Government announces new special schools

MP David Johnston says the budget for high needs provision had gone up by 60% since 2019/20.

The Department for Education has announced it will open 16 new special schools – including four in the West Midlands.

The schools are part of a programme of 200 special schools across the country, with 108 already opened, the government said.

David Johnston minister for children, families and wellbeing named Solihull, Walsall, Stoke-on-Trent and Herefordshire as the locations of the new schools.

A competition for academy trusts to run the schools will be launched in the coming days, the government said, but critics have argued the announcement isn’t enough.

Mr Johnston said the 200 schools would provide 60,000 new places at special schools in total, but some parents told the BBC these still would not meet demand.

There were not enough resources to help children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who can be taught within mainstream schools either, they added.

Mr Johnston said the budget for high-needs provision had gone up by 60% since 2019-20.

“What we know is that most children with special educational needs can have their needs met in a mainstream school,” he said.

“Where that can we happen, we want it to happen.

“But of course there will always be some children that need a special school place, that’s why we’re creating 200 more special schools.”

A spokesperson for Herefordshire Council said it was delighted the county was among the areas to be included in the proposals.

The new Herefordshire special school will eventually cater for 80 children and young people, aged 2-16 years, with complex autism and severe learning difficulties, the authority said.

Councillor Ivan Powell, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “This support will enable us to expand the number of specialist education places in Herefordshire, and enable more pupils to attend a school within their local community and to thrive in an educational environment that meet their needs well.

“We know this will have a significant and positive impact on these pupils and their families.”