Schools given £740m to adapt buildings for Send pupils

The government has announced £740m of funding to increase the number of places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) in mainstream schools in England.

??The money, part of the £6.7bn of education spending announced in the Budget, will be targeted towards adapting school buildings to make them more accessible.

??In October, the National Audit Office (NAO) said parents had lost faith in a Send system “in urgent need of reform”.

??Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told BBC News she "hears the frustration" of parents but significant changes would take time.

BBC News analysis suggests the number of Send pupils in mainstream education in England has increased by a third since the 2015-16 academic year.

At Brighouse High School, in West Yorkshire, head teacher Richard Horsfield worries about not having enough funding to support pupils with Send - in terms of both educational support and capital spending on the school building.

The school supports them well - but more money is needed.

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1 January 2025

9thSend is the 'bggest issue' for schools - Ofsted