Lincolnshire County Council has new plan to keep children with special educational needs in mainstream schools

Hundreds more pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will be able to stay in mainstream schools under a new council plan.

Lincolnshire County Council aims to create 40 new classrooms per year in existing schools so children won’t have to move to specialist schools.

Special needs schools in the county are currently full and the authority is £22million over its annual SEND budget.

It says the new strategy will reduce costly placements and allow children to stay in their local communities.

The SEND rooms will follow different curriculums to mainstream classes, while still letting children take part in school life.

Each will cater to up to 13 children, with a maximum of two rooms per school.

The council predicts that 400 new places would be created each year for the next three years.

South Kesteven and South Hollands will receive most hubs, with lower demand in Lincoln, West Lindsey and Boston.

The strategy was approved by Lincolnshire County Council’s Executive meeting on Tuesday, November 4.

Reform leader Councillor Sean Matthews said after the meeting: “It’s proven that if you keep a child in mainstream schools, the outcomes for them are much better.

“It also means we can reduce waste such as getting children to special needs schools outside the area.

“Our focus on SEND hubs in mainstream schools is the right approach which will save us money and give better outcomes for the children.”

The council is also looking at repurposing other buildings to create specialist post-16 places.

The locations identified so far are Horncastle Business Centre, the Vista in Spalding, and the Mary Knox Centre in Lincoln.

A total of 13 SEND rooms were approved in primary schools and secondary academies across the county earlier this year:

* The Meadows Primary School, Lincoln

* St George’s Church of England Primary School, Gainsborough

* Caistor Church of England and Methodist Primary School, Caistor

* Gonerby Hill Foot Church of England Primary School, Grantham

* The Church Lane Primary School, Sleaford

* Grantham St Wulfrum’s Church of England Primary School

* The Gainsborough Parish Church of England Primary School

* Coningsby St Michael’s Church of England Primary School

* Friskney, All Saints Church of England Academy

* Castle Wood Primary Academy, Gainsborough

* Ermine Primary Academy, Lincoln

* The Gainsborough Academy

* North Kesteven Academy.