Matt Keer
@captaink77.bsky.social
Mostly SEND, mostly for @spcialndsjungle.bsky.social
Same goes for special schools: you'd expect more variation here, but it's very, very obvious that some schools catering for the same needs get £000,000s less funding than neighbours in other LAs, because of the vibes-based approach
Lowest band - zero (just £10k place funding)
Highest band - £83,100
Lowest band - zero (just £10k place funding)
Highest band - £83,100
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Same goes for special schools: you'd expect more variation here, but it's very, very obvious that some schools catering for the same needs get £000,000s less funding than neighbours in other LAs, because of the vibes-based approach
Lowest band - zero (just £10k place funding)
Highest band - £83,100
Lowest band - zero (just £10k place funding)
Highest band - £83,100
Mainstream SEND units seem to be the great white hope / white whale of reform
We looked at banded funded arrangements for these - same story, a Caligulan goat orgy of confusion
Lowest rate of high-needs top-up = zero (several LAs)
Highest rate = ~£36,000
We looked at banded funded arrangements for these - same story, a Caligulan goat orgy of confusion
Lowest rate of high-needs top-up = zero (several LAs)
Highest rate = ~£36,000
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Mainstream SEND units seem to be the great white hope / white whale of reform
We looked at banded funded arrangements for these - same story, a Caligulan goat orgy of confusion
Lowest rate of high-needs top-up = zero (several LAs)
Highest rate = ~£36,000
We looked at banded funded arrangements for these - same story, a Caligulan goat orgy of confusion
Lowest rate of high-needs top-up = zero (several LAs)
Highest rate = ~£36,000
But it's hard to see how that pledge can be met - because the level of variation and dysfunction in SEND funding allocations across LAs almost defies belief.
Check this graph - 100 current LA systems for mainstream banded funding, grouped by region: like a spider on crack walked across the page
Check this graph - 100 current LA systems for mainstream banded funding, grouped by region: like a spider on crack walked across the page
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
But it's hard to see how that pledge can be met - because the level of variation and dysfunction in SEND funding allocations across LAs almost defies belief.
Check this graph - 100 current LA systems for mainstream banded funding, grouped by region: like a spider on crack walked across the page
Check this graph - 100 current LA systems for mainstream banded funding, grouped by region: like a spider on crack walked across the page
This pressure (& suppressive financial intervention policies) means that at a per-pupil level, real-terms cuts are being inflicted on schools high-needs allocations
Most LAs dole this out via banded funding systems. The graph shows changes to band values since 2023: 96% of LAs made real-terms cuts
Most LAs dole this out via banded funding systems. The graph shows changes to band values since 2023: 96% of LAs made real-terms cuts
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
This pressure (& suppressive financial intervention policies) means that at a per-pupil level, real-terms cuts are being inflicted on schools high-needs allocations
Most LAs dole this out via banded funding systems. The graph shows changes to band values since 2023: 96% of LAs made real-terms cuts
Most LAs dole this out via banded funding systems. The graph shows changes to band values since 2023: 96% of LAs made real-terms cuts
Most local authorities run a deficit on their DSG funding blocks (usually because of high-needs funding shortages) - the deficit is growing more quickly than DfE predictions
End March 2025 = ~£3.8 billion (provisional)
End March 2026 = >£6.1 billion (forecast)
End March 2025 = ~£3.8 billion (provisional)
End March 2026 = >£6.1 billion (forecast)
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Most local authorities run a deficit on their DSG funding blocks (usually because of high-needs funding shortages) - the deficit is growing more quickly than DfE predictions
End March 2025 = ~£3.8 billion (provisional)
End March 2026 = >£6.1 billion (forecast)
End March 2025 = ~£3.8 billion (provisional)
End March 2026 = >£6.1 billion (forecast)
Nobody knows how much money is spent on SEND provision each year. This graph just covers the education side
People call the red bit 'the SEND budget' - but most pupils w SEND have most of their provision funded out of the blue bit, including mainstream pupils with an EHCP. Amount is unclear
People call the red bit 'the SEND budget' - but most pupils w SEND have most of their provision funded out of the blue bit, including mainstream pupils with an EHCP. Amount is unclear
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Nobody knows how much money is spent on SEND provision each year. This graph just covers the education side
People call the red bit 'the SEND budget' - but most pupils w SEND have most of their provision funded out of the blue bit, including mainstream pupils with an EHCP. Amount is unclear
People call the red bit 'the SEND budget' - but most pupils w SEND have most of their provision funded out of the blue bit, including mainstream pupils with an EHCP. Amount is unclear
Loving the spad energy here: ‘no-one has our courage, although we aren’t saying how we’ve grasped this nettle, or even whether we might have grasped a Venus fly trap by mistake’
October 22, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Loving the spad energy here: ‘no-one has our courage, although we aren’t saying how we’ve grasped this nettle, or even whether we might have grasped a Venus fly trap by mistake’
Sounds like a really awkward situation. If only there was some way to avoid it
October 10, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Sounds like a really awkward situation. If only there was some way to avoid it
Incredible Waitrose’s-tasting-notes-for-Special-Brew energy
September 26, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Incredible Waitrose’s-tasting-notes-for-Special-Brew energy
It's presumably intended to reassure, but the energy given off is basically this
September 15, 2025 at 8:11 PM
It's presumably intended to reassure, but the energy given off is basically this
August 26, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Yes, it's dull, but documents like this - deliberately, or inadvertently - reveal what big bureaucracies really care about
(side note: worth noting that DfE has downgraded the risk of placement market failure for looked-after children, no idea why but paging @martinbarrow.bsky.social anyway)
(side note: worth noting that DfE has downgraded the risk of placement market failure for looked-after children, no idea why but paging @martinbarrow.bsky.social anyway)
July 17, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Yes, it's dull, but documents like this - deliberately, or inadvertently - reveal what big bureaucracies really care about
(side note: worth noting that DfE has downgraded the risk of placement market failure for looked-after children, no idea why but paging @martinbarrow.bsky.social anyway)
(side note: worth noting that DfE has downgraded the risk of placement market failure for looked-after children, no idea why but paging @martinbarrow.bsky.social anyway)
This is such a badly framed and articulated risk (from DfE annual report, issued today)
How likely are council insolvencies, and by when?
