Vikki Slade, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, met with Georgia Gould, minister of state for school standards, to raise concerns over the costs to councils of private SEND providers, and multi-academy trust spending.
The Minister of State for School Standards said a national investigation into multi-academy trusts will be put forward following Slade’s concerns over Initio Learning Trust (Image: Vikki Slade MP)
Initio Learning Trust, responsible for more than 7,000 pupils ranging from ages of three to 19 across 19 schools, confirmed last month it would make a number of cuts following “extremely challenging financial conditions”, despite 18 executives earning six-figure salaries.
Staff at Corfe Hills School in Poole slammed the trust after it was told 31 jobs could be axed following its consultation – many of which in SEND departments – while Queen Elizabeth’s School in Wimborne said “low birth rates” were among the reasons it was making staffing cuts.
Initio Learning Trust CEO Liz West announced she would retire later this year (Image: Initio Learning Trust)
CEO Liz West, who earns more than £170,000 in salary and benefits, announced she would retire later this year.
Mrs Slade requested the meeting following her recent interventions in Parliament and engagement with parents in her constituency.
She has worked closely with families linked to Initio-run schools, including Queen Elizabeth’s School and Corfe Hills, who raised concerns about cost-cutting at the schools combined with high central costs and executive pay within the trust.
In Parliament, Mrs Slade highlighted that the contribution QE School makes to the trust rose to around £750,000 last year, up from £500,000 the previous year, and questioned whether more that funding should remain in classrooms to directly support pupils and teachers.
31 members of staff have their jobs cuts at Corfe Hills School (Image: NQ)
Mrs Slade also raised with the minister the severe financial pressures facing councils due to the high cost of some private SEND placements.
With some schools charging more than £100,000 per year, Mrs Slade said it is placing an “unsustainable strain” on local authority budgets and diverting resources from early intervention and mainstream support.
“Children’s needs must come before bureaucracy,” said Mrs Slade.
“Whether it’s rising central costs in academy trusts or eye-watering private SEND fees, we must ensure funding is reaching the frontline and supporting pupils, families and teachers.”
The schools minister acknowledged that the concerns raised about Initio warranted closer examination and agreed to investigate whether similar issues are occurring nationally.
Mrs Slade added: “Parents deserve transparency and accountability.
“Our education system must be structured in a way that puts children, particularly the most vulnerable, first.”