By Gavin Mackintosh-
The British government is to be taken to the High Court over cuts to special educational needs funding, following the verdict of a judge in favour of a judicial review. A judge has now ordered the case must be heard in a two-day High Court hearing on the 26 and 27 June. The hearing is to examine whether the government’s current level of funding for SEND is lawful.
Families representing pupils with SEND announced in September they were crowdfunding a legal challenge against education secretary Damian Hinds and chancellor Philip Hammond over their high need budget cuts. The families are being supported by campaign group SEND Family Action, from North Yorkshire and East Sussex. They say the government grants are leaving councils unable to fulfil their legal obligations to pupils with disabilities.
The Department Of Education has been credited for its extra injection of cash into the British education system, and the many initiatives taken by its education boss, Damien Hinds, and bright Ofsted boss, Amanda Spieldsman. Ofsted which presides over inspections of primary and secondary schools in the Uk, has been very proactive in raising academic standards across schools in Britain, and overseeing the curriculum set my various school heads.
They have sought to keep standards at a level not too high, and not too low, working closely with school heads across the country. In the last few years, Pupil numbers have been rising following a baby boom in the early 2000s.making stack up? About £43.5bn was planned to be spent on pupils aged 0-16 in 2018-19, compared with about £30.5bn in 2010-11 when the Conservatives came into power in coalition. With rising costs and greater demands in the education system, complaints of inadequate funding will disappoint many, who up until now have been impressed with improving statistics of government funding into the education system.
In 2016, Damien Hinds promised an extra £250m of funding over the next two years for Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to provide specialist support and tailored facilities, helping those with complex needs to succeed. He also promised more state-of-the-art facilities, such as sensory rooms and specialist equipment. Head teachers have been sending letters to parents across the country getting them to sign a petition over issues relating to funding in British schools.