Secondary schools in England will have to provide space for neurodiverse and SEND pupils, in the form of universal inclusion bases, the government said.
These will be designated spots away from the classroom where children with SEND can get extra help and support.
The plan is believed to be part of the government’s overhaul of SEND, which will be outlined in the Schools White Paper within the next few weeks.
The government has already spent almost £3.7 billion on creating up to 60,000 bespoke SEND places in mainstream schools, with new purpose-built accommodation, or by re-purposing existing space.
The availability of space and resources has not kept up with the need for specialist provision to support children with special educational needs
The plans are contained in the Department for Education’s new estates strategy, a ten-year plan of “national renewal for schools and colleges across England back by unprecedented long-term funding”.
Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said: “After years of underinvestment, too many children are learning in buildings that have already deteriorated, are in need of repair and at risk of overheating.
“At the same time, the availability of space and resources has not kept up with the need for specialist provision to support children with special educational needs.”
The report said that buildings should be inclusive by design for all pupils but “especially those with SEND” so they can “learn in high-quality, comfortable and supportive environments.
“We will provide new dedicated guidance to support the identification of targeted, high impact adaptations in schools, as we know every learning environment is unique and will vary based on the setting and the needs of their pupils.”
New guidance on design will be published in the spring, the report said, and will include “inclusive design principles for adaptations to the existing estate, alongside new builds and refurbishments to support an inclusive and accessible education estate”.
“We want more children and young people with SEND to achieve and thrive in their local mainstream school – including through inclusion bases – and for parents to have access to high quality local early education provision that is right for their child, including school-based nurseries,” the report said.
It is not yet clear how all of these proposals will be funded, however, though there is mention in the document of shifting funding from the establishment of new free schools, to this purpose.
