Issued by: Department for Education

Major reforms to SEND system kicked off with £740 million capital investment to create more specialist places in mainstream schools

Thousands of pupils are to benefit from a £740 million cash injection from the Government to pave the way for more pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive in mainstream schools.

This new funding can be used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, and to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs.

It will start to pave the way for the government’s wide-ranging long-term plans for reform to help more pupils with SEND to have their needs met in mainstream schools.

To drive support for neurodivergent children and young people in mainstream education and increase understanding of inclusion, Professor Karen Guldberg has also been appointed as Chair of a new “Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group” - a group of experts that will work alongside the Department to drive inclusive education.

Professor Guldberg brings a wealth of experience from her background as the Director of the Autism Centre for Education and Research and Head of the School of Education at the University of Birmingham.

Last month the National Audit Office highlighted the crisis in the SEND system, with very limited progress having been made in making mainstream schools more inclusive in recent years, harming children’s life chances.

That’s why the government has also confirmed that it will not enter any more of its Safety Valve agreements for councils in financial deficits, pending wider reform of the whole system to prioritise early intervention, properly supporting councils to bring their finances under control.

Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson said:

"The current picture is stark. For too long, too many children with additional needs haven’t been getting support early enough, with dire consequences when issues escalate.

"But my commitment to reform – making tangible change to the SEND system to improve experiences for children and families – could not be clearer, and building a system where more children with SEND can attend mainstream schools is central to our plans.

"We are determined to break down barriers to opportunity for all children and will work closely with local authorities, schools and families to ensure inclusion is at the heart of learning and that all pupils are getting the support they need to achieve and thrive."

Last year, only 20% of pupils with SEND met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2 level. Without the right support, children are falling behind their peers, impacting their future life chances.

The funding announced today forms part of a broader £6.7 billion capital settlement for education for the next financial year, announced at the Autumn Budget, which will be used to deliver this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best life chances while fixing the foundations of the school system.

Allocations will be confirmed in the Spring, alongside the publication of guidance outlining how councils can use this investment to improve local mainstream provision.

Over time, over 30 local authorities have been supported to manage their high needs budgets through the Safety Valve programme. The programme provides support for councils with deficits with their overspending on SEND but has not been effective enough across the board given the scale of the challenge.

We will continue to work with local authorities with Safety Valve agreements to deliver their plans.

Chair of the Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group Professor Karen Guldberg said:

"Everybody should have access to high quality education, regardless of their needs or background, but we face a crisis in the SEND system.

"I feel honoured to be leading a group of experts who are all committed to supporting the development of a more inclusive education system. We are wholeheartedly committed to co-production with those with lived experience and we will be consulting widely.

"Our focus will be to advise and make recommendations regarding the best ways to support and meet the educational needs of neurodivergent children and young people in mainstream settings."

Confederation of School Trusts Chief Executive Leora Cruddas CBE said:

"There will always be a role for specialist schools, but very often pupils and families can benefit from high quality, effective support in a mainstream school, and increasing capacity for this will help children get the support they need more quickly.

"There is consensus across trusts, local authorities, government, and, most importantly, families, that the current approach to SEND is not working. Fixing that will take time. This funding initiative has the potential to make a difference to children in our schools right now."

Strategic Advisor on SEND to the Government Dame Christine Lenehan said:

"I welcome this as part of a really important programme of reform for children with SEND and their families. I look forward to talking to children, families and experts as we take this forward."

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