Councillor Cresswell (Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships) introduced the report on SEND Sufficiency and Planned Progress and discussed:

 

a) Plymouth was entering a pivotal period for the future of its education estate and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND);

 

 

b) National SEND reforms announced on 23 February 2026, setting renewed expectations for local areas to expand high-quality inclusive provision within mainstream schools, develop inclusion bases in every secondary school and ensure more children had their needs met closer to home;

 

 

c) Falling birth rates, alongside rising levels of identified special educational needs, reflected in a significant increase in the number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), reshaping how education systems must respond;

 

 

d) The reforms presenting significant opportunities for Plymouth, particularly for children and young people, at a critical and exciting time for the city’s education ecosystem;

 

 

e) Too many children currently being educated outside Plymouth, reinforcing the importance of reform and local sufficiency;

 

 

f) Financial pressures experienced nationally, including pressures on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), alongside;

 

 

i) Confirmation that central government would cover up to 90% of DSG deficits;

 

ii) Government investment of over £3 billion in capital funding to create more than 60,000 additional SEND places nationally, reducing reliance on independent specialist provision;

 

iii) Evidence showing outcomes for children were generally better in maintained settings, whether specialist or mainstream, supporting the strategic direction of increasing local state provision;

 

iv) A significant rise in the cost of independent specialist provision for Plymouth, increasing from £5.2 million in autumn 2024 to £8.5 million in autumn 2025, representing a 38% increase;

 

v) Financial benefits of local provision, including average savings of £3,000 per child per year in home-to-school transport when children remained educated within the city;

 

 

g) Plymouth being recognised nationally as a case study in the SEND White Paper, reflecting strong partnership working across the education community;

 

 

h) Inclusion forming the ethical and moral foundation of the local area SEND partnership and guiding delivery of reforms;

 

 

i) Strong foundations were already in place, including expansion of specialist provision, targeted early intervention and effective collaboration across a highly academised system;

 

 

j) Major capital considerations ahead, most notably the essential rebuild of Milford School, alongside opportunities arising from surplus capacity within parts of the school estate;

 

 

k) Tribute was paid to the headteacher, governors, staff, families and pupils of Milford School for managing an ageing school environment with resilience and commitment;

 

 

l) The paper seeking Cabinet endorsement to continue developing a comprehensive SEND capital and sufficiency plan to meet demand, improve outcomes and support financial sustainability.

 

 

In response to discussion, Councillor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council) commented:

 

 

m) Concern at national political commentary relating to SEND provision, reaffirming the Council’s commitment to supporting children with SEND and challenging narratives that undermined their needs;

 

 

n) A clear commitment from the administration to inclusion, investment and delivery, including the creation of a new special school;

 

 

o) Confidence arising from alignment between local priorities and national policy direction, supported by ministerial understanding and investment;

 

 

p) Anticipation of the opportunity to design and deliver a modern school building reflecting current needs rather than legacy constraints;

 

 

q) The importance of maintaining pace to meet national milestones, with particular reference to deadlines later in the decade.

 

 

Further discussion covered:

 

 

r) Recognition of the expertise and funding now being made available nationally to support reform;

 

 

s) Appreciation for the leadership and partnership building work undertaken by senior officers, including sustained engagement with headteachers and multi-academy trust leaders;

 

 

t) The central role of relationships in delivering effective SEND reform and inclusive education;

 

 

u) Thanks expressed to senior officers for their contribution to education outcomes in Plymouth and for positioning the city strongly for reform implementation.

 

 

 

David Haley (Director of Children’s Services) reported:

 

 

v) Plymouth being well prepared for the reforms due to early planning and anticipation of policy direction;

 

 

w) Receipt of a SEND maturity matrix and national action plan template from the Department for Education, with Plymouth positioned to complete and submit both ahead of national deadlines;

 

 

x) Commitment to presenting the maturity matrix and action plan to the local SEND partnership on 21 April 2026, ahead of the government deadline in June 2026;

 

 

i) The action plan forming the first gateway for accessing national funding allocations;

 

ii) Delivery of 73 additional SEND places across three special schools, with a fourth school at an advanced planning stage;

 

iii) Over 300 additional children now being supported in targeted provision, reducing escalation to EHCPs or specialist placements where needs could be met inclusively;

 

 

y) Ongoing feasibility work to identify the most suitable site for a replacement Millford School, alongside plans for full consultation with school communities, children and young people;

 

 

z) Confidence in Plymouth’s readiness to move swiftly into delivery once approvals and funding were confirmed.

 

 

The Cabinet agreed:

 

1.     To note the update on SEND sufficiency and planned progress;

 

2.     To endorse the continued development of a comprehensive SEND capital and sufficiency programme aligned with national reforms;

 

3.     To recognise the progress made to date and the strong position Plymouth held in relation to reform implementation.