Special school leaders have called for extra funding to cover the costs of providing free school meals as soaring food and staff costs leave gaping holes in their budgets.
Unlike mainstream schools, special schools do not receive specific funding for means-tested free school meals.
Although they receive more funding per-pupil and top-up funding from councils based on pupils’ individual needs, leaders say their budgets have become increasingly stretched by competing costs and static funding.
The number of special school pupils eligible for free school meals has also risen from 36.5 per cent in 2017 to 44.7 per cent last year.
