12 December 2025 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

DfE announcement about schools

You may be aware the DfE announced yesterday their intention to invest at least £3bn in high needs capital funding over the next four years to create at least 50,000 high needs places in mainstream schools across England, as well as special school places where they are needed. The aim is to ensure that children with special educational needs and disabilities can learn, achieve and thrive closer to home. The DfE has made the decision that some mainstream free schools will not now be proceeding as this funding will be diverted to support the SEND related investment.

You will be aware that Kent has two new special schools agreed by the DfE as well as a new Alternative Provision which we have been awaiting final confirmation on how and when these would be proceeding. We were informed yesterday that Kent will be benefiting from the investment in high needs funded places and we are currently considering the best use of that investment for the Kent education sector and look forward to sharing that with you in the near future.

While awaiting the government’s decision, KCC has driven forward its own work to expand local places. This year, we have:

• Agreed to expand Parkwood Hall Co-operative Academy by 72 places (from 120 to 192).
• Agreed to expand Broomhill Bank School by 172 places (from 318 to 490). Together, that’s 244 new special school places added already.
• Funded a new specialist learning facility at The Oaks in Tonbridge.
• Completed the final phase of The Beacon School’s £20 million expansion.
• Approved a major expansion at Nexus Foundation Special School to add more than 100 places across Kent.

We have also committed £20 million of High Needs Capital Grant in our 2026–30 commissioning plan to increase specialist resource provision (SRP) capacity in mainstream schools so that they can support more children and young people in mainstream settings with the benefits that brings. Kent has 76 provisions in 67 mainstream schools offering SRPs, and plans are in place to roll out dozens more SRPs over the next three years, creating 889 additional places.

Schools Funding Forum

The Schools Funding Forum took place today and this is the agenda:

• Services to Schools update
• SRPs - funding for new SRPs and the Sufficiency Plan
• School Budget Consultation
• Early Years budgets
• High Needs Funding update
• Communities of schools progress report
• Banding system and 2026/27 arrangements - progress update.

The Forum plays a really key role in decision-making and giving advice to the LA on school and Early Years finances so it is really important that you know who your representative is and make your views known. Information on meetings, decisions and your representatives with contact details can be found on the Schools Funding Forum page

Lunchtime Leadership Lounge

We are organising speakers for next year and will be circulating information in the near future.

In the meantime you can hear from:

• Professor Martin P Griffiths CBE

We hope to have the recording of the Lunchtime Leadership Lounge with Mark Vickers MBE available soon.

And finally…

I am sure you are really busy as this term comes to a close. Thank you for all you continue to do for children, young people and families in Kent. At home we have had our first Christmas dinner on the last Sunday the whole family could make it and my annual tissue and glue fest has resulted in two advent windows somehow completed and illuminated from 1 and 2 December.

KCC continues with its daily advent calendar too. I previously shared the Kent Gritters, this week is a clip of a song composed by a Kent foster child nominating their foster carers for an award

A huge thank you to all our foster carers and just a reminder we are always looking for new foster carers so if this of interest to anyone then please do contact us.

One more short Kelsi e-bulletin on Thursday next week.

Best wishes

Christine McInnes
Interim Corporate Director, Children, Young People and Education