Cumbria County Council is calling on the government to provide extra funding to meet the demand for the region’s special schools. Out of 121 applications from parents, only 76 were successful in securing a place for their child at a Cumbrian special school, meaning that 45 children have missed out. Cllr Sue Sanderson, has explained that the current demand has exceeded the county’s capacity. The cabinet member for schools and learning said: “Unfortunately, overall demand for places at the county’s special schools exceeds the number available each year. “We understand parents’ frustration and we are lobbying central government to provide the additional funding that is needed to meet the growing demand.
Cumbria County Council is calling on the Government to provide extra funding to meet the demand for the region’s special schools. Out of 121 applications from parents last year, only 76 were successful in securing a place for their child meaning that 45 children missed out. Cllr Sue Sanderson, the cabinet member for schools and learning, said the current demand has exceeded the county’s capacity. “We understand parents’ frustration and we are lobbying central government to provide the additional funding that is needed to meet the growing demand, she said. “This situation is not unique to Cumbria. Across the country local authorities are struggling to meet increasing demand due to inadequate government funding.
Frustrated parents will have to wait two more months to find out how school places will be allocated if catchment areas change. After two years of campaigning to get rural schools into dual-catchment areas in the county, parents were told that a final decision will be put off until February for further scrutiny. Cllr Sue Sanderson, Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning, is concerned that any changes made to the current single-catchment area policy must be made before the legal deadline. She said: “I totally understand why parents think it’s unfair if they cannot get their first and second-choice places.