English secondary schools to provide inclusion bases for neurodiverse and SEND pupils

Ministers say secondary schools in England will be expected to have 'inclusion bases'—separate spaces where pupils with SEND and neurodiversity can receive support—as part of a wider SEND reform backed by a £3.7bn programme and a £700m school repairs fund.

Ministers have set out expectations that secondary schools in England should provide dedicated "inclusion bases", spaces away from classrooms where pupils with special educational needs and neurodiversity can get support for some lessons. The measure is part of a wider government plan to redesign SEND provision and is linked to a £3.7bn investment intended to create up to 60,000 bespoke places in mainstream schools. New guidance due this spring will set out accessibility and inclusivity expectations for school sites and facilities. The announcement was published alongside the Department for Education's estate strategy, which includes a £700m repairs fund for school buildings. What is announced: - "Inclusion bases" are described as separate spaces for pupils with additional needs to receive support during lessons. - The measures form part of a £3.7bn SEND redesign programme aiming to create up to 60,000 bespoke places in mainstream schools. - New guidance this spring will set expectations on improvements such as breakout rooms, accessible changing facilities, sensory gardens, and better lighting, acoustics and ventilation. - The estate strategy includes a £700m repairs pot and plans to use building data to identify sites at risk of closure because of major structural issues. - Organisations cited in coverage said inclusion bases can support a sense of belonging, while unions and school leaders urged more clarity on primary schools, staffing, training and specialist funding. - MPs noted continuing concerns about the condition of the school estate and recalled the 2023 RAAC-related closures as evidence of underinvestment. Summary: Ministers present the measures as part of efforts to make mainstream secondary schools more accessible and to expand support places for pupils with SEND. New guidance due in the spring and the Department for Education's estate strategy, including the £700m repairs fund, are the next public steps. Details on how primary schools, staffing, training and specialist funding will be addressed remain undetermined at this time.