Mainstream secondary schools along Somerset’s M5 corridor face significant challenges in expanding special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provisions, with local education officers acknowledging a lack of physical capacity for new units.
Somerset Council recently released its education places strategy, projecting school place requirements over the next decade and outlining funding approaches to meet these needs. The strategy emphasizes close-to-home education for SEND pupils by establishing units within mainstream schools, which reduces transport burdens and costs for families and the council alike.
However, due to consistently stable mainstream pupil numbers and limited space on existing school sites, it is becoming increasingly difficult to develop additional SEND units in key towns such as Wellington, Taunton, Bridgwater, Highbridge, and Burnham-on-Sea.
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Councillor Heather Shearer, portfolio holder for children, families, and education, highlighted these challenges during the council’s executive committee meeting in Taunton on November 5. She noted, “Education place planning is always challenging. Despite having the lowest birth rate in 20 years, we are experiencing pressures from families moving into the area, bringing more children with them. The situation is volatile, and we must continuously monitor it.”
Shearer added, “We may have the right number of places overall, but they are not always in the right locations.”
The strategy includes a ‘local first’ approach aiming to educate children within their communities, minimizing travel distances, easing congestion, and fostering local integration.
Councillor Sarah Wakefield, portfolio holder for adult services, housing, and homelessness, raised the possibility of repurposing surplus mainstream school space for SEND provision. “If some schools have extra room due to shifting population trends, could that space become dedicated to SEND pupils? It’s essential to integrate SEND education locally when appropriate and beneficial for the children,” she said.
Shearer acknowledged these opportunities but cautioned against oversimplification: “While some SEND units have utilized available space, converting an underused school into a special needs provision is not straightforward. However, we are exploring every possible avenue to maximize space.”
Phil Curd, head of education places, emphasized ongoing proactive planning. “We are engaging with schools in areas experiencing declining pupil numbers to prepare for potential SEND unit expansions,” he explained. “Secondary schools along the M5 corridor show little latent capacity, but in places such as Wincanton, North Somerset, and Huish Episcopi, we are advancing plans to establish SEND units quickly.”
Opposition councillor Leigh Redman called for greater accountability from housing developers to support the construction of both mainstream and specialist school places. Representing Bridgwater North and Central, he highlighted community concerns: “While we can forecast demand, ultimately, development timetables govern new school requirements. Families regularly contact us worried about their children not being accepted into local schools. We appreciate new homes being built, but developers must contribute to ensuring adequate educational infrastructure.”
With Somerset’s SEND provision under pressure amidst demographic shifts and constrained facilities, council leaders are tasked with balancing complex factors to ensure suitable education for all pupils.