Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to provide additional funding to mainstream schools that are accommodating higher numbers of SEND pupils due to shortages in specialist placements.

The government has been clear that a more inclusive education system is needed to provide children and young people with the opportunities they need to achieve and thrive.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places, including for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, sits with local authorities. To support local authorities with this duty, the department has published allocations for £740 million high needs capital in 2025/26. Of this funding, Thurrock council has been allocated just under £2 million.

This funding is intended to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs. It can also be used to adapt mainstream schools to be more accessible and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs. It is ultimately up to local authorities to determine how to best prioritise their high needs capital funding to address local priorities.