Doubts over Send schools plan 'worrying' families

17 December 2025

Hannah BrownLocal Democracy reporter

News image — South Cambridgeshire MP Pippa Heylings said it was an "extremely worrying time for families" of children with special educational needs and disabilities

Getty Images A stock, posed-for photo shows a young boy and girls sitting at desks in what appears to be a classroom, they are dressed in school uniform style clothes and there are books and writing materials on the desks in front of them — South Cambridgeshire MP Pippa Heylings said it was an "extremely worrying time for families" of children with special educational needs and disabilities

Councillors have called for an end to uncertainty over plans for two new special schools after changes to government funding.

The Department for Education (DfE) said it wanted to focus on increasing capacity in mainstream schools, rather than building specialist facilities like those planned for March and Gamlingay in Cambridgeshire.

Pippa Heylings, Lib Dem MP for South Cambridgeshire, said she was pushing the government for a decision on whether they would still be built, calling it an "extremely worrying time for families".

A DfE spokesman said investing at least £3bn on thousands of new places in existing schools would mean fewer children travelling long distances "to have their needs met".

In 2023, Cambridgeshire County Council entered into an agreement with the government to build Greensands Academy in Gamlingay and Lime Academy March.

Between them, they would have space for up to 270 pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (Send), the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A spreadsheet shared by the DfE showed the schools listed as being "under consideration for alternative funding".

South Cambridgeshire District Council leader Bridget Smith said "the continued doubt" had left parents frustrated.

"We know there is already a severe shortage of special school places in Cambridgeshire and further delay is profoundly disappointing," she said.

The DfE highlighted comments made by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson that, since 2010, more than £325m had been spent on free schools that had "subsequently closed, some after opening with only a handful of pupils".

Phillipson added: "That money could and should have been better invested in schools that were crumbling or more mainstream specialist Send places.

"So instead of adding free schools where places already exist, we are delivering tens-of-thousands of new places to better support pupils with Send in a school that is close to home."

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