Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of SEND provision in Warwickshire; and whether she plans to take steps with Warwickshire County Council to help improve the (a) funding and (b) delivery of SEND services.

Following the last Ofsted inspection, officials have been working with Warwickshire County Council (WCC) to closely monitor progress against the area for improvement identified by inspectors.

The areas were:

(i) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) waiting times, assessments and support following diagnosis.

(ii) Co-production.

(iii) Placement of children and young people with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan.

(iv) Uptake of training for school staff working with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

(v) And the quality of the online local offer.

The department appointed a SEND advisor to support and work alongside WCC and the local area partnership.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision (AP) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach in collaboration with Local Area Partnerships, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

The department recognises the financial pressures on local authorities due to rising costs in the SEND system. The Core Schools Budget Grant (CSBG) will provide over £140 million, at a national level, in additional funding for special and AP schools in the 2024/25 academic year, to cover increased costs from the 2024 teachers' pay award and the outcome of the support staff negotiations. This is in addition to the £10.75 billion allocated this year for high needs provision and teacher-related costs. Local authorities’ allocations of the CSBG will be confirmed this autumn.