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 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 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.
This investment is a big step towards delivering not only enough school places, but the right school places, supporting all children and particularly those with SEND, and plugging the significant gaps in provision we inherited.
This investment will give children with SEND the support they need to thrive, marking the start of a turning point for families who have been fighting to improve their children’s outcomes.
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.
Marie Ziane, Headteacher at Becontree Primary School, Dagenham, said:
At Becontree Primary School, all of our work stems from a shared belief and understanding that all children have learning, well-being and safeguarding needs.
Capital funding, alongside support from the Local Authority, has been an essential part of realising our school’s vision for truly inclusive practice.
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.
For too long, families have faced limited options and long waits for appropriate support. Creating more inclusive environments—where children and young people with special educational needs can thrive alongside their peers—is a positive step forward.
We look forward to continued collaboration with the Department for Education to ensure that parent carers’ voices remain central to the development and implementation of these plans. We also hope that local authorities will work closely with their local Parent Carer Forums to ensure the lived experience and voices of parent carers are at the heart of local delivery.
The reform to the SEND system will look to ensure that children’s needs are identified and met earlier; and that early years and staff in mainstream settings across the country are equipped and supported to be inclusive of all children.
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.
Hayley Marshall, Headteacher at Iveson Primary School, said:
Opening The Aviary, a resourced provision, at Iveson Primary has had a significant positive impact for the whole school community, enabling us to provide specialist facilities with a high-quality, adapted curriculum for pupils with SEND, alongside our mainstream provision. This fosters integration and inclusion and supports children to thrive and feel confident in school alongside their peers.
Adapted to suit individual pupils’ needs and interests, provision in The Aviary includes life skills and social skills and enables children to access mainstream classes while also receiving specialist support. Parents welcome the flexibility of the provision and the positive impact this has had on their children’s social, emotional and academic progress.
Raising school standards is at the heart of the government’s mission to improve children’s life chances, and making sure pupils and staff have access to high-quality and sustainable buildings are a key part of that.
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.
The department has also announced today the details of a £2.1 billion investment for the 2025-26 financial year to improve the condition of the school and sixth-form college estate in England – almost £300 million more than 2024-25. The funding will ensure schools can continue to invest in essential maintenance projects such as replacing roofs, windows and heating systems.
Amanda Allard, Director at the Council for Disabled Children, National Children’s Bureau, said:
We welcome the announcement on how this investment can be used and the focus on Local Authorities supporting schools to ensure that disabled children and young people, and those with special educational needs, can have their needs met in inclusive local schools.
We know from our work with local areas, and through the What Works in SEND programme, that there is some very effective practice across the country, and we encourage local areas to share and learn from this as they develop inclusive provision which enables children and young people to learn, develop friendships and be part of their community.
