Local SEND Reform Plans · 40 documents asked · 39 answered · 1 not stated · run 11 September 2026
Is this council opening inclusion bases, resourced provision or specialist units in mainstream schools, and how many places by when?
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Ask for a surveyNearly every council in this batch says yes, they are opening or expanding inclusion bases, resourced provision or specialist units in mainstream schools. This is by far the dominant answer across all 43 councils reviewed.
Most describe this as a multi-year rollout, often tied to a High Needs Capital Programme running to 2028 or 2029, and many target autism, SEMH, speech and language, or cognition and learning needs specifically.
Several councils stand out for scale. Hertfordshire promises at least 650 new places, a 360% increase, plus a further 1,000 through extra investment. Norfolk is growing from 37 bases to 88, adding over 600 places across several need types. Somerset is delivering 352 new specialist inclusion places by 2028. Hackney combines 186 specialist places with roughly 530 support base places across all four neighbourhoods. Oxfordshire aims for around 1,950 inclusion support places plus 500 specialist resource base places. Cornwall and Dorset both give detailed phased growth figures, Cornwall rising from 418 to 673 places, Dorset from 195 to 479.
Some councils are precise about timing rather than scale. Reading commits to 128 places across two schools by September 2027. Cambridgeshire promises three new bases by September 2026. Kingston gives exact year-by-year growth, from 120 to 145 places by 2028/29. Coventry and Rochdale both show clear before-and-after counts of existing provision.
Others describe the ambition and direction but give no numbers or firm dates, including Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, Bury, Cumberland, Durham, North Northamptonshire, Staffordshire, Wigan and Worcestershire. These councils commit to expansion in principle but leave place counts and completion dates to future scoping or commissioning phases.
A few, like Wolverhampton and Wirral, give partial numbers, such as total possible places or a small early phase, without a full plan.
Only one council in this set gives no answer at all on this question.
Not stated: Leeds.
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The question was put to each document on its own, using up to six of its most relevant pages. Page numbers in the table link to the document itself.
Model claude-sonnet-5. How a survey is made.
Not stated (1)
Leeds
Every document's answer
Barnsley
Yes, Barnsley plans to expand inclusion bases within mainstream schools p17, including "expanded inclusion bases (targeted plus provision)" and expansion in priority locations p15. Capital investment will "significantly expand" inclusion base capacity within mainstream settings p61. However, no specific number of places is stated; the timeframe given is that this investment will deliver measurable system change "by 2029" p61.
Bath and North East Somerset
Yes. B&NES has already increased its Margaret Coates SEN Unit from 34 to 48 places, with a further planned expansion to 60 places, and opened two new ASD resource bases for 20 children each p15. It is also opening a new 20-place SEMH resource base (IKB) p15, and plans to expand inclusion bases across localities and Academy Trusts, with all secondary schools to have established inclusion bases, though specific future place numbers and dates beyond these are not detailed p15.
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole
Yes, the council is developing inclusion bases and specialist provision in mainstream settings, but no specific number of places or completion date is given in these excerpts. It describes an established approach to creating inclusion bases across special schools, satellite sites and specialist bases, with further capital projects planned to expand secondary and post-16 provision p7. A three-tier Inclusive Education Capital Programme and Phase 3 "Inclusion at scale" will expand specialist bases, particularly in secondary and post-16 provision (page 62, page 16).
Brighton and Hove
Yes. Over the next three years, the council plans 10 additional support bases in primary schools, 6 specialist bases across 4 primary and 2 secondary settings, plus a further early years specialist base p27. It also proposes 108 additional specialist base places and 40 additional AP places by 2029, alongside 73 further special school places and 17 specialist post-16 places (pages 9, 27). Capital funding includes ~£600k for support bases and ~£8.8m for specialist base development p27.
Bristol
Yes. Bristol plans to develop new specialist and Alternative Provision inclusion bases in mainstream schools across three localities (North, East Central, South), backed by circa £6m from general funds via 11 Inclusion Cluster Boards p37. Specific capital scheme examples include Henbury Court Academy (new mainstream resource provision, 2027/28) and St Anne’s Infant School (24 places, 2027/28), plus 24 commissioned places in existing resource bases/special schools p20. Exact locality base numbers/timelines beyond this are not specified.
Bromley
Yes. Bromley is expanding inclusion/support bases in mainstream schools, currently 23 bases, with £500k awarded to 13 schools in 2025 and £1.05m more in 2026 (page 95, page 12). It expects 50 places delivered from 2026 via the 2025 pilot, plus a further 290 places by 2029, totaling 340 mainstream inclusion/support base places (page 95, page 22). It will also expand two existing specialist bases (+20 places) and establish one new specialist base (+30 places) by 2029 p96.
