Portsmouth City Council has warned of difficult financial decisions ahead as demand for Special Educational Needs support continues to surge beyond available resources.
Education officials yesterday highlighted mounting pressures during a schools forum meeting, with SEND placements becoming increasingly complex and costly. The authority faces a potential deficit as specialist provision struggles to match rising demand.
EHCP numbers in Portsmouth jumped by 24 per cent in the year after January 2025, climbing from 1,409 to 1,750. Around 100 mainstream pupils are expected to require specialist school places by September.
Deputy director of education Mike Stoneman warned forum members that growing numbers and complexity of cases would likely create future funding shortfalls.
“Because of the increasing numbers and complexity of need – we are likely to see a future deficit position,” Stoneman explained.
This situation may force the council to move funds between different grant allocations – specifically from the schools block to the high needs block within the Dedicated Schools Grant.
Stoneman acknowledged the strain on primary education settings, where most affected children are currently placed.
“We’re now up to 100 children – the vast majority are in primary, junior and infant school settings,” he said.
“The funding that primary schools currently have is not sufficient, we absolutely hear that – we also recognise that this cannot be a permanent position, this is abnormal, it’s not something we want to continue with.”
While expansion plans exist for specialist SEND provision, progress remains slower than desired due to constraints around time, funding and suitable premises.
The forum approved targeted investment measures to address immediate pressures. Primary schools will receive £4,000 per SEND pupil, with funding guaranteed for up to three years per child.
An enhanced inclusion outreach service will also be introduced, supported by an extra £90,000 yearly budget to assist schools managing these pupils.
The complete package costs £1.725m across four financial years, with staged implementation from 2025 through 2029.
