Meeting with Minister for Children and Families.

I was pleased to invite the  Heads of schools in Walsall,  Davina Clacy, Headteacher of Old Church CofE Primary School, Sean Davis, Headteacher and Governor at Old Church, and Andy Mills, Headteacher as part of Old Church family of schools, to meet with the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing David Johnston OBE MP on Tuesday 21 November.

The Heads were able to discuss with the Minister the difficulties the Schools are having with their budgets and SEND pupils and other topics about life in schools and the challenges the schools are facing. 

On the SEND budget, the Minister said that the local authority is given funding directly but the Heads said they were having to use their own budget including turning a toilet into a sensory room. I was concerned this was not being received by the schools.

I will continue to raise the issue of funding for our schools for which there was no allocation for schools in 2023‑24 and 2024-25 in the Autumn Statement.