Bury
Yes, Bury is expanding inclusion bases (resourced provision/SEN units) in mainstream schools, targeting autism, SEMH and communication needs, with expansion of current resourced provision at Peel Brow Primary Academy and new provision at Radcliffe Primary Academy, developed with trusts p35. Further inclusion bases will be identified through the SEND Sufficiency Strategy p35. No specific number of places or completion date is given in these excerpts.
Cambridgeshire
Yes. Cambridgeshire is opening "three additional bases" in mainstream primary schools by September 2026, with £4 million allocated for 2026–27 to develop further primary/secondary specialist bases p60. It also plans to expand Enhanced Resource Bases and Inclusion Support Bases in mainstream schools, with specialist base capacity projected to grow from 731 places in 2025 to 1,507 by 2029 p36.
Cornwall
Yes. Cornwall is expanding Area Resource Bases (ARBs) and Inclusion Bases within mainstream early years settings, schools and colleges p45, increasing ARB places by 80 within the next 12 months, growing to a maximum capacity of 200 within 3 years with phased intake p12. By 2028/29, ARB capacity is planned to rise from 418 to 673 places, a minimum of 255 additional places p5, supported by over £9 million investment in 2026/27 p5.
Coventry
Yes. Coventry currently has 10 Specialist Bases open in mainstream schools, providing 87 primary and secondary places p20. Since 2024 it has opened three new primary Specialist Bases and one secondary Specialist Base, with a further three primary and one secondary base in delivery for completion by early 2027 p11. Over the programme period it will deliver at least 100 additional Specialist Base places, focused on Autism/complex communication and cognition and learning needs p20.
Cumberland
Yes, Cumberland is expanding inclusion bases (resourced provision/specialist units) across nursery, primary, secondary and post-16 settings, prioritising communication and interaction, SEMH, and exclusion-risk cohorts, using surplus capacity in mainstream schools p35. They also plan new inclusion bases in Early Years, where none currently exist p35, and are focusing on secondary inclusion bases through place-based planning p16. However, no specific number of places or a firm completion date is given in these excerpts.
Dorset
Yes. Dorset is expanding Specialist Inclusion Bases (LA-commissioned) and Support Inclusion Bases (school/MAT-commissioned) within mainstream schools (page 18-19). The plan "adds 17 new specialist bases by 2029," increasing capacity to 479 places from 195 in April 2026 p64. Six bases are proposed for 2026/27, delivered in partnership with four of Dorset's largest MATs p64, with total specialist bases rising to 19 then 21, and support bases beginning to come online p52.
Durham
Yes, Durham is expanding "inclusion bases" (formerly SEN units, resourced provision and pupil support units) within mainstream early years settings, schools and colleges, targeting needs like autism, speech and language, SEMH, and cognition/learning p13. This is funded through high needs capital of at least £3 billion nationally between 2026-27 and 2029-30 p11. However, no specific number of places or a precise local completion date for Durham is stated in the retrieved pages.
East Sussex
Yes. East Sussex has already delivered over 100 new specialist base places in mainstream schools, with 8% of primary and 38% of secondary schools currently hosting a base p22. The council plans to deliver a further 224 places by 2029/30 through new and expanded specialist bases and satellite provision, subject to future HNPCA funding, focusing on ASD, SLCN and increasingly SEMH needs p22.
Hackney
Yes. Hackney is expanding specialist base capacity in mainstream schools by 186 new places, covering social communication bases, an early years complex needs unit, a secondary SEMH provision, and a central primary Hearing Impairment base p60. It is also creating support bases across all four neighbourhoods, totalling around 530 places p59. The first support bases open in 2027, with the first new specialist bases opening from 2028 onwards p59, alongside a 150% increase in mainstream inclusion base capacity in 2028/29 p6.
Harrow
Yes. Harrow plans to expand specialist inclusion bases in mainstream settings from 191 to 419 places p68, alongside growing special school capacity from 547 to 684 places p69, through a capital programme totalling approximately £23m running to 2029 p69. The council is also developing inclusion bases across primary and secondary phases with maintained schools and academies, using spare capacity where suitable p69.
Hertfordshire
Yes. Hertfordshire will create at least 650 new places in Specialist Resource Provisions (SRP) and SEND Units in mainstream schools by 2029/30, a 360% increase p37. A further £10m investment aims to enhance and increase inclusion support bases, creating over 1,000 additional places p36. Up to 100 additional specialist post-16 places will also be created in the college sector p37.
Hounslow
Yes. Hounslow is expanding Specialist Bases and Support Bases in mainstream schools via its Inclusion Bases Pathway, aiming for at least 370 support base places (supporting ~1,850 children) and 515 specialist base places by 2029 p5. Near-term, this includes 16 additional primary places in 2025/26 and 60 more in 2026/27 p8. Longer term, the High Needs Capital Programme (2026–2032) will deliver ~590 additional places, including 240 Specialist Base places in mainstream schools, plus 150 SEMH and 200 post-16 places p34.
