The Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Bob Seely, has come under fire from the Isle of Wight Labour Party’s Parliamentary spokesperson, Julian Critchley, in relation to press release he issued about funding for those with special educational needs.
Seely: “£115,000 in extra government money”
The MP yesterday (Tuesday) welcomed “at least £115,000 in extra government money” to help with “extra places and facilities for special educational needs and disability pupils” on the Isle of Wight.
Bob said the cash was part of a £50 million funding boost for councils and that he’d lobbied ministers to provide more money on the Island for SEND pupils.
Critchley: “There is no new money”
Speaking ahead of today’s mini-march by Save our Schools (Isle of Wight), Julian Critchley said there “is no new money”.
He claims the Department for Education has “simply re-announced funding from an existing pot already available to schools”.
Julian, who is a teacher, said,
Seely: The “most cynical kind of spin”
“This is the most cynical kind of spin. To take an existing sum of money already allocated to schools, and announce it as a new funding “boost” is deliberately misleading. I think most parents will be fairly contemptuous of such transparent attempts to treat them like fools.
“Education in this country is in crisis, and it is a crisis made by the Conservative government since 2010. We have seen real-terms per pupil funding cuts on an unprecedented scale, we have a recruitment and retention crisis in teaching, and we have a growing crisis in student mental health as ever increasing pressure is placed on students with ever decreasing support.
“The only people in education who have received a ‘funding boost’ from this government are the well-connected fat-cat executives in private Academy companies, who have overseen the Government’s running down of our schools, leading to situations such as those at Sandown Bay and East Cowes.
“Once again, Bob Seely’s warm but empty words are in direct contradiction of the cold, hard actions of the Government he supports, which continues to cut funding to our children’s schools.”
Seely: “I will be continuing to fight for more [SEN] resources”
In his release, Bob said,
“It is important children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families have more choice and that government has recognised there is increasing demand for this type of education on the Isle of Wight and across the country.
“This money is welcome news that will allow more children to reach their potential. I have spoken to ministers at length about the situation on the Island and I have met with SEND parents on several occasions. I will be continuing to fight for more resources on their behalf.
“My understanding is that half of the councils will actually receive £225,000 to increase places and improve schools with every council receiving the £115,000, so there is a hope the Island will receive more money in due course.”
Lowthion: Culture needs to change
Vix Lowthion, national Green Party education spokesperson, told OnTheWight,
“Bob’s announcement is the very best spin we have come to expect from him in only a year of platitudes and hot air. But worse, he shows a complete ignorance of our children and the pressures faced by our schools. The money he talks about is peripheral – it would barely fund six teaching assistants in our Island classrooms.
“The crisis facing our children with additional needs is not merely one to be solved by additional funding. The entire culture of schools – high pressure testing, extreme academic focus, fines for term time holidays and the reduction in status for creative arts in schools – all contribute to all our pupils, especially SEND, being massively let down.”
Article edit
Comment from Vix Lowthion added
Image: © Parliament Live TV
