2010

Special schools in Wales are making good use of available funds, but many councils have not reflected the changing circumstances that schools find themselves in when deciding on what funding and support to give.

That is the conclusion of a report, published today by the Auditor General for Wales. It was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government as part of a review of Special Educational Needs throughout Wales.

The report found an inconsistent approach to funding. There were cases of special schools providing services to pupils with similar needs but being funded at significantly different levels. Yet, despite this, schools are largely managing their finances well. For example, Estyn inspection judgements are positive in almost all maintained special schools. School managers work well with councils to monitor spending carefully and levels of reserves at the end of 2008-09 were, on average, a prudent 5.8 per cent of budget.

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Case studies included in the report

• Working in partnership to raise additional funding and using it to improve facilities in a special school
  City and County of Swansea
• Increasing opportunities for inclusion and delivering better value for money through modernising special schools
  Flintshire County Council
• Planning to improve special schools as part of the wider programme of modernising schools
  Vale of Glamorgan Council
• Fundamental review of the special school funding formula to meet pupils' needs
  Caerphilly County Borough Council
• Using benchmarked information to compare expenditure on special schools with that in similar authorities and to inform a review of budget allocation
  Cardiff Council
• Taking effective action to increase in-authority special school capacity and reduce the need for more expensive out-of-county provision
  Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
• Taking effective action to increase in-authority special school capacity and reduce the need for more expensive out-of-county provision
  Cardiff Council
• Effective joint working between councils and the Local Health Board to secure good health service support for pupils with SEN
  Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board