A MAJOR gap in funding for pupils in Wiltshire has been revealed – and school leaders are calling on MPs to address the issue.

According to Wiltshire Council, it receives “significantly less” funding for its pupils in the county compared to other authorities across the country.

Despite rising costs and increasing demand, the county ranks 18th lowest out of 151 for mainstream school funding and 20th lowest for high needs special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) funding for 2025-2026.

The county receives a third less (36.46%) than the highest funded local authority, Camden, for its gross Dedicated Schools Grant for all children and young people.

Wiltshire receives two-thirds less (69.64%) than Camden for its high needs funding for children and young people with SEND.

READ MORE: Fayre on the Square returns to Salisbury this summer

READ MORE: How to spot signs of dementia in your loved ones

It has been calculated if Wiltshire was funded at Camden’s rate for high needs, the forecast deficit for Safety Valve would be completely removed.

The Safety Valve programme supports authorities facing significant or rapidly growing deficits in the High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).

While Wiltshire is undertaking a substantial programme of transformation, the level of high needs funding remains a major challenge.

Wiltshire’s 2024/25 DSG year-end deficit was £61.190m and this is forecast to be £96.050m at the end of the 2025/26 financial year.

Councillor Jon Hubbard, cabinet member for children’s services, education and skills at Wiltshire Council, is writing to MPs to urge them to attend the f40 Parliamentary event on July 1 and represent the voices of Wiltshire’s school leaders in Westminster.

“This is about fairness, opportunity, and the future of our children,” he said.

“Wiltshire’s teachers and pupils are being short-changed. The gap between our funding and that of the highest-funded areas is staggering.

“Our educators do incredible work, but they need fair funding to give every child the opportunities they deserve. I’m urging our MPs to stand with us and call for change.

“I was shocked to learn that if we’d received the same funding as the top-funded local authority, we wouldn’t have Safety Valve to manage, as our forecast deficit would be completely removed.

“The disparity between the highest and lowest funded authorities in the country is far too wide and means that the children and young people in Wiltshire are at a significant disadvantage compared to their peers.”

Cllr Laura Mayes, chair of the children’s select committee, said: “This renewed push for fairer funding is so important.

“We’re uniting local voices to ensure this issue is raised in Parliament. Every child, regardless of postcode, deserves equal access to quality education.”

Lisa Percy, headteacher at Hardenhuish School and chair of the Wiltshire Schools Forum said: “We’re proud of the high standards we maintain, but with fairer funding, we could do even more.

“I welcome this campaign and hope our MPs will be strong advocates for Wiltshire’s children.”

Wiltshire Council is a member of the f40 group — a coalition of the UK’s 43 lowest-funded local authorities.