It was no secret that Andy Burnham was planning a major transfer of power from Westminster to the regions. He has now set out the key areas where, in due course, responsibility will be handed to mayors, including 16-19 education, employment support, transport, housing, planning and public services.
Moving away from a national system of 16-19 funding presents both opportunities and risks. Local areas will have the power, responsibility and funding to shape a post-16 educational offer to meet local need and respond to local circumstances, rather than deliver on centrally imposed priorities. In a joined-up approach to education and employment support, specialist colleges could play a key role in ensuring young disabled people are prepared to fill local skills gaps – rather than contributing to the not in employment, education or training (NEET) statistics.
We must not lose sight, however, of the broader purpose of further education (FE) in creating the citizens of the future. Local funding decisions must also take account of the fact that for some learners with more complex needs, increased independence and agency, rather than employment, is the end-goal. Protections must be in place to ensure that a more localised approach does not lead to a postcode lottery of provision for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Ruth Perry, Senior Policy Manager said,
“The government may not yet have thought through the implications of this latest announcement for high needs funding or the post-16 SEND system. For many young people in the specialist college sector, the majority of their funding comes from the high needs funding pot, currently managed not by central government but by local authorities. There could be an opportunity here to give mayoral authorities control of both post-16 high needs funding and 16-19 funding. This would support better strategic planning and commissioning of provision to meet low-incidence needs. Natspec would certainly be interested in exploring this idea with the officials, as they begin the tricky business of dismantling the complex 16-19 funding system.”