Thousands of school places to be created for children with special educational needs

Thousands of school places will be created for children with special educational needs or those facing additional challenges in mainstream education.

A new school will open in every English region, including 37 special free schools and two alternative provision free schools.

The Department for Education says this will create about 3,500 new places and boost the choice for parents.

The schools will provide specialist support and education for pupils with complex needs such as autism, severe learning difficulties or mental health conditions, and those who may have been or are at risk of being excluded from mainstream schools.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: “Parents rightly want choice of where their child goes to school and to know that the education and support they receive will ignite that spark of potential that exists in all of us, so they can go on and succeed.

“We want every school to be a school for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

“That’s why we are investing significant funding into Special Education Needs units attached to mainstream schools and in additional support so children with education, health and care plans can access mainstream education.

“But we recognise some children require more specialist support. These new special free schools and alternative provision schools will make sure that more complex needs can be provided to help support every child to have a quality education.”

Applications will now open in the 39 successful local authorities to find providers – including community groups, teachers, charities, existing education providers and other organisations – to run the schools.

Leora Cruddas, chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts, said: “These additional school places will enable children with special needs and those facing difficulties to have access to high quality education provision.

“Over the past week, there has been much debate in the media about children and young people whose social, emotional and behavioural needs make them vulnerable.

“Today’s announcement of a range of specialist provision in every region of the country is hugely welcome.”

WHERE WILL THE 37 SPECIAL FREE SCHOOLS BE BASED?

Here is a breakdown of where the 37 special free schools will open, and the kind of provision they will offer:

– Three will be in the North East, providing more than 200 places, mostly for children with social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH)

– Six will be in the North West, with more than 400 places including for children with SEMH, Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Severe Learning Difficulty (SLD) and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)

– Five will be in Yorkshire and the Humber, providing more than 500 places including for children with SEMH, ASD, SLD, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) and SLCN

– One will open in the East Midlands, providing 50 places for children with SEMH

– Four will be in the West Midlands, providing more than 400 places including for children with SEMH, ASD and Multiple Learning Difficulties (MLD)

– Four will be in the East of England, providing over 300 places including for children with SEMH, ASD and SLCN

– Five will open in London, providing more than 400 places including for children with SEMH, ASD and SLCN

– In the South East three schools will open, providing more than 300 places including for children with SEMH and ASD

– Six will be in the South West, providing 500 places including for children with SEMH, ASD, Complex Learning Difficulties (CLD) and SLCN

– Two Alternative Provision free schools will provide more than 100 places in the West Midlands for children who have been, or are at risk of being, excluded from mainstream education.

Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2019, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) David Jones / PA Wire.