Schools across England are being forced to scale back support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, as long-standing funding pressures push budgets to breaking point.
A survey by Sutton Trust found that two-fifths of school leaders have reduced support for SEND pupils, highlighting what many describe as a financial crisis more than a decade in the making.
The findings show that 71% of school leaders have cut back on teaching assistants over the past year, while nearly half have reduced wider support staff. Looking ahead, 81% warn further cuts are likely within the next 12 months.
The research comes at a time when the government is pushing ahead with reforms aimed at making mainstream schools more inclusive for SEND pupils. However, education leaders say these ambitions are at risk without proper funding.
Pepe Di’Iasio of the Association of School and College Leaders said schools are being asked to deliver more while receiving insufficient resources. He warned that reducing support staff directly undermines efforts to improve inclusion.
Teaching assistants are widely seen as essential for helping SEND pupils access mainstream education, and experts argue that cuts in this area could significantly impact learning outcomes.
The survey, carried out by National Foundation for Educational Research, also found wider budget pressures affecting schools. Nearly half of leaders reported cuts to IT equipment and school trips, while a third said extracurricular activities such as sports had been reduced. In secondary schools, some leaders reported fewer subject options at GCSE and A-level.
Financial strain is also affecting support for disadvantaged pupils. A large majority of school leaders said funding through the pupil premium is no longer sufficient, with many schools using it to cover general budget shortfalls rather than targeted support.
Daniel Kebede of the National Education Union said schools are being forced to cut essential services simply to remain operational, warning that current funding levels make it impossible to meet the government’s SEND ambitions.
Nick Harrison, chief executive of the Sutton Trust, said the situation reflects years of underinvestment, adding that urgent action is needed to direct funding towards the pupils and schools most in need.
The Department for Education said it continues to prioritise school funding, pointing to planned increases in the overall education budget and additional investment aimed at supporting SEND reforms.
Despite these commitments, school leaders warn that without sustained and targeted funding, cuts to support services are likely to continue, putting vulnerable pupils at risk and widening existing inequalities in the education system.