What's the impact on DfE objectives of the risk being realised?
What's the impact on kids, families, schools & colleges?
Doesn't say. Just word salad
How likely are council insolvencies, and by when?
What's the impact on DfE objectives of the risk being realised?
What's the impact on kids, families, schools & colleges?
Doesn't say. Just word salad
July 17, 2025 at 7:37 PM
This is such a badly framed and articulated risk (from DfE annual report, issued today)
How likely are council insolvencies, and by when?
What's the impact on DfE objectives of the risk being realised?
What's the impact on kids, families, schools & colleges?
Doesn't say. Just word salad
How likely are council insolvencies, and by when?
What's the impact on DfE objectives of the risk being realised?
What's the impact on kids, families, schools & colleges?
Doesn't say. Just word salad
The author has visited what looks like top-of-the-line mainstream SEND provision. Capacity & expertise like this costs. And the article's (unsourced) Whitehall kremlinology suggests that financial sustainability is going to have the greatest say over what future mainstream RPs/units look like
/end
/end
July 11, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The author has visited what looks like top-of-the-line mainstream SEND provision. Capacity & expertise like this costs. And the article's (unsourced) Whitehall kremlinology suggests that financial sustainability is going to have the greatest say over what future mainstream RPs/units look like
/end
/end
It’s a good article, a side of the story that definitely needed to be told
(am mildly salty about the lack of attribution here, mind: for the record, the £153m estimate includes some resource costs borne by schools on the LA’s behalf in the appeal defence process)
(am mildly salty about the lack of attribution here, mind: for the record, the £153m estimate includes some resource costs borne by schools on the LA’s behalf in the appeal defence process)
July 10, 2025 at 6:59 PM
It’s a good article, a side of the story that definitely needed to be told
(am mildly salty about the lack of attribution here, mind: for the record, the £153m estimate includes some resource costs borne by schools on the LA’s behalf in the appeal defence process)
(am mildly salty about the lack of attribution here, mind: for the record, the £153m estimate includes some resource costs borne by schools on the LA’s behalf in the appeal defence process)
Why would schools close their SEN units & bases down in the middle of a full-blown provision crisis? Someone more clued up than me should look into it, but best guess from here:
- real-terms cuts to LA 'top-up' payments make them less affordable (see graph)
- schools on a quest for Outstanding
8/
- real-terms cuts to LA 'top-up' payments make them less affordable (see graph)
- schools on a quest for Outstanding
8/
May 30, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Why would schools close their SEN units & bases down in the middle of a full-blown provision crisis? Someone more clued up than me should look into it, but best guess from here:
- real-terms cuts to LA 'top-up' payments make them less affordable (see graph)
- schools on a quest for Outstanding
8/
- real-terms cuts to LA 'top-up' payments make them less affordable (see graph)
- schools on a quest for Outstanding
8/
I asked some proper experts @fftedudatalab.bsky.social - they pointed me to this article, which shows that units & bases for autistic pupils are on the rise, whilst those for lower-incidence needs (deafness, VI, physical disabilities) are falling ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2025/03/wher...
5/
5/
May 30, 2025 at 8:37 PM
I asked some proper experts @fftedudatalab.bsky.social - they pointed me to this article, which shows that units & bases for autistic pupils are on the rise, whilst those for lower-incidence needs (deafness, VI, physical disabilities) are falling ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2025/03/wher...
5/
5/
17 more days of this loosely-sourced spad-u-like stuff
I don't know what "only high and complex needs" means in policy terms: 4% of the 0-19 population have a statutory SEN plan now, compared to a modal 2.8% before 2018
I don't know what "only high and complex needs" means in policy terms: 4% of the 0-19 population have a statutory SEN plan now, compared to a modal 2.8% before 2018
May 24, 2025 at 9:20 AM
17 more days of this loosely-sourced spad-u-like stuff
I don't know what "only high and complex needs" means in policy terms: 4% of the 0-19 population have a statutory SEN plan now, compared to a modal 2.8% before 2018
I don't know what "only high and complex needs" means in policy terms: 4% of the 0-19 population have a statutory SEN plan now, compared to a modal 2.8% before 2018
Taken from this, with more graphs of pain www.specialneedsjungle.com/send-fact-ch...
May 23, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Taken from this, with more graphs of pain www.specialneedsjungle.com/send-fact-ch...
Another chapter in a multi-year SEND story: place funding frozen for a decade, min funding and top-up funding frozen or lagging inflation. all = real-terms per pupil funding cuts
Graph from 2021-23
Graph from 2021-23
May 23, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Another chapter in a multi-year SEND story: place funding frozen for a decade, min funding and top-up funding frozen or lagging inflation. all = real-terms per pupil funding cuts
Graph from 2021-23
Graph from 2021-23
Incredibly disingenuous argument, this - the same logic would apply to social care support, bin collections, any type of council function where service delivery is delegated
May 15, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Incredibly disingenuous argument, this - the same logic would apply to social care support, bin collections, any type of council function where service delivery is delegated