Recommendation 90

The Department for Education should expand specialist SEND provision by investing in high-quality specialist state schools and mainstream resource bases and other mainstream provision. This should be achieved through shifting funding from some independent specialist school provision to better value for money state specialist school provision. This will help meet rising need, support inclusive mainstream education, and reduce reliance on costly or distant placements. This expansion must be aligned with robust local planning and forecasting, ensuring that new provision is responsive to patterns of demand and delivered in a way that reduces pressure on over- capacity special schools and minimises reliance on distant or expensive independent placements. (Conclusion, Paragraph 313)