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 in Lincolnshire.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.

This government knows that many children and young people with SEND struggle to find a suitable school placement that is close to their home and meets their needs. We are committed to addressing this by improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools to support a range of needs, reducing the need for pupils to travel a long way to access a specialist placement, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Many mainstream settings are already going above and beyond to deliver specialist provision locally, including through resourced provision and special educational needs units.

The department has now published allocations for £740 million in high needs provision capital allocations for the 2025/26 financial year, to support local authorities to deliver new specialist places.

Lincolnshire Council has been allocated £10.3 million for 2025/26, and it is up to the local authority to make decisions about the places they create and to prioritise this funding to meet local needs.