Cash boost of £1.7m to improve education in county

The money for schools in Essex means support could be put in place quickly

A local authority is to spend more than £1.7m to improve the education inclusion "for all pupils" across a county.

Essex County Council said the cash would be used over the next three years to "improve educational outcomes and experiences for pupils".

It comes after Essex was found to be the worst place in England for completing children’s special educational needs and disabilities assessments (SEND).

Tony Ball, a councillor and the cabinet member for education excellence, lifelong learning and employability on the authority, said it was "important that every pupil has the right support for their needs".

Supporting needs

The authority said the money will be used to deliver a programme of work that would develop an early intervention and prevention "inclusion offer" for mainstream schools.

It said it comes after national pressures on the education system, with the Covid pandemic, an increased number of SEND children and "significant financial pressures".

Ball, a Conservative councillor, said: "We have been open about the work we are doing to improve education outcomes, particularly around inclusion and the local SEND system.

"It is important that every pupil has the right support for their needs and that schools and settings feel confident in putting appropriate measures in place for them."

The council said: "These challenges have negatively impacted on educational outcomes and experiences for children, young people, and their families across the country."

The money would be used to support "all pupils" which means that needs could be identified and help put in place sooner.

The council would continue to work with parents, carers and schools to develop effective early intervention approaches, it said.

The measures were aimed at addressing the backlog of education, health and care needs assessments (EHCNA) and to improve wait times.