Multi-million pound overspend on high needs education as demand soars

EDUCATION bosses in Northumberland have revealed a multi-million pound overspend on SEND education as demand continues to outstrip funding.

- JAMES ROBINSON

Officers told school leaders that the high needs block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) overspent by £9.187 million in 2024/25.

This was slightly offset by underspends in other areas, but the DSG - which is provided by the Government to local authorities to fund schools - still overspent by more than £8 million. Meanwhile, the number of children requiring an education and healthcare plan (EHCP) rose by 22.49% in a single year.

This brought the total number of children with an EHCP to more than 4,100. Furthermore, that figure is expected to rise to 4,800 by the end of the next school year.

Speaking at Wednesday's meeting of the Northumberland Schools Forum, council accountant Callum Street said: "All year we have predicted that the DSG would go into deficit. This is a confirmation of us doing that.

"We were expecting a £6.1m overspend. We have exceeded that because the year-on-year growth has continued even higher than in previous years.

"National funding has not kept up with growth in EHCPs. Funding per EHCP has fallen from £17,500 per year in 2021/22 to just £11,800 in 2024/25."

The council has taken action in a bid to reduce the cost of SEND. This includes keeping more youngsters with EHCPs in mainstream schools, with those schools given additional support to educate more challenging pupils.