Purpose

Agreement to funding of specific High Needs Capital Funding Projects

Decision

Director for Children and Families approval is required for the allocation of High Needs Capital Funding to individual capital projects and the development of SEND Enhanced Resource Bases.

Alternative options considered

Staffordshire County Council (SCC) has been allocated £53.7 million through the
High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) across the 2021-27 financial
period.

This capital funding is intended to enable local authorities to expand capacity and enhance existing provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those accessing Alternative Provision (AP) within educational settings. On 18 March 2026, Cabinet approved the strategic use of this funding to:

a. Increase access to mainstream placements for children and young people with high needs (who might otherwise require more specialist provision) with the development of resource bases.
b. Increase capacity in specialist provision through special school expansions to reduce the need to access placements at independent schools/out of county provision.
c. Expand capacity within Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) through targeted development projects, to address the growing demand for alternative provision.
d. Approve that the Director for Children and Families be given delegated authority to allocate the HNPCA funding to the individual capital projects at educational settings.

At this stage, Projects 1 to 6 identified in the table below are at various stages of development and have received the necessary approvals through the Executive Officer Delegated Decision process. The purpose of this report is to seek approval to progress the additional projects highlighted (shaded) in the table below.

In support of the continued expansion of specialist SEND provision across Staffordshire, Cabinet approval was obtained on 15 July 2026 for the two largest capital schemes within the programme:

• All-Age Special School
• Primary-Aged Pupil Referral Unit



Approval is now sought for the allocation of capital funding to progress:

1. William Shrewsbury development. Esteem Multi-Academy Trust and Central Co-operative Learning Trust are proposing to establish a specialist SEND partnership provision on the William Shrewsbury Primary School site. The proposal will create an additional 24 specialist SEND places, comprising 12 places delivered by Fountains Primary School and 12 places delivered by William Shrewsbury Primary School, thereby increasing local capacity and improving access to specialist provision within the community at a mainstream setting.

2. Two Rivers High School – a funding contribution to a larger school project to create more additional/suitable school places.

3. The development of a countywide network of SEND Enhanced Resource Bases (ERBs) within inclusive mainstream school settings. The programme aims to provide specialist support for children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), and complex SEND needs, from Reception to Year 11. The ultimate ambition is to establish 48 ERBs across Staffordshire, although these will be opened gradually in phases.

High Needs Provisions Capital Allocations Funding will support the internal adaptation and refurbishment of existing accommodation, cosmetic improvements, minor building works to create suitable teaching and support spaces, and the provision of additional toilet facilities where required.

The costs set out within this report are currently based on feasibility study estimates. Final project costs will be confirmed following detailed design work, completion of any required planning approvals, and receipt and acceptance of contractor quotations