Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much of the £740 million investment to support inclusive classrooms has been allocated to schools in Warrington South constituency; and what criteria were used to determine allocations for (a) adaptations, (b) specialist units and (c) additional special school places.

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

The department provides local authorities with capital funding to support them to meet this duty and has published allocations for £740 million in high needs provision capital allocations for the 2025/26 financial year.

Of this £740 million, Warrington Borough Council has been allocated £3 million.

This funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

It is up to the council to determine how they prioritise this funding to address local need in the most appropriate way.