Kingston upon Thames faces a potential £10 million overspend on support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), according to recent financial updates presented at a Kingston upon Thames Schools Forum meeting held on Monday 23 June 2025.
The projected overspend is largely attributed to the increasing number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), with a net increase of 57 since March 31, 2025, bringing the total to 2,042. This rise in EHCPs, coupled with the historic underfunding of high needs education, continues to strain the borough's resources. The projected spend on DSG funded education services in 2025/26 is £217.715m, compared to a grant allocation of £207.720m, resulting in a projected overspend of £9.995m.
At a High Needs Block Subgroup meeting on 15th May 2025, attendees, including Esther Brooks, CEO of Coombe Academy Trust, and Charis Penfold, AfC - Director for Education Services, discussed key concerns regarding therapy services. The group noted a growing disparity in provision, increasing needs, and more parental appeals, leading to substantial financial consequences. The Integrated Care Board (ICB) has not communicated a timeline with stakeholders for when service changes will happen but there are short and long term aims including strengthening Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP), contract management and more specialist provision.
To address these challenges, Kingston is implementing its SEND Futures Plan, a strategic initiative aimed at improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND while ensuring the financial sustainability of the system. A project focused on developing a consistent model of resource allocation for Specialist Resource Provisions (SRPs) within mainstream schools has been completed. Additionally, the Kingston Cluster Pilot, established in September 2024 to support early intervention, is progressing with the appointment of Tina Harvey as the SEND Cluster Lead.
Despite these efforts, areas of concern remain, including the increasing number of EHC needs assessment requests, the rising cost of post-16 independent school placement costs, and the availability of health services and joint health funding. The Schools Forum is expected to further discuss these issues and explore potential solutions in upcoming meetings, including consultations with schools regarding central Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budgets.