The UK government has announced a £3bn plan to create 50,000 new school places for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in England.
The investment will be delivered over the next three years and will help councils expand specialist spaces in mainstream schools.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the funding will support upcoming SEND reforms expected in the next schools White Paper. Part of the investment comes from cancelling the construction of 28 planned free schools, with another 16 projects under review. Phillipson said the decision was based on falling pupil numbers and a need to prioritise SEND support.
Councils will now be able to use the redirected funds to upgrade existing buildings, create breakout areas, and provide specialised rooms for children with autism, ADHD, and other needs.
They will also have the choice to build any of the 77 proposed special free schools or use the equivalent funds to expand local SEND places.The move has drawn mixed reactions. The
Conservatives called the cancellation of some free schools “education vandalism,” while Labour said the changes will better match funding to need. Headteachers’ unions welcomed the investment but warned that specialist staff must be available to support new spaces.
Councils also emphasised the importance of placing SEND provision close to families, as transport costs reached £1.5bn last year.
Parents and charities said the reforms must address long-standing delays, shortages of specialist staff, and the postcode lottery many families face when seeking SEND support.
Read also: UK ministers dismiss warnings of school budget cuts over £6bn Send funding shift