Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many new special schools have opened since the introduction of free schools in 2010.

Since the launch of the free school programme in 2010, 34 special and 41 alternative provision new free schools have opened. As of 1 November 2018, there are also 55 special and 14 alternative provision new free schools in the pipeline.

On 24 July 2018, a joint special provision and alternative provision free school wave was announced. Within this, the department is looking to approve around 30 special and alternative provision free schools in addition to those already in the pipeline.