Feb 27, 2025, This is Oxfordshire: Funding doubles for Oxfordshire special education needs
SE England
Additional funding for children special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has been approved by the county council, doubling its investment.
Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet approved £2million [$2.5M] per year to fund additional bespoke education, known as enhanced pathways, for SEND students.
This is on top of the 20 already in place across the county and has been developed in partnership with mainstream schools, to allow teachers to deliver specialised curriculums to small groups of pupils.
However, county councillor Sally Povolotsky, independent councillor who was not involved in the cabinet decision, said: “It’s one sandbag, which is trying to hold back a flood."
“Since September 2023 we have seen further failures, closed shop boards and discussions, zero restorative practice, questionable ‘coproduction’ and a true lack of listening and communicating effectively with parents, carers and children. . . .
A spokesperson for Oxfordshire SEND Parent Action said: "We welcome this funding - anything that improves access to SEND support for children is desperately needed.
"However, at the end of the day there are thousands of children with SEND in Oxfordshire and at best this will help a couple of hundred,
"You’d expect if the initial 20 pilot pathways work, then you’d roll it out to every school that wants it."
The initiative was first introduced in the 2021-22 academic year at around £500,000 [$630K] per annum, which was increased to £1 million [$1.3M] a year last September when an additional eight pathways were created. The latest investment doubles that amount again.
Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for SEND improvement, said: “We are determined to do our very best for every child, and the voices of children and young people are central to our SEND transformation programme.” . . .
By March 2026, the council expects to have spent £100m [$126M] more on SEND than what it’s received from central government.
“Our enhanced pathways initiative is helping to support mainstream schools in becoming more inclusive,” said Cllr Gregory.
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