Labour to create up to 60,000 spaces for children with Send in English schools

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Richard Adams Education editorDecember 11, 2025 at 11:30 PM

Read Original Article

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

The Labour government plans to invest £3 billion in creating up to 60,000 specialized spaces within mainstream English schools for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This initiative aims to address the rising number of children facing social and mental health problems and reduce the need for long-distance travel to specialized schools. The funding will come partly from suspending planned free schools, saving £600 million, with the remaining £2.4 billion from departmental spending. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated the investment will transform lives and provide opportunities for children with SEND to learn and succeed in their local communities. This announcement precedes broader reforms planned for next year, detailed in a schools white paper, which will address funding and inclusion within the school system.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

England ×260% Department for Education (DfE) ×370% Georgia Gould 80% Bridget Phillipson ×2100%

Keywords

special educational needs 100% send 90% inclusive education 70% school funding 60% mainstream schools 60% educational reform 50% social and mental health 50% department for education 40% school exclusion 40%