An ambitious programme to significantly boost local places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will hit its first milestones next month.
Between 2026 and 2029, Wokingham borough councill will invest more than £40 million to create more than 600 new SEND spaces within the borough, across a range of settings and providing for all age groups.
These include new and expanded specialist schools, new inclusive provision within existing mainstream schools, and hubs for young people aged over 16. The first wave of mainstream facilities will be opening throughout the 2026 autumn term, along with the first of three post-16 training and support hubs.
The programme will address a recent shortfall which has required some SEND students to be educated outside the borough, sometimes 20 or more miles away. This is disruptive because of the time spent travelling, and it’s financially unsustainable due to the high costs of transport and placements with independent providers.
By the end of 2029, it’s hoped that every child will have their SEND requirements met locally where this is the best option. This will create more stability for the council, ensuring it uses its limited resources more effectively and can still be there for families for many years to come.
The programme is based on the forecast number of students with education, health and care plans (ECHPs), so it accounts for a continuing growth in demand. It should unlock significant savings as independent placements can cost up to five times more, and the council also pays transport costs where families meet criteria.
Cllr Prue Bray, executive member for children’s services, said: “Funding more in-borough SEND places is a cost-effective investment that will allow more pupils to be educated in familiar surroundings and alongside their peers.
“Firstly, we’re pleased to be increasing provision in mainstream settings as parents and carers have shown a preference for more of these facilities, in more locations and serving a wider range of needs.
“They offer the benefits of a comprehensive mainstream curriculum while helping mainstream pupils to understand neurodivergence and other conditions, and we want as many students as possible to be able to benefit.
“At the same time, however, we recognise that more focused support can sometimes lead to the best outcomes and this is also reflected in our programme.
“Meanwhile, the new post-16 options will help shape a fairer borough by supporting the transition to adulthood and employment, promoting independence for the students and community cohesion more widely.”
The council is also required to reduce reliance on independent placements as a condition of the government’s Safety Valve funding for SEND provision. Some pupils with more complex needs may still have to be educated outside the borough, as highly specialised settings often draw from much wider catchments.
The programme includes 260 new specialist spaces including a new special free school with 120 places at Rooks Nest in Finchampstead, due to open in September 2028. This will be funded by the Department for Education. A refurbished special free school with about 80 places should open in September 2029.
There’ll be more than 240 extra SEND places across 14 mainstream schools, split evenly between primary and secondary level. Each will specialise in different types of need like autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning disabilities or hearing impairment.
There’ll also be three post-16 hubs offering 120 places in total, with the first already set to open at the former Wokingham Library site in September 2026. These will provide vocational training, employment advice, pastoral support and life skills training for young people aged 16 to 25 with an EHCP.
A family-based early help SEND hub is envisioned, which could help with issues like identifying emerging needs, and further details will be confirmed later.
The full programme is detailed on the council’s website. Details of many settings and locations are still being finalised, and this will be updated as things progress.
