“It’s important we support the schools": Portsmouth schools to get £1.7m boost for SEND support
Mainstream schools in Portsmouth are set to receive £1.725m to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Councillor Nick Dorrington, cabinet member for children, families and education approved a package of measures to help schools accommodate a growing number of children with complex needs who cannot access specialist school placements.
The number of children in Portsmouth with Education, Health and Care Plans has risen by 24 per cent in just one year, from 1,409 in January 2024 to 1,750 in January 2025.
However, the council has been unable to secure additional specialist school places for September 2025, leaving around 100 children in mainstream settings who would usually be in specialist schools.
To address this, the council will invest an estimated £1.725m over four years. This includes direct funding to schools (£4,000 per eligible pupil) and an expanded inclusion outreach service to provide hands-on support.
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Cllr Dorrington said: “It’s really difficult from what I can hear from these schools.
“It costs more and more with the children that they have – many of these children would be in specialist places but unfortunately with the constraints we have, we don’t have those spaces yet.
“It’s important we support the schools – the hope is that if we support the children at a young age it may have a cost benefit later on because they don’t slip through the net.”
The initiative will initially focus on primary schools, where most of the affected pupils are enrolled. The council will also increase high needs funding rates for The City of Portsmouth College, which provides most of the city’s post-16 SEND education.
Cllr Russell Simpson also backed the decision, stressing the need to “support SEND kids” and ensure they have opportunities to move into further education. He warned that some children “stop” pursuing education altogether because they feel they’re “not going to get the help that’s needed.”
The council acknowledged that without this support, some children could face failed placements and potentially need expensive out-of-city education.
A revised budget will be presented in October as the council continues to monitor the growing demands and uncertainties within the system.