their needs.
“That’s why it’s so frustrating to hear that they can’t provide additional support because the funding they receive for a child with SEND in Hedon is just a quarter of the funding given to a child in Camden.
“I wish there was more I could do, but I will continue working closely with Cllr Aitken, neighbouring MPs and schools to put pressure on the Government to increase funding levels so that these children receive the excellent support they deserve.”
