Special needs units in every secondary school as part of £1bn plan to renovate buildings, Government says

The Government has set out a decade-long plan to renew school buildings, backed by £1 billion in funding to fix crumbling concrete, overheating buildings, and poor-quality school WiFi.

One of the expectations of the Department for Education's (DfE) new estates strategy is that, in time, all secondary schools will have a Send unit, which is a dedicated space outside of classrooms where pupils with Send can access targeted support.

It comes with the Government expected to set out its Send reforms in the Schools White Paper within weeks.

Send hubs could be made by repurposing existing space or creating additional space in a school, the DfE said, and added it will provide guidance for schools on how to do this effectively.

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Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: "While the Government's aspiration for every secondary school to have a unit is welcome, early support with children's emerging needs is vital.

"Clarity is therefore needed on the Government's plans for these facilities in primary schools, where we know they can also have enormous benefits."

Mr Whiteman and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) general secretary Pepe Di'Iasio both welcomed the announcement on the Send units, but said it is important schools have funding for the staff and training they need to provide Send support.

The education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "For too long, schools and colleges have been forced to patch and mend buildings that have already deteriorated - spending their time worrying about leaking roofs instead of focusing on what matters most: giving every child the best possible education.

"This 10-year plan marks a turning point. We're breaking that cycle with a decade of national renewal for schools and colleges."

Part of the Government's Send reforms are expected to focus on how schools can become more inclusive, so more children with additional needs can learn in mainstream settings.

The DfE has already announced it will spend £200 million to give all teachers training in supporting children with Send, and £3 billion funding will go towards creating about 50,000 new school places for Send children, some of which will be in mainstream schools.

The Government's plan for school buildings comes after the Education Select Committee warned significant risks remain across the UK's ageing school buildings, and calls for permanent solutions to reduce a backlog in repairs.

The £1 billion funding, which comes from the DfE's £38 billion for the education estate up to 2029/30, will include £700 million to tackle maintenance issues in schools and colleges and £00 million to tackle the digital divide and improve connectivity in schools.

ASCL and NAHT pointed out that the National Audit Office has estimated the cost of restoring school buildings to a satisfactory condition is £13.8 billion.

"The fact remains that there is a huge amount of work that needs to be done to make sure every school building is at an appropriate standard for pupils and staff, and we are not convinced that there is enough money in the pot to deliver this at the scale or pace that is required," Mr Di'Iasio said.