Schools around Croydon are being forced to get rid of special educational needs staff due to budget cuts.

MP for Croydon Central Sarah Jones released figures from a survey of more than 50 Croydon headteachers which found that one third of schools surveyed have cut special needs staff since 2015 because of financial pressure.

Anonymous survey feedback from Croydon headteachers said: "There is a huge challenge to meet the increasing SEND demands, with less staff and specialist provision this is a perfect storm waiting to happen.

"Not only will it affect schools' ability to meet SEND needs effectively, but it will have a negative impact on the provision for non-SEND pupils, teacher morale and parental assurance."

A quarter of schools have cut parental support services which often assist parents of SEN pupils, according to the report.

The feedback said: "Some children have needed two adults until they have moved into specialists settings (4 in one year)- this support will not be possible in the future and would therefore leave schools stretched in their ability to meet the most vulnerable pupils needs.

"The new code of practice has endeavoured to enhance inclusion but has been implemented at a time of funding cuts, the most vulnerable pupils are therefore, potentially, far more vulnerable due to these cuts."

Ms Jones has now written to the schools minister to repeat these concerns and to ask him to put pressure on the Government for new money for education in the chancellor’s upcoming budget.

She said: “Special needs funding is a growing scandal which is damaging the education of some of our most vulnerable children. I’ve heard countless stories from teachers and parents about how hard it is to properly support pupils with special needs. These survey results prove how widespread the problems are.

“The problem isn’t just special needs funding for schools but also cuts to local council budgets. Councils provide vital services for SEN pupils such as transportation. I’ve worked with a constituent who can’t even get her son to school because the right transportation couldn’t be provided."