Vikki Slade MP meets Schools Minister to raise concerns over SEND funding and Academy Trusts

Vikki Slade MP has met with Georgia Gould, Minister of State for School Standards, to raise concerns about the costs to councils of private SEND providers, and Multi Academy Trust spending, including in the local Initio Learning Trust.

Vikki requested the meeting following her recent interventions in Parliament and continued engagement with parents in her constituency. She has been working closely with families linked to Initio-run schools locally, including Queen Elizabeth’s School and Corfe Hills School, who have raised concerns about cost-cutting at the schools combined with high central costs and executive pay within the Trust.

In Parliament, Vikki highlighted that the contribution QE School makes to Initio Trust rose to around £750,000 last year, up from £500,000 the previous year, and questioned whether more of that funding should remain in classrooms to directly support pupils and teachers.

At the meeting, Vikki also raised 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. She stressed that this is placing an unsustainable strain on local authority budgets and diverting resources from early intervention and mainstream support.

Vikki said:

“Children’s needs must come before bureaucracy. 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 Minister acknowledged that the concerns raised about Initio Learning Trust warranted closer examination and agreed to investigate whether similar issues are occurring nationally. She committed to holding a follow-up meeting with Vikki once further information has been gathered.

Vikki added:

“Parents deserve transparency and accountability. Our education system must be structured in  a way that puts children, particularly the most vulnerable, first.”