As part of f40 campaign, Cambridgeshire County Council has pledged its support for special educational needs and disabilities by calling on the Government to deliver increased and fairer education funding and urgent reforms.
The publication of a long-awaited Schools White Paper, outlining the Government’s approach to education and anticipated SEND reforms, has been delayed. The County Council is urging ministers to ensure that any changes are robust enough to address the funding shortfall and provide schools with the resources needed to implement them effectively.
Initial figures for the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) 2026/27 show Cambridgeshire receiving £6,465 per pupil for the Schools Block, placing the county 128th out of 151 local education authorities.
Meanwhile, the High Needs Block deficit is projected to reach around £94 million by March 2026 and could rise to approximately £200 million by April 2028, placing the council under severe financial pressure.
Nationally, demand for SEND support continues to outstrip funding. The lowest-funded local authorities currently receive less than a third of the funding allocated to the highest-funded areas, a disparity the council describes as unsustainable.
Local authorities in England are expected to accumulate a collective SEND deficit of £6 billion by April 2026, potentially rising to £13 billion by March 2028 without meaningful reform.
Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said:
“The way that funding is allocated for schools in England is fundamentally broken and Cambridgeshire’s children, young people and families are currently paying the price.
“We recognise the need for some level of weighting in schools funding, but the sheer size of the differential in per pupil funding nationally is deeply unfair – and the council is now in a critical financial position.
“We are joining with the other f40 authorities to call on Government to set out a clear, time-bound programme of reform which addresses long-term structural underfunding in our area.
“We are proud of the work we do for families, but Government must fund the system adequately and invest in the futures of Cambridgeshire’s children and young people.”
Mark Woods, CEO of Meridian Trust and Chair of Cambridgeshire Schools Forum, added: “It is vital that we understand the full context in which our schools are working. Across Cambridgeshire and nationally, demand for SEND support has grown significantly, with a rise in EHCPs and increasingly complex needs placing real pressure on schools and local services.
“As a forum, we believe the f40 campaign provides an important opportunity to raise awareness of these challenges and to make a positive case for a system that is better resourced and more sustainable.
“With the right level of investment and reform, we can strengthen local provision, improve inclusion, and ensure that all children receive the support they need to achieve.”
The council’s backing of the f40 campaign signals a united push for reform, aiming to secure fairer funding and long-term solutions for SEND across Cambridgeshire and the wider country.
