(UK) Norfolk: Council approves 2 special schools for 270 costing $54M

Jan 23, 2026, BBC News: £40m [$54M] plan for new Send schools set to move forward

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy099x1pz8no.amp 

Plans for two special schools will finally move ahead with £40m of funding from the government, a council has said.

Norfolk County Council first announced plans for the special educational needs and disabilities (Send) schools in Downham Market and Great Yarmouth in 2023.

The previous Conservative government had promised money for them, but plans were put on hold when the 2024 General Election was called.

Penny Carpenter, the Conservative councillor responsible for children's services, said the Department for Education (DfE) had now confirmed the funding, and she hoped proposals would move forward in the coming weeks.

Under the plans, the Great Yarmouth school will support 170 children with learning disabilities, while the Downham Market school will cater for 100 pupils with complex communication and interaction difficulties.

Norfolk County Council had been given the option to proceed with the schools – which will cost in the region of £40m – or take a lower sum of £13.7m from the government to fund specialist places in existing mainstream schools.

Carpenter said she was "delighted" the DfE had agreed to provide £40m.

While the council's overall approach is for more Send children to be supported in mainstream education, she said the new schools would make "a huge difference".

"I do recognise that some children really do need that extra special help in learning and they will only perhaps get that extra special help within a specialist school," she added.

South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy, Labour, who had been campaigning for the Downham Market school to be built, also welcomed the news.

Describing the Send system as being "in crisis", he said he was working with more than 150 families who faced "huge challenges". . . .