Thousands of new school places will be provided for children in England, including those from poor communities, those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and those who require alternative care.
Up to 15 new mainstream free schools will be prioritized among the government’s 55 Education Investment Areas, which are local governments whose student achievements are now the worst. This will feature a limited number of high-quality, stand-alone sixth forms aimed at helping youngsters from low-income families reach their full potential.
From September 2025, the first of a new wave of up to 60 special and alternative provision free schools will open, producing roughly 4,500 more spaces and giving parents more options.
The new alternative provision (AP) schools will help children who have been or are at danger of being excluded from school stay engaged in their studies while also providing extra behavioral and mental health care.
These school places build on the government’s recent education reforms, such as the Schools and Levelling Up White Papers and the SEND and AP Green Paper, which aim to radically raise national average attainment in English and maths, with investment and energy focused in previously underserved areas, and to end the SEND system’s postcode lottery.
Every young person will be helped to get the education and skills they need to find a solid career and contribute to the economy’s continued growth as a result of these reforms.
Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary, stated:
Every youngster is entitled to a high-quality education. Parents should have confidence in their local school, regardless of where they reside or their child’s abilities.
Our new schools across the country will continue to ensure that every child, in every corner of the country, receives the assistance they need to succeed, from mainstream education that can meet any need to specialised teachers and equipment in customised settings.
Exceptional schools will provide specialized care and teaching to students with special needs such as autism, severe learning disabilities, or social, emotional, or mental health issues. Accessible features such as ceiling hoists and wheelchair ramps, as well as acoustically modified classrooms, can be added to the schools.
The government is ensuring that talented children from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to a college, school sixth form, or 16-19 academy, such as Harris Westminster Sixth Form and Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form Free School in Norwich, that has a track record of success in getting students into top universities.
The government is consulting on ambitious plans for a more inclusive, consistent, transparent, and accountable system for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as those who require alternative support.
The special and AP free school waves follow continued increased investment in local authority high needs funding, worth £9.1 billion overall for 2022-23, as part of a £2.6 billion investment in funding for more specialist places and support for children with SEND and who will benefit from AP over three years.
For special free schools, alternative provision free schools, and mainstream free schools, guidance on the application procedure has been published on Gov.uk.
Local authorities from around England will be able to compete for the special schools, with funds awarded based on demonstrated demand for specialized spaces and where new free schools are most required.
We would additionally prioritize alternative provision free schools in LA regions where none of the existing AP schools are currently rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, or where no AP schools exist.
The latest waves of special and AP free schools add to the 60 schools already in the pipeline from waves that began in 2018, when 37 special and 2 AP free schools were opened.
The green paper on SEND and AP is open for public comment until July 22.
Applicants must register their interest by September 16th. In July, more information about the mainstream application procedure will be released.