Dear colleagues

As we approach the end of the academic year, I would like to thank schools and settings for your continued engagement and support as we take forward our SEND and Inclusion improvement work.

Many of you joined our recent schools webinar, where we shared an update on SEND reforms and discussed some of the opportunities and challenges we continue to face across the system. We know that demand for support continues to grow and that schools are increasingly supporting children and young people with complex needs. We also know that there are no easy answers and that progress depends on us working together, sharing expertise and learning from one another.

A key part of Birmingham's SEND reforms is the development of the Inclusion House and Experts at Hand model. Together, these initiatives aim to make it easier for schools to access resources, guidance, training and specialist support, helping to strengthen inclusive practice across the city and build confidence in meeting a wider range of needs.

Many headteachers have also asked for regular updates on SEND sufficiency, particularly around specialist places and resource base provision. We recognise the value of this information and are exploring how future updates can be shared more widely so that schools remain informed about developments across the system. Current work continues to focus on increasing local inclusive provision, strengthening planning and forecasting, and working closely with partners to respond to growing demand.

Alongside this, the Delivering Better Value (DBV) Workstream 2 programme continues to review High Needs Block top-up funding arrangements, including SEND Support Provision Plans (SSPPs), with the aim of developing a sustainable and clearly understood funding framework. We are grateful to the schools and settings that have supported this work through project groups, working groups and consultation activity. As work progresses, governance will move into the newly established SEND Financial Management Group, with further updates and opportunities for engagement to follow.

Thank you for your continued commitment to Birmingham's children and young people. We look forward to continuing this work together in the autumn term. In the meantime, I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy a well-deserved summer break.

Best wishes

Helen

Progress on SEND Sufficiency

Increasing specialist provision across Birmingham remains a key priority, and we continue to make significant progress in expanding the number of places available for children and young people with SEND.

Since the publication of Birmingham's SEND Sufficiency Strategy 2024–2030, commissioned special school places have increased from 4,858 to 5,177 – an additional 319 places across the city. Resource Base provision has also grown significantly, with commissioned places increasing from 648 to 1,107, creating an additional 459 places for pupils who benefit from specialist support within mainstream settings.

The number of mainstream schools hosting a Resource Base has increased from 37 to 58 since the strategy was launched. This will rise to 60 during the 2026/27 academic year, providing greater access to specialist provision in local communities.

We continue to work closely with schools to expand capacity where possible. Six new Resource Bases have received Department for Education approval and capital works are underway, with four due to begin accepting pupils from September 2026. Discussions are also continuing with a number of schools regarding future Resource Base developments.

Alongside this, Birmingham retains approval for a new free school providing 400 autism places, with the delivery timeline currently awaited from the Department for Education.

These developments reflect our ongoing commitment to increasing specialist provision and ensuring more children and young people with SEND can access the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

Further information:

The SEND Sufficiency Strategy 2024–2030 sets out Birmingham's approach to ensuring there are sufficient high-quality school places and specialist provision to meet the growing needs of children and young people with SEND. Schools can read the full strategy here: Birmingham SEND Sufficiency Strategy 2024 -2030

Delivering Better Value (DBV) Workstream 2

The purpose of Delivering Better Value (DBV) Workstream 2 has been to review Element 3 High Needs Block (HNB) top-up funding arrangements, including SEND Support Provision Plans (SSPPs). The aim is to provide greater clarity for schools and settings about funding decisions, improve transparency around the level of funding allocated for individual pupils, and develop a sustainable, revised and co-produced Element 3 funding framework.

Since the work began, significant progress has been made, including financial audits and modelling, sample analysis, case study reviews, development of draft funding options, and a review of the provision descriptors used within the current RANGEs and banded descriptor guidance. We are grateful to the many schools and settings that have contributed through project meetings and working groups. The introduction of the national SEND reforms has influenced the pace of the work, helping to ensure that proposals remain aligned with emerging policy and are flexible enough to respond to future guidance.

A key principle of the project from the outset has been the fair and sustainable distribution of available High Needs funding. As schools will be aware from recent communications, the High Needs Block continues to face significant financial pressures. Ensuring that any future funding framework is financially sustainable therefore remains a central objective of this work.

The next phase of activity will be overseen by the newly established SEND Financial Management Group, which will provide strategic oversight of all SEND workstreams with implications for the High Needs budget. As part of this transition, the current steering and project groups will conclude during the Autumn Term to avoid duplication. We will, however, be exploring opportunities for schools and settings to continue contributing to governance and decision-making arrangements.

An immediate priority for the workstream is to provide the SEND Financial Management Group with updated financial modelling by September 2026. This will take account of the current High Needs deficit position and help determine which funding options are affordable and achievable within the available resources.

Over the coming months, we will also monitor trends in repeat requests for SSPP funding following the updated guidance shared in the June SEND and Inclusion bulletin. Where necessary, we will provide further information on any proposed changes to current processes.

We remain committed to ongoing engagement and consultation with schools and settings as the work progresses and would like to thank members of the Workstream 2 Project Group for their time, expertise and valuable contribution to this important programme of work.