ENGLAND: Almost $1B for 10,000 MORE SPED places

Mar 27, 2025, Gov.UK: PR: £740 million [$959M]  allocated for 10,000 new places for pupils with SEND 

New SEND places to create more inclusive classrooms in mainstream schools, delivering on Plan for Change to break down barriers to opportunity.

More children and young people will be supported to achieve and thrive in their local school, as the government today announces that 10,000 new school places will be funded for children with SEND, delivering on Plan for Change.  

£740 million [$959M] is being invested by the government to deliver adaptations, expand specialist units in mainstream as well as create new places in special schools – enabling more children to succeed at a school close to their homes and families.  

Fewer than one in 10 mainstream schools have SEN units or resourced provision - specialist facilities which provide more intensive support for pupils with SEND.  

Between 2010 to 2024, the number of children with EHCPs or their previous equivalent being educated in independent special schools increased from 7,000 to 26,000 – while the latest data released today shows an escalating gap of 8,000 places in state special schools. 

The funding can be used to ensure an inclusive environment in which all pupils can be supported, for example by creating breakout spaces where children can go to self-regulate or investing in assistive technology.  

This comes alongside a significant £1 billion [$1.3B] investment to fund 44,500 places in mainstream schools needed by 2028, helping meet current and future demand across the country. 

Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, said:

As part of our Plan for Change, we want every family to have access to a good local school for their child, breaking the link between children’s background and their opportunities in life.  . . .

Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council had a shortage of specialist classrooms in local mainstream schools for pupils with SEND, forcing them to attend schools far from home for the right support. 

After a 10-year expansion strategy, almost half of all schools in the area have resourced provision which has improved outcomes for young people and kept them educated locally with their peers and in their communities.  

Recent analysis suggests that at least 15,000 more children and young people could have their needs met in such specialist provision in mainstream schools in an improved SEND system.  . . .

The modification and creative use of existing spaces has had a significant impact on the learning, engagement and integration of children with Autism who attend our Additional Resource Provision, as well as having a huge impact on the learning and understanding of all members of our school community.

The announcement comes as new data shows the urgent need to reform the SEND system, to save families from a gap in support potentially stretching to tens of thousands of places.  

Sarah Clarke and Jo Harrison, Directors and Co-Chairs for the National Network of Parent Carer Forums C.I.C, said:

The NNPCF welcomes the government’s commitment of £740 million in capital funding for the 2025–26 financial year to support the creation of school places for children and young people with SEND. . . .

School-based early education – which the government is championing through its commitment to create thousands of new school-based nurseries – tends to have a higher proportion of children with special educational needs than other settings.

And in line with new guidance published today, over the coming years local authorities can use their capital funding for children with SEND to create places in local, mainstream schools – putting an end to the desperate battle to find a place that meets families’ needs. 

Iveson Primary School in Leeds, Yorkshire, has integrated a resourced provision, which helps pupils with SEND to build skills in a supportive and flexible environment – developing their confidence and fostering inclusion with the wider school, so all children can flourish.  . . .

The 54,500 new places will help deliver on the government’s Plan for Change commitment to make sure every family has access to a good local school place for their child no matter their ability, background or where they live. . . .