Jan 13, 2023, Stoke Sentinel: 128 new places for Stoke-on-Trent's special needs pupils in multi-million pound expansion https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/128-new-places-stoke-trents-8024473
Central England
in Stoke-on-Trent – so fewer pupils have to be sent to costly private schools. Stoke-on-Trent City Council plans to commission 88 additional places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, along with a specialist satellite hub for 40 pupils.
The authority currently has just 62 resouce and SEND unit provision places, which a council report says is a 'low figure'.
According to the report, increasing provision to 150 places, along with the satellite hub, is 'necessary to reduce the number of costly independent sector provision placements and the increasing levels of need and prevalence in these areas of primary need'. Using private SEND providers can cost more than £40,000 [$49K] more per pupil.
Commissioning the new places, which will include 48 at primary level and 40 secondary places, is likely to be at 'significant cost'. The funds will come from a £6.5 million [$8M] high needs provision capital allocation for the period 2022 to 2024….