Surrey County Council is pleased to announce the creation of nearly 500 specialist school places for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities during the 2025/26 academic year. This expansion reflects the Council’s ongoing commitment to ensure every child receives the support they need to thrive.
Of the nearly 500 places, 169 were ready for use at the start of the autumn term, with a further 298 places expected to be completed by summer 2026. These developments are part of the Council’s ambitious 2019–2026 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Capital Programmes.
Since 2021, the Council has consistently delivered more than 250 new specialist school places annually, supported by a capital investment exceeding £211 million.
Projects delivered for this academic year include:
- New and expanded SEN Units at Epsom Downs Primary School in Epsom and Ewell, Dovers Green Infant School in Reigate and Banstead and Guildford County School in Guildford
- A brand-new teaching block and hydrotherapy pool at Philip Southcote School in Runnymede
- A complete rebuild of the Fordway Centre, a short stay school in Spelthorne
- Refurbishment of buildings at Walton Leigh School in Elmbridge.
Further projects due for completion before summer 2026 include:
- New and improved SEN units at Ashford Park Primary School in Spelthorne and Cranmere School in Elmbridge have now been completed
- 40 new places within Carrington School Specialist Resource Provision and an additional 33 places within the Woodfield Education Centre in Reigate and Banstead
- A brand-new all-through Hopescourt SEN School in Elmbridge offering 200 places.
Alex Burrows, Headteacher of Hopescourt School, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be part of the expansion of specialist provision in Surrey. Our new school will give children and young people in the borough the support and opportunities they need to flourish – not just academically, but personally and socially too. We’re excited to build a community where every child truly belongs and can take their next steps confidently.”
With over 17,000 children and young people in Surrey now supported by an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) the Council is making significant investments to meet growing demand.
Surrey County Council’s Education Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) timeliness now exceeds 90%, compared to the national average of 46.6%, placing Surrey in the top 20 best performing councils for this measure.
To further strengthen its SEND services, the Council launched a £15 million recovery plan in 2023 and has committed an additional £4.9 million investment this year. This funding is increasing staff capacity in statutory SEND services by 74%, enabling more timely, personalised support for families.
Councillor Jonathan Hulley, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning, said: “These additional places are a crucial part of Surrey’s Inclusion and Additional Needs Strategy. The strategy aims to improve inclusion and outcomes for children with additional needs and disabilities in Surrey, ensuring they can access the best possible education closer to home. To go alongside our unprecedented investment in building new specialist school places, we’ve invested heavily in our SEND service, having just confirmed a further £4.9 million to expand and restructure the service. We are determined that every child in Surrey with additional needs and disabilities gets the support they deserve, and we’re working hard to make that happen.”
Notes to editors
Surrey County Council Additional Needs and Disabilities Transformation:
The Additional Needs and Disabilities Partnership | Surrey Local Offer
Surrey Inclusion and Additional Needs Partnership Strategy 2023 to 2026
Surrey SEND Local Offer:
Find out more about improvements to SEND services in Surrey so far: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/community/news/categories/families-and-young-people/surreys-send-services-our-improvement-journey
Subscribe to Surrey County Council’s AND newsletter with termly updates: https://pages.comms.surreycc.info/pages/pa-7du4a9
Hopescourt School:
Surrey News 
Discussion
Comments are closed.