- Portsmouth to receive over £2,200,000 as record amount allocated to councils nationally to deliver more specialist places – enabling more pupils with SEND to attend their local school
- Local council to prioritise places in mainstream settings, delivering on Labour’s plans for every secondary school to have an inclusion base
- Marks significant next step in Labour’s once-in-a-generation SEND reforms to better support children and restore confidence of parents
More children and young people in Portsmouth will be able to achieve and thrive at their local school, as the Labour government allocates the first round of more than £3bn to create inclusive classrooms across the country.
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.
Portsmouth is set to receive a total of almost £2,248,000.
To make sure all children and families in Portsmouth can benefit from truly inclusive schools, Portsmouth City Council will be required to sign a written agreement to prioritise increasing places in mainstream schools.
Signing the agreement, Portsmouth City 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.
This announcement follows the government’s landmark SEND reforms and is a significant step towards ending the postcode lottery of SEND support, so every child has access to a brilliant, inclusive education closer to home in Portsmouth.
Commenting, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, said:
“I’ve been listening and engaging with parents, teachers and school staff on the challenges schools are facing and specifically the need for better support for children with additional needs.
“Labour’s significant investment is going to make this a reality, with over £2,200,000 going to the creation of new specialist school places and teacher training to meet a range of needs.
“Brick by brick, Labour is building an education system where every child in Portsmouth can achieve and thrive.”
Schools Minister, Georgia Gould said:
“Just last month, we set out once-in-a-generation SEND reforms we’re now acting quickly to deliver the changes that make sure more children can thrive at their local school, with their friends.
“Inclusion is a choice, one this government is proud to make, and the funding we’re backing councils with this week will help make it a reality.
“Every school can, and will, have a bespoke environment that children with SEND – and their families – can rely on, ultimately rebuilding trust in the system and transforming outcomes for young people”
The over £2,248,000 comes alongside £500 million per year allocated to nurseries, schools and colleges to help them deliver an improved inclusion offer. New estimates published suggest that the average primary school will receive around £14,000 through the Inclusive Mainstream Fund, on top of their core funding allocations, with the average secondary school receiving around £48,000 in 2026-27.
Inclusion Bases enable pupils to move seamlessly between specialist support and mainstream classes, meeting a wide range of needs and importantly, building confidence and belonging.
The local council’s high needs capital cash boost can also be used to make the school environment inclusive by design through adaptations to improve inclusivity and accessibility, like providing a more comfortable sensory environment by enhancing ventilation, acoustics and lighting.
Following the publication of the schools white paper and Education Estates Strategy, the new funding allocation marks an important step to realising an inclusive education that delivers high standards for all pupils in every setting.
