What types of provision we’re going to expand

Our programme will see us invest in different types of provision based on need and age group:

SEND schools

These are specialist settings for pupils with more complex needs, at all age levels, who would benefit from a higher level of support.

We’re creating a total of 260 new dedicated SEND places including a new special free school with 120 places at Rooks Nest in Finchampstead, due to open in September 2028. This will be funded by the Department for Education.

We’re also planning a refurbished special free school with about 80 places, due to open in September 2029, plus a new specialist Early Years setting and expanded provision at existing special schools through new satellite site(s).

While we strive for an inclusive education where as many pupils with an Education Care and Health Plan (EHCP) as possible attend mainstream settings, we recognise that dedicated support can lead to the best outcomes in some cases.

Mainstream inclusion

These are facilities located within mainstream schools, where pupils spend a share of their school week. 

They may be SEND units, where pupils typically spend about 70 per cent of their time, or resource bases, where they typically spend about 50 per cent of their time. They spend the rest of their time fully integrated into mainstream classes.

We’re planning to create 241 extra SEND places in 14 mainstream schools across Wokingham Borough, split evenly between primary and secondary level.

Each will specialise in particular needs like autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning disabilities or hearing impairment.

This offers the benefits of a comprehensive mainstream curriculum, for those pupils who are able to benefit, in a supportive pastoral environment.

It also promotes understanding of neurodivergence and other conditions among mainstream pupils, helping to build more inclusive communities over time.

Historically, we’ve had a below-average number of placements in this type of provision compared with similar councils and we want to address this.

Parents and carers have shown a preference for more of these facilities, including at secondary level, in more locations and serving a wider range of needs.

Post-16 hubs

These provide vocational training, employment advice, pastoral support and life skills training for young people aged 16 to 25 with an EHCP.

We’re going to create 120 post-16 places across three hubs in the borough, with the first already set to open at our former Wokingham Library site in September 2026.

We’re planning two more hubs in locations where they’d be most accessible and have the greatest benefit, though nothing is finalised yet, with one opening in 2028 and the other in 2029.

There’s been strong parental support for this new service to help young people prepare for life in the wider world, and we’re delighted to be introducing this.

Early help SEND hub

This would provide a family-based support service aimed mostly at pre-school children and could help with a range of issues like identifying emerging needs or seeking an EHCP where appropriate.

Early intervention can prevent the need for more intensive support later on and, in some cases, reduce the likelihood of needing an EHCP.

We intend to open an early help SEND hub in late 2028, though no arrangements have been agreed yet.