Schools in Stroud are being financially penalised for being inclusive, David Drew told Theresa May today as he asked her to rethink education funding.

Stroud’s MP raised concerns over funding for children with additional needs brought to his attention by headteachers from his constituency at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, July 18.

He told Mrs May that schools in Stroud lack enough extra cash to care for such children and instead have to dip into their main pot of money.

“Schools in the Stroud constituency are telling me that they are forced to use core funding to make up for the additional requirements of Special Education Needs and Disabilities and special schools are having to meet considerable rising costs,” he said in the House of Commons.

“Will the Prime Minister look at the National Funding Formula with an aim of helping those schools to make sure they are fully inclusive?”

In response Theresa May defended her Government’s changes to school funding, arguing it will make sure cash is given out more fairly to schools across the UK

"I have long championed the need for those children with special needs to be able to be provided for in the setting most appropriate for them,” she replied to Mr Drew at the dispatch box.

“We have of course changed the National Funding Formula to make it a fairer distribution across the country.

“I recognise the need to ensure that those children with special needs are being provided for in the most appropriate setting."

The National Funding Formula, which came into force in April 2018, introduced a minimum level of per-pupil funding of £4,600 for secondary schools, which will increase to £4,800 in 2019-20.

Ministers also said the Formula would maintain school funding in real terms.

But Julia Maunder, headteacher of Thomas Keble School in Eastcombe had told Mr Drew’s office that Thomas Keble receives £216,000 in ‘additional needs’ funding under the Formula for supporting children who need additional help with literacy and numeracy, yet the same pot of money had to be used to pay £222,000 for provision for children with Education and Health Care Plans (ECHP) at the school.

The funding is also ‘counted’ towards the school’s minimum level of funding of £4,600 per pupil, Ms Maunder explained to Mr Drew’s office.

“This means all of our additional needs money is being used to deliver the core curriculum with nothing left for the funding’s intended purpose; to deliver intervention and support that enables children with additional needs to succeed and flourish,” according to Ms Maunder.

Ahead of the question to the Prime Minister, special schools in Stroud also told Mr Drew they were struggling with costs.

“The new National Funding Formula is having some small positive impact on mainstream schools in Gloucestershire - but no discernible impact at all on Gloucestershire’s maintained special schools,” Jane Jones, headteacher at the Shrubberies School in Stonehouse said.

“This is partly because rising costs faced by all schools, such as increases in National Insurance and pensions have a disproportionate effect on special schools which have higher staff ratios.

“Our budgets have also been hit by cuts to other services, such as educational psychology, school nursing and social care early intervention, which means we face extra costs.

“Quite simply, the government’s promise of a 0.5% increase in funding will not materialise for children at special schools.”

In a statement following PMQs, Mr Drew said: “School funding is already inadequate, but it is grossly unfair to hit schools in the pocket if they aim to provide inclusive education, which is why I raised this directly with the Prime Minister.

“Proper financial provision should be in place to enable all children to fulfil their potential, whether they are in a mainstream school or in specialist provision.”