Government gives Luton council £3.3m to fund new places for pupils with special needs

Luton Borough Council has been given £3,309,602 by the Government for new school places for children with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities).

And Central Bedfordshire Council has been allocated £4,421,465.

Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education (Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)placeholder image
Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education (Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)

It’s part of a total investment of £740 million to provide 10,000 new school places across the country.

According to the Government, the money will pay for adaptations and expand specialist units in mainstream as well as the new places.

Bridget Phillipson, education secretary, said: “As part of our Plan for Change, we want every family to have access to a good local school for their child, breaking the link between children’s background and their opportunities in life.

“This investment is a big step towards delivering not only enough school places, but the right school places, supporting all children and particularly those with SEND, and plugging the significant gaps in provision we inherited.

The Department has also announced details of a £2.1 billion investment for the 2025-26 financial year to improve the condition of the school and sixth-form college estate in England. The money will go towards replacing roofs, windows and heating systems.

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