- 16/12/2024
- Posted by: Amanda Hack MP
- Category: News
Share on Social Media
Amanda Hack welcomes £740m SEND Investment to create new specialist places for pupils
New SEND reforms continue breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child, at every stage.
In addition to the £1 billion cash boost for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) announced in the recent budget, Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education recently revealed an extra £740 million in funding which can be used to enhance classroom accessibility for children with SEND. This funding will help create specialist facilities within mainstream schools. It is the first step toward implementing comprehensive, long-term plans to ensure that more pupils with SEND have their needs met in mainstream educational settings.
The announcement follows a report from the National Audit Office last month, which highlighted the crisis in the SEND system, with limited progress having been made in making mainstream schools more inclusive, harming children’s life chances. This financial support can be used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, and to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools.
Amanda Hack said:
“SEND provision was raised consistently on the doors during the election campaign and casework continues to arrive in my postbag each week. We must fix a desperately broken system to ensure all our children get the best start possible in life.
Some children have to travel for miles just to go to a suitable school; this in itself has a broader impact on their well-being. It’s important that those with SEND needs have the opportunity to attend a school local to them with the support they require; this funding will help target that approach.
Specialist Schools still have a role to play for those with the most acute needs. However, we have to make provisions available more widely. Last year, only 20% of SEND pupils met the expected reading, writing and maths standard at Key Stage 2 level. Without proper support, children fall behind their peers, which impacts their future life chances. This must change, and this funding marks a positive in the right direction.”
As well as additional funding, the government also announced that Professor Karen Guldberg has also been appointed as Chair of a new “Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group” – a group of experts that will work alongside the Department for Education to drive support for neurodivergent children in mainstream education, and increase understanding of inclusion. Guldberg brings a wealth of experience from her background as the Director of the Autism Centre for Education and Research, and Head of the School of Education at the University of Birmingham.
Share on Social Media
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
The Mother and Child Statute is a great piece of art, proudly striding with her son.
Thank you Visit National Forest for sharing these words on Mothering Sunday.
#coalville
#motherandchild
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
My week in the life as an MP in Parliament 👇
On Monday afternoon I asked a question to the Minister for Social Security and Disability on supporting people with health conditions into work:
hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2026-03-09/debates/F5934FEA-B26B-4420-BE3A-EBE1125825B0/details#con...
I then spoke to a Minister from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero alongside colleagues representing other rural areas about the impact of domestic heating price rises. 📈
I ran straight from that meeting to a Westminster Hall debate on an e-petition relating to Type 1 Diabetes screening in infants and young children, after over 200 of you in North West Leicestershire signed the petition. You can read my full speech here: hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2026-03-09/debates/140525A1-26CC-48A6-8FB9-E2E91CB67807/details#con...
Rounded off the evening with a series of very late votes - voting until nearly midnight!
On Tuesday morning I was selected to sit on a piece of ‘Delegated’ or ‘Secondary’ Legislation relating to Goods Vehicles. There’s so much legislation to get through that we don’t often have the time or capacity to discuss it in the Chamber, so these smaller bits of legislation are dealt with separately. 🚛
Tuesday was also one of the days where nothing goes quite as expected! I sat in the Chamber for 6 hours waiting to speak in the Courts and Tribunals Bill, and so my team covered my Westminster commitments, including a couple of meetings and a roundtable on Gluten Free Foods.
Following a series of votes, I had a great conversation with other parliamentarians and Members of the House of Lords on rethinking Breast Cancer Screening. Screening is something I’ve been passionate about since my early days as a County Councillor, and I’ve carried this over into Parliament. 🏥
It was straight back to it on Wednesday morning as I sit on the Work and Pensions Select Committee (I’ll be posting a clip of my question later in the week).
Immediately after my Committee meeting, I attended a briefing with the Financial Secretary on heating oil impacts for rural areas, and then it was straight to the Chamber for PMQs.
At a lunchtime meeting with Peter Kyle (the Secretary of State for Business and Trade) we had a great conversation about businesses, and the importance of the high street, as well as the worrying closure of Lloyds in Coalville. 🏦
Then two online meetings, and then I had the pleasure of being introduced to two constituents at a Home Builders Federation Skills Reception who shared their experiences as apprentices. 👷
It was also good to catch up with Jane Moore the CEO of Leicestershire County Council in parliament and then online with Allison Thomas the CEO of North West Leicestershire District Council. To discuss all things Local Government Reorganisation, Freeport and Combined Authorities.
On Thursday morning I guested on the Public Accounts Select Committee, in their inquiry looking into the Access to Work Scheme, and then after some time with my team it was right back on the train up to the constituency!
7 CommentsComment on Facebook
KEEP UPDATED
GET IN TOUCH
As your local MP there are a number of different things I can help you with or offer advice on, such as; benefits, immigration, tax issues, problems with the NHS, child maintenance and education matters.
I would love to hear from you about what you think my priorities should be as your MP for North West Leicestershire and what matters most to you.
Please use the contact form to get in touch with me. Please remember to provide as many details as possible, including your name, address and full details of your issue.