Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the number of specialist school placements available within Slough.

For too long the education and care system has not met the needs of all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve.

We recognise the vital role that special schools play in catering to those with the most complex needs. We also want more children and young people to receive the support they need to achieve and thrive in their local mainstream school, reducing the need for pupils to travel a long way to access a specialist placement. Many mainstream settings are committed to delivering specialist provision locally, including through resourced provision and special educational needs (SEN) units.

The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with SEND. If a local authority identifies a shortage of special school places, resulting in a significant number of pupils needing to travel a long way to access a placement, they should consider creating or expanding local provision to meet that need. The department’s officials in Regions Group will continue to work closely with Slough to provide support and advice to the local authority in meeting its statutory duty to provide sufficient places for pupils with SEND.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has now announced £740 million for high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This new funding can be used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, or to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs, as well as continuing to provide places to support pupils in special schools with the most complex needs. We will confirm local authority allocations to Slough for high needs capital funding in the spring.