Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to meet the demand for specialist SEND school places.

The government recognises the vital role that special schools play in catering to children and young people with the most complex needs. We also want more children and young people to receive the support they need to thrive in their local mainstream school, reducing the need for pupils to travel a long way to access a specialist placement. Many mainstream settings are already committed to delivering specialist provision locally, including through resourced provision and special educational needs units.

The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). If a local authority identifies a shortage of places, which would result in a significant number of pupils needing to travel a long way to access a placement, they should consider creating or expanding provision to meet that need.

The government has now published local authority allocations for £740 million in high needs capital in the 2025/26 financial year to support local authorities to provide school places for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This funding can be used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit pupils’ needs, alongside continuing to provide places to support pupils in special schools with the most complex needs. Hampshire has been allocated just under £22.9 million for the 2025/26 financial year.