Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review the level of guaranteed support available to children with special educational needs in mainstream schools.

This government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed and thrive in their education and as they move into adulthood.

To enable high quality and inclusive practices within mainstream schools, the department is building a strong and credible evidence base on what works to drive inclusive education. The department has also created an Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, who are using their expertise and drawing on that of wider stakeholders to advise government on how to best drive inclusive practice and improve the education experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND in mainstream schools.

Additionally, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in 2025/26. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has also announced £740 million for high needs capital in the 2025/26 financial year to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This 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 and continue to provide places to support pupils in special schools with the most complex needs.