Ringfencing post-16 SEND funding not ‘right approach’, says DfE

Ringfencing funding dedicated to college learners with SEND would create significant administrative burdens and risk fragmenting provision, the government has said.

The response follows recommendations made by the education select committee last year, which urged policymakers to create a ringfenced funding stream for special educational needs in FE after its inquiry found post-16 SEND students were “rarely seen” as a funding priority.

The committee said: “The Department for Education should introduce a dedicated and ring-fenced funding stream for SEN support beyond the age of 16. This would enable further education providers to recruit and retain specialist staff, provide tailored learning resources, and make the reasonable adjustments necessary to meet the diverse needs of learners with SEND.”

In its response, the Department for Education partially accepted the recommendation but said a separate funding pot was not the “right approach” as it would bring significant administrative burdens and reduce provider flexibility.

Officials explained: “Ringfenced funding risks fragmenting provision in ways that do not support the holistic, responsive support we want for young people with SEND and other young people with wider needs.”

The government said funding in the SEND system is already “too confusing” and “too tightly linked” to bureaucratic processes.

The DfE said colleges should have the flexibility to use core budgets to support learners with additional needs.

DfE also restated its intention to redirect more money into mainstream budgets from high needs block funding.

The reforms were proposed in its SEND consultation proposals in February, which committed £1.6 billion over the next three years to make mainstream settings more inclusive.

Officials also flagged to the education committee that more than 300 providers received a share of £73 million from the government’s inclusive mainstream fund, announced last week.

DfE is also reviewing the 16 to 19 funding formula, as previously indicated in the post-16 white paper in October, but explicitly said the assessment would support inclusive provision for all learners, including those with SEND.

Don’t expect statutory transport any time soon

Today’s report forms the government’s official response to the education select committee’s ‘solving the SEND crisis’ inquiry, which opened 18 months ago.

Committee chair Helen Hayes pushed for government investment in a universal free bus pass for under-22s and a review into home-to-school and college transport.

Councils are not obliged to fund transport for learners over the age of 16, but some continue to provide it with the addition of a financial contribution from families.

The committee has previously called for an extension of the statutory duty to FE SEND students aged 16 to 25 in their FE and skills inquiry.

DfE partially accepted the recommendation to review post-16 SEND transport.

But the department ruled out the idea of setting statutory criteria for post-16 transport as it would be “undeliverable” for councils without additional funding.

The report said: “We do not have current plans to [provide additional funding] because we do not think setting statutory criteria is the best route to sufficiently targeting those most in need or would further enhance the delivery of existing duties.”

Local authorities have a duty to publish and implement a transport policy outlining provisions to help over-16s to attend education and arrangements for financial assistance.

The department added that it was collecting voluntary data from local councils to “build” its understanding of current transport provision and costs, which it plans to publish this summer.

Susan Acland-Hood, permanent secretary in the DfE, previously told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that a “blanket” would be difficult due to the widespread provision across the country.