Government could fund £20m SEND school, says MP

The government could provide £20m needed to reopen a school as a facility for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), an MP has said.

The Saxmundham Free School in Suffolk opened in 2012 for pupils aged between 11 and 16 and closed in August 2024.

The government has already allocated about £6m to Suffolk County Council to deliver places for pupils with severe learning difficulties, however, the council said it was unlikely that would cover the full cost of the new school.

However, Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, the Labour MP for Suffolk Coastal, has said the government was now willing to fund the full amount.

Riddell-Carpenter, whose campaign to reopen the school has attracted more than 600 signatures in support, stressed the need for the project, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"I've been working hard to ensure that this school is built - it is desperately needed," she said.

"I am urging Suffolk County Council, again, to do the right thing and ensure this new school is given the green light. Too many families are waiting in limbo whilst the council remains quiet."

The authority will need to choose between the original allocation and the larger funding proposal to reopen the school in Saxmundham.

A council spokesperson said it was still working through its options to allocate new SEND places.

"We want to make the best possible use of the funding available, and so we must consider all options thoroughly before we can respond to the Department for Education at the end of February," the spokesperson added.

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