Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help mainstream schools with the funding, staffing and specialist support needed to meet the needs of SEND pupils.

Mainstream school funding is increasing by 2.6% per pupil between the 2025/26 and 2026/27 academic years, and high needs funding for children and young people with complex needs is continuing at an increased level of over £12 billion in 2026/27, following an increase of 11% in 2025/26.

The Schools White Paper sets out additional funding for both schools and local authorities to drive forward reform of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. The department is committed to prioritising early intervention and is increasing financial support, with £4 billion being invested over the three years of the 2025 spending review period.

Within the £4 billion investment to reform the SEND system, the department will provide additional funding through an Inclusive Mainstream Fund to boost inclusive practice in schools, colleges and early years settings, investing over £500 million per financial year over the next three years, and a a new training package, backed by £200 million of new funding, to ensure that all teachers, educators, teaching assistants, support staff and leaders across early years, schools and post-16 settings can be trained to support pupils with SEND.

The department is also providing £1.8 billion for local partnerships over the next three years, including local authorities and Integrated Care Boards, to work together to develop a new ‘Experts at Hand’ offer. This new offer is designed to strengthen the capability of mainstream education settings by providing access to universal and targeted support from key services and health and to specialist education practitioners.