On 25th February the DfE announced £489 million of capital funding to support local authorities to create new school places needed for September 2023. This investment will support the Government’s priority to ensure that every child has the opportunity of a place at a good school, whatever their background. Full details of this announcement, including allocations broken down by local authority, will be published on the Department for Education section on the GOV.UK website here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-need-allocations.

In addition, the DfE have confirmed the £300 million in 2021-22 for new school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities announced last November. £280 million will be allocated to LAs through formulaic allocations (to be confirmed this spring). This funding will support the provision of places needed by September 2022. The remaining £20 million will be used for specific High Needs capital projects in support of ongoing work with some of the local authorities facing high Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficits. The DfE have already been in contact with the LAs who will be eligible for this funding. Further information on this funding can be found in Baroness Berridge’s letter here.