More than 100 SEND places to be created across Rotherham with £15 million funding boost

More than 100 new school places for youngsters with special educational needs and disabilities will be created across Rotherham, thanks to a £15 million funding boost from the Department for Education (DfE).

The funding was first approved in 2022 and is now being used to create additional SEND places and support the development of inclusive education across both mainstream and special schools.

This funding, part of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s safety valve agreement with the DfE, will be used to create SEND places across both mainstream and special schools, with an emphasis on creating inclusive learning environments. To date, RMBC has created an additional 362 high needs places since March 2021.

As of November 2024, 22.2 per cent of pupils in Rotherham have either a statutory SEND plan or are receiving SEND support, higher than the national average of 18.4 per cent. This rising demand has led the council to prioritize the provision of specialist support within mainstream schools, as well as improvements to special school facilities.

A further 100 new SEND places are set to be added as part of the latest phase, with resource provisions opening in a number of schools across Rotherham. These resource provisions offer specialist support for students with SEND, allowing them to remain in mainstream schools while receiving the tailored support they need.

The council’s SEND sufficiency programme includes the creation of new resource provisions at mainstream schools, such as Brinsworth Academy and Wales Academy, which will provide an additional 90 places. Additionally, five new resource provisions have opened, with a further 100 places being created as part of a broader scheme.

Projects include the creation of Forest View, a purpose-built facility for young people aged 14-19, and the development of therapeutic spaces at Newman School to support the wellbeing of students.

A breakdown of the schools, their phases, the types of SEND support, and the number of newly approved places is as follows:

Maltby Manor Academy (Primary) – Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) – 10 places

Thurcroft Junior Academy (Primary) – Communication and Interaction – 10 places

Brinsworth Whitehill Primary (Primary) – Communication and Interaction – 10 places

Foljambe Primary (Primary) – SEMH – 10 places

Thrybergh Academy (Secondary) – SEMH – 10 places

Wales Academy (Secondary) – Communication and Interaction – 20 places

Brinsworth Academy (Secondary) – Moderate Learning Difficulty – 10 places

Anston Hillcrest Primary (Primary) – Speech, Language, and Communication – 10 places

Winterhill Academy (Secondary) – SEMH – 10 places