As a member of the f40 group, which represents the lowest funded local authorities in England, Richard has backed the fairer schools funding campaign since he was elected in 2010. This is aimed at ending the historical inequity whereby inner city schoolchildren were allotted almost twice the amount per capita as rural children. Dorset schoolchildren were particularly hard hit. For example, in 2016, Dorset was allotted £4,908 per child compared with £8,256 in Tower Hamlets. With the new National Funding Formula, levelling up began but the campaign continues. Richard believes more fairness is still needed, particularly when it comes to special educational needs and disability (SEND) provision in Dorset.
The number of children and young people with SEND, and their complexity of need, continues to rise. This, coupled with more young people accessing support for longer (19-25), without sufficient funding, is putting great pressure on the system. Funding for SEND remains based on historic need, which is very different to the requirements of SEND today. Richard added his name to a letter in February, asking the Chancellor for £4.6bn in extra SEND baseline funding plus substantial additional capital funding for additional SEND places and the removal of inequalities in the High Needs funding formula to make SEND budgets fairer.
A new, urgently-needed special school on Portland is planned and Richard looks forward to that being finally confirmed.
History of the campaign
f40, made up of 42 local authority members from across England, campaigns for fair funding in all areas of education, including primary and secondary schools, Early Years, 16-19, and High Needs up to age 25.
In 2015, Richard was one of 111 MPs who signed a letter to the Prime Minister, demanding a change to the system. f40 seeks fairness and equal opportunities in education for all children, regardless of where they live. The basic funding they call for should be enough to run a school before extra money is added on for any additional needs specific to a school or its pupils.
In July 2017, Richard and f40 welcomed the introduction of the National Funding Formula and commended the government for honouring its manifesto commitment to provide fairer funding for all children in state-funded schools in England. In essence, it meant an increase in basic funding for Dorset schoolchildren of 3 per cent. The intention was to ensure that similar children with similar needs were treated fairly, no matter where they live.
While good progress was made with the introduction of the National Funding Formula in 2017, there are still too many discrepancies locked into the system, with some schools still receiving far less per pupil than others.
Government has acknowledged the unfairness and is attempting to level up without reducing funding for the better funded schools, but it is a slow process. Many areas still receive inequitably less funding. It will take 15-20 years to close the gap, which is more than a whole generation of children.
Richard has continued to press for extra funding for special needs and disability (SEND).The level of need has increased dramatically in recent years. The total number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and statements of special educational need has more than doubled since 2015. But Government support has not kept pace.