Bolsover MP champions funding to deliver more places for children with SEND
County to receive £14 million from the government to allow deliver of more specialist places for youngsters
Derbyshire County Council (DCC) to receive £14 million from the government as a record amount is allocated to councils nationally to deliver more specialist places – enabling more pupils with special needs to attend their local school.
This announcement follows the government’s SEND reforms and is aimed at ending the postcode lottery of SEND support, so every child has access to inclusive education closer to home.
MP for Bolsover, Natalie Fleet said: “From my local roundtables with families with experience of the SEND system, I know parents want their child to get the right support closer to home rather than having to travel long distances to get the education they deserve.
“This Labour government is investing to make that a reality, providing Derbyshire County Council with £14 million to create specialist places and training up teachers to meet a range of needs."
Around £860 million will be allocated to every council in England - the biggest ever single high needs capital allocation - to create more inclusive physical spaces and drive a transformative expansion of Inclusion Bases, so that early specialist support becomes part of the fabric of mainstream schools. Derbyshire County Council is set to receive £14 million.
To make sure all children and families in Bolsover can benefit from truly inclusive schools, the council will be required to sign a written agreement to prioritise increasing places in mainstream schools.
Signing the agreement, the council will need to adopt inclusive strategies that support positive outcomes for children, like reducing the number of children with SEND who need to travel long distances to school, and making sure every child who needs a place in an Inclusion Base can access one.
Importantly, councils should also use their allocation to ensure sufficient special school and AP places for children and young people with the most complex needs, reflecting the vital role these settings play in providing support for some of the most vulnerable children.
Where councils choose to spend their funding on special school places, they should set out clear evidence-based rationale for why this would better respond to local need – ensuring investment in places delivers for local families.