(UK) $200M from regular ed to pay for SPED; MP calls for turning unused churches into special schools
- The end of childhood
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Dec 16, 2025, Express: Reform UK's Richard Tice wants churches to become special needs schools
Redundant churches should be turned into schools where children with special educational needs can receive the help they need, according to Richard Tice. The Reform UK deputy leader claimed children are travelling for up to 90 minutes by taxi for specialist classes.
He denounced the state of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, saying: “[At] every single level the SEND system is broken and we at Reform are determined to be at the heart of reforming it and improving it.” Setting out his vision of classes being provided in churches, he said: “Imagine a system where children don’t have to travel in a taxi every day 60-90 minutes to a specialist school.
"Imagine, for example, using redundant churches five days a week that are currently only used one day of the week.”
He added: “What a great thing that would be, for the Church of England to show real leadership.”
His comments come just weeks after the County Councils Network warned the system is on “course for total collapse” with “cumulative deficits projected to hit a staggering £18billion [$24B] by the end of this parliament”.
It claimed cash is being “withdrawn from children in the mainstream school system in order to support overspending for SEND – with an estimated £150million [$201M] being transferred in the last financial year”.
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