Isle of Wight
Yes, the council is expanding specialist inclusion bases (formerly resourced provisions) within mainstream schools, prioritising a support and specialist base in every secondary school plus locality primary provision (page 4, page 123, page 24). Expressions of interest from mainstream schools for inclusion bases have been received for September 2027 p118. £6.19 million (70% of £8.9m capital) is allocated across Years 1–3/4 for mainstream adaptations and specialist bases p123, but exact place numbers and full timing are not stated.
Kingston upon Thames
Yes. Kingston already runs 19 Specialist Resource Provisions across 16 schools p7 and is creating two new secondary-age Specialist Inclusion Bases for pupils with complex autism, funded by £1.35m from the Cullum Foundation and £1.19m from the DfE p48. Places at Specialist Inclusion Bases in secondary schools are targeted to rise from 120 in 2025/26 to 145 by 2028/29 p20, alongside further audits and possible expansion in future High Needs Capital cycles p49.
Norfolk
Yes. Norfolk is expanding its Specialist Resource Bases (Inclusion Bases) in mainstream schools, growing from 37 bases in 2026 to a planned 88 p145. The c.£42m programme adds net places: SHIPs +144 (to 208), Autism/C&I +156 (to 418), SEMH Tier 2 Primary +72 (to 198), and SEMH Tier 2 Secondary +276 (to 308) p59. By programme completion, 40% of primary and over half of secondary schools will host bases p59, with 15 bases opening in one phase and final 3 bases opening subsequently p41.
North Northamptonshire
Yes, the council plans to prioritise investment in inclusion bases within mainstream settings across all phases, including early years and post-16 providers, focusing initially on areas of highest demand and cohorts such as speech/language, autism, and SEMH needs p46. By 2027/28, the roadmap includes "expansion of local provision including inclusion bases" p36. However, no specific number of places or exact completion date is given in these excerpts.
Nottingham
Yes. Nottingham plans to expand inclusion bases (resourced provision/specialist units) in mainstream schools, aiming to roughly double specialist base capacity by 2029 p68, with a target of 100 specialist base places in mainstream schools as part of 436 total additional specialist places by 2029/30 (page 36, page 68). The roadmap specifies 4 new primary specialist inclusion bases and 2 secondary specialist inclusion bases opening by September 2027 p45.
Oxfordshire
Yes. Oxfordshire is rolling out inclusion and support bases in mainstream secondary schools alongside a new network of specialist resource bases for EHCP pupils (page 9, page 17). Over the three-year plan, the programme aims to create around 1,950 inclusion support places p17, plus an ambition for approximately 500 additional specialist resource base places across planning districts p17. Individual specialist bases typically range from 16 to 40 places each p10.
Reading
Yes. Reading is delivering 128 additional specialist SEND places (inclusion bases) across two mainstream schools, opening in September 2027 p39. This is part of a co-location model targeting children with complex learning needs (SLD/MLD), autism and SEMH p39. Separately, 180 new special school places are also on track for September 2027/28 to increase local capacity p12.
Richmond upon Thames
Yes. Richmond plans two satellite special school sites opening September 2026 providing 102 local places for Clarendon and Strathmore Schools p22, and is exploring two new secondary Specialist Inclusion Bases for pupils with complex autism, with sites to be identified by 2027/28 and feasibility studies during 2028/29 (page 7, page 23). It will also improve Heathfield SRP facilities to increase places p22 and develop Support Inclusion Bases across mainstream secondary schools, though no specific place numbers or dates are given for these p23.
Rochdale
Yes. Rochdale has already grown from 3 to 11 formal Inclusion Hubs since 2022, expanding pupil support units (PSUs) and SEN Hubs in mainstream settings p22. The pipeline includes "Two new primary hubs opening in 2026 and two further planned for 2027," a fourfold expansion of existing secondary hubs, new SEN hubs in additional secondary schools, and further phases of "Enhanced SEN" mainstream adaptations (36 schemes already delivered) p22. The ambition is two primary hubs per neighbourhood and a hub in every secondary school p22.
Shropshire
Yes. Shropshire is opening three new Inclusion Bases—Burford, Bridgnorth Endowed and The Marches p14. Over the next 3 years it is also exploring an all-through satellite inclusion base at St Martins in the north, creating around 20 new specialist places p28, and exploring a 120–150 place special school in Ludlow in the south p28. Further inclusion bases will be identified through ongoing scoping p14.
