The budget for Swindon’s schools to help children with extra needs will be overspent by more than £1.2m this year.

This is only 0.59 per cent of a total schools budget of £216m, but it brings Swindon’s total deficit on its education budget to £4.5m.

Members of Swindon Borough Council’s school forum wil be given details of a recovery plan next week..

The report to be made to the forum next Tuesday shows the largest portion of the grant from central government is money sent straight to schools – at £161m for 2021-22.

Next comes 'high needs' at £37.5m, and then a portion for early years at £15.8m and central schools services at £1.1m.

But while three of the budgets are expected to be balanced, the report says spending on high needs provision will go to £38.7m – £1.2m over.

With the last two overall budgets also being over-spent there is already a deficit of £3.2m and this projected extra expense will take the deficit for Swindon to £4.5m.

The members of the forum will hear about a recovery plan for the next five years.

The report by the council’s interim head of special needs education Gareth Cheal says: “A partnership between parents and carers, leaders in education across all settings – political leaders, officers and members of Schools Forum – is essential to achieve a balanced direct schools grant budget position.

“This approach is necessary to ensure a sustainable, fair and equitable use of all budgets.”

The idea is to improve the outcomes and skills and behaviour of young children so there is less need for more expensive high-needs interventions for older children

One of the main aims of the plan is communication.

The report says: “Communication is a fundamental approach to improving children’s behaviour.

"Actions will include investment in speech and language therapy, a focus on early years and primary and the outcomes from pre-birth to age five by investing in speech and language, therapy teams, and screening tools for speech and language.”

The report says the borough’s 'positive behaviour support service' will focus on families and school transitions and activities for those over 16.

It adds it will focus on 'improving planning and pathways for further education, job coaching and traineeships in special schools' .

Teachers and social workers that make up Teams Around Schools for young people at risk, and the alternative provisions of education outside schools, will focus on supporting mental health outcomes.

The meeting begins at 4pm on Tuesday, July 6, at the council offices in Euclid Street.