Plans for two new SEND schools scrapped

Plans for two new free special educational schools have been scrapped as a council said it has a plan to deliver an alternative "much sooner".

Instead of building the schools, Barnsley Council said it has accepted more than £9m in government funding to create 200 specialist places in existing settings.

The local authority estimated that sticking with the free school plans could mean new places would not be available until 2030, which would "prolong the use of costly out-of-borough placements".

A spokesperson added the demand for specialist places is "rising sharply" and as of January 2026, 136 children were waiting for a special school place.

The council had previously supported plans for a new school, Inspire Academy, to be run by Ethos Academy Trust in partnership with Sheffield Council, alongside a new alternative provision free school led by Delta Academies Trust.

But at a meeting earlier it agreed to withdraw the proposals and take funding from the Department for Education instead.

The funding includes £4.7m for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision and £4.7m for alternative provision with the aim of delivering around 100 SEND places and 100 alternative provision places from next year, with some potentially opening sooner, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A council spokesperson said: "Under the new approach, funding will be used to expand specialist units within mainstream schools, create additional specialist places and strengthen alternative provision for pupils unable to attend mainstream education."

"The decision will allow the council to respond more quickly to rising demand, while still increasing the number of specialist places available locally", they added.

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