Slough
Yes. Slough plans to deliver 172 additional specialist places by September 2027, subject to final validation p46. It also aims for 95% of mainstream schools to have at least one support base/inclusion base provision by 2029 (page 46, page 54), alongside a 2027–2029 satellite and second-wave inclusion base programme addressing KS3–5 gaps (page 47, page 48). Inclusion bases (formerly SEN units/resourced provision/PSUs) will be sited across schools, colleges and early years settings identified via a locality model p54.
Solihull
Yes. Solihull will pilot one primary and one secondary support base in 2026/27, then create support bases in 14 secondary schools, 10 primary schools and Solihull College by 2029 p3. It will also set up one specialist base (ARP) in a North Solihull primary school in 2026/27, and create 200 specialist base places across mainstream schools over the next 3 years, distributed geographically p3.
Somerset
Yes. Somerset is delivering 352 new specialist inclusion places (SEND Units/resourced provision) on mainstream sites between September 2025 and August 2028 via its High Needs Capital Programme p38, with 70 already operational and 90 more opening autumn 2026 p38. By 2028/29, plans total 344 new specialist inclusion base places plus 88 special school places p16, including 128 inclusion base places and 16 special school places by March 2027 p31, plus a post-16 base opening in Cannington, September 2026 p40.
South Gloucestershire
Yes. South Gloucestershire is expanding specialist places within mainstream schools ("Inclusion Bases"), planning increases to 175 places in 2026, 230 in 2027, and 318 in 2028 p88. Phase 2 alone will deliver a further 80 Specialist Base places across four mainstream secondary schools, ensuring each locality cluster has at least one Inclusion Base p121. Phase 3, co-produced during 2026/27, aims for every secondary school to have an Inclusion Base with equivalent primary capacity p121.
South Tyneside
Yes. South Tyneside plans to expand SEN Units and inclusion bases, including a new Key Stage 3 SEN Unit at Harton Academy (15 spaces) p25, expansion of the existing SEN Unit at Hedworthfield Thrive for Key Stage 2 children, and a new SEN Unit at Sea View p27. ARB/SEN Unit places are projected to grow from 11.0% (2025) to 14.0% (2028) of placements p12. Exploration of Jarrow Post-11 provision and a smaller targeted primary SEMH provision is also underway, though not yet scaled (pages 25, 28).
Staffordshire
Yes. Staffordshire is developing a countywide network of Enhanced Resource Bases (ERBs) across early years, primary, secondary and post-16, with a second cohort to be commissioned following an expression of interest phase in Autumn 2026 (page 86, page 32). ERB settings will also support secondary schools' development of "inclusion bases" p32. Exact total place numbers and full completion dates are not specified in these excerpts, though a related new special school of 220 places and a 200-place special school are mentioned separately p32.
Stoke-on-Trent
Yes. Stoke-on-Trent is expanding specialist inclusion bases (enhanced and resourced provision) in mainstream schools as its primary sufficiency mechanism p28. Six new mainstream supported inclusion bases launched in the past year, creating 102 places, with a further 64 places already identified for 2026/27 and 6 more bases in the immediate pipeline (page 4, page 28). A citywide capital pipeline will deliver further growth in resourced provision across primary and secondary schools between 2026 and 2030 p28.
Wigan
Yes. Wigan is expanding Inclusion Bases (currently in two mainstream high schools), Resourced Provision, and SEN Units (its first opened September 2026) within mainstream schools (page 21, page 22). Capital funding will support a borough-wide network of Inclusion Support Bases, with the first wave agreed with schools and trusts by June 2026 and further phases to follow p46. No specific total place numbers or a final completion date are given beyond this phased rollout across 2026/27–2028/29 p31.
Wirral
Yes. Wirral is expanding inclusion bases (specialist and support bases) in mainstream schools, aiming for all mainstream secondary schools to have them, particularly for KS3 nurture p17. In 2026-27, it will begin a "targeted expansion of inclusion bases (5 in year 1)," opening the first phase in Q3 p6. The roadmap adds "2 in year 2" (2027/28) p84. Specific place numbers per base are not stated.
Wolverhampton
Yes. Wolverhampton is introducing new inclusion bases for pupils requiring specialist support within mainstream schools, alongside expanding existing provisions p20. Pipeline schemes could potentially provide over 250 Inclusion Base places across 13 settings p20. No specific completion date is given, though delivery is phased across the 2026–2029 plan period, with schemes moving into build and early operation over time, constrained by funding and capacity (page 11, page 20).
Worcestershire
Yes, Worcestershire is expanding Specialist Inclusion Bases in mainstream schools, with capacity planned according to local sufficiency need and setting size to reduce travel distances p27. Capital investment is earmarked to strengthen mainstream inclusion by expanding these bases, alongside targeted growth in special school places for SEMH and ASD p26. However, the excerpts do not specify an exact number of places or a target completion date.
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