Somerset MP highlights “broken” SEND funding in plea to minister

Paul JonesMay 8, 20250 Comment0

“THE SEND system is broken, and unequal funding is a major reason.”

Those were the words of MP Sarah Dyke (Lib Dem, Glastonbury & Somerton) during a passionate speech highlighting education funding issues in Somerset.

During a debate in Parliament on Tuesday (May 6), the MP called for fairer education funding for Somerset and urgent reform of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system, which she said is failing some of the county’s most vulnerable children.

Ms Dyke is vice-chair of the f40 group – representing 43 local authorities with historically low levels of education funding – and used her Commons speech to highlight stark inequalities in Somerset’s allocation.

For 2025/26, Somerset’s Dedicated Schools Grant is £8,500 per pupil – while some councils will receive nearly £5,000 more.

The high needs funding block, which supports SEND provision in both mainstream and specialist settings, Somerset’s allocation is £1,250 per pupil – more than £2,000 less than the highest-funded local authority.

During the debate, minister for school standards Catherine McKinnell (Lab, Newcastle upon Tyne North) revealed the funding formula would be revised ahead of the 2026/27 allocation.

“The SEND system is broken, and unequal funding is a major reason,” Ms Dyke told Parliament. “My inbox is full of messages from parents who are desperate to get the right support for their children but are seeing their needs go unmet. It is deeply upsetting and unacceptable.”

She called on the Government to urgently review school and high needs funding formulas to ensure they reflect actual need and enable timely, targeted support.

Ms Dyke shared the story of Jensen, a seven-year-old from Ilchester, who she said is experiencing severe mental health distress while awaiting a long-overdue neurodevelopmental assessment.

“Jensen has lost all enjoyment in life. He misses school, he misses his friends, and his mother feels he is being passed from service to service,” she said. “He is not alone. Many families across Glastonbury and Somerton are facing the same battle in a system that isn’t working.”

Somerset MP Sarah Dyke, left, called on minister Catherine McKinnell. Pictures: Parliament TV

She also raised unique challenges faced by large rural counties like Somerset, where delivering SEND support is made even more complex by distance and limited resources.

“The current funding model is not fit-for-purpose. Without reform, we will continue to see a deeply unequal landscape where children are let down and schools are unable to meet rising demand,” she added.

Later in the debate, Ms Dyke highlighted the impact the funding crisis is having on children and parents’ mental health, which she described as “heartbreaking”.

In response to calls from MPs for changes to the funding for schools, Minister for School Standards Catherine McKinnell (Lab, Newcastle upon Tyne North) acknowledged many of the complaints – and said a review of the funding formula was planned ahead for the 2026/27 period.

“Getting this right is a key part of achieving this Labour Government’s aim of breaking down those barriers to opportunity for every child and making sure that that link between background and success is truly broken,” she said.

Ms McKinnell acknowledged high-cost areas such as London attracted more funding, but said deprivation was a key consideration when allocating funding.

However, she acknowledged after the Labour Government was elected last July, the administration had prioritised “speed over any changes” to the funding formula to give schools certainty.

“We do recognise that importance of establishing a fair funding system that does direct funding to where it is most needed,” she added, and that ahead of any changes, “different challenges faced in different parts of the country” will be taken into consideration.