SEND support in our local schools – both specialist and mainstream – has long been a cause very close to my heart. I have always been clear that how we take care of, and educate, some of our most vulnerable people is a measure of us as a society – firmly believing that EVERYONE has the right to proper support and a good education.

That’s why, since becoming the MP for Mid Norfolk back in 2010, SEND support has been one of my central focusses – with the campaign to support Chapel Road School in Attleborough becoming one of my very first campaigns.

A wonderful school struggling in an old, cramped, unfit-for-purpose building, Chapel Road sought to relocate to a brand, new, state-of-the-art premises in nearby Old Buckenham and had long been working with Norfolk County Council, the Department for Education and other key stakeholders to try and make that happen. Upon becoming the local MP, I was delighted to take a lead role, alongside the then headteacher Karin Heap, to help get that campaign over the line and I was delighted when that finally came to fruition – with the school moving to its new home, Chapel Green School, in 2017. Since then, I have kept in regular contact (most recently visiting the school last month – see here) and continue to support their vitally important work.

Following a visit to Fred Nicholson School in Dereham in the autumn of 2019, I also committed to supporting their own inspirational headteacher, Jane Hayman, and her team as they went about bringing about a long term solution to the rapidly deteriorating and cramped premises that they currently occupy – helping to convene meetings with the key figures, raising awareness of the importance of the campaign and writing letters of support. Earlier this month, I welcomed the news that NCC’s Cabinet have given the greenlight for the purchase of some land in nearby Swaffham which is intended to be the location of Fred Nich’s new home. (See more here). I look forward to continuing to support that project in the months and years ahead.

More widely, I have consistently lobbied ministers and officials over the years for greater SEND funding for our rural schools – speaking in the House, in addition to speaking with and writing directly to key figures in the Department for Education.

That’s why I am delighted to see today the DfE’s announcement of a new SEND funding agreement for Norfolk – one that will provide substantial additional funding for education services and support for children and young people with SEND needs, especially through Norfolk County Council’s new six-year ‘Local First Inclusion’ SEND improvement initiative.

Through 79 projects across five different workstreams, ‘Local First Inclusion’ will provide significantly more advice, support and funding for mainstream schools. It will introduce 15 new school and community teams to give early help and support for both parents and schools, and will also see the council develop dozens more special education classrooms known as specialist resource bases (SRBs), as well as alternative provision at mainstream schools. Two more special schools will be built too.

I am told that the first school and community teams are due to start work in June this year, with most established by September. Recruitment for more than 100 additional advice and support roles for schools is already underway and a team of school leaders is already in place to work with NCC leaders.

NCC will be investing a further £5.5 million a year for six years into SEND support (totalling £33 million) and the DfE, as part of this funding agreement, has agreed to invest £28 million this year, followed by £6 million a year for four years (provided NCC meets progress targets) and £12 million in the final year of the programme (totalling £70 million overall).

This is a hugely positive step and forms a key part of NCC’s strategy to ensure that our county has the right mix of mainstream and special school places to best support the needs of children and young people with SEND. It will strongly complement the ‘High Needs Block’ grant that Norfolk receives from the Government each year to provide funding for special schools, mainstream ‘top up’ and commissioned services such as speech and language therapy – worth £135 million in 2023/24 alone.

Rest assured, I will continue to do everything I can to speak up for this key group in our society. There is still more that can be done and I am committed to working with NCC, schools and partners to ensure Mid Norfolk families get the support they deserve.

To find out more about my historic work on SEND support in our local schools, please visit my website campaign page here.