A ‘SIGNIFICANT’ boost will be delivered to youngsters who have special educational needs thanks to a £9.4m package which will create much-needed extra spaces after an ‘acute shortage’ of local places was revealed.
Ruling cabinet members will next week approve a proposal from the Department for Education following the axing of a planned new specialist school on the Barnsley-Sheffield border.
Cash saved from the shelved project will instead be used solely to improve the current offering, the Chronicle understands, and make a difference much quicker than the school’s planned opening in 2029/30.
The investment made up of £4.7m for SEND specialist places and £4.7m for alternate provision places will enable the council to develop multiple new local schemes from 2026.
Bosses say it will ensure more children are educated closer to home, subsequently reducing costly out-of-borough placements.
As of last month, 136 children are awaiting a special school placement and there are 68 pupils enrolled in alternate provision settings, with 216 youngsters receiving support through tutoring arrangements due to a lack of local provision.
As part of the plan, new specialist capacity will be opened this year and youngsters’ parents and carers have been told the provisions will be designed with their input.
Councillor Ashley Peace, cabinet spokesperson for children’s services, said: “This investment represents a real step forward for children, young people and families in Barnsley.
“By designing and delivering our own local provision, we can respond far more quickly and flexibly to the needs in our communities.
“Most importantly, it means more children will be able to learn closer to home, stay connected to their friends and families, and receive the right support at the right time.
“This decision puts inclusion at the heart of our borough and it reflects our absolute commitment to giving every child in Barnsley the chance to thrive.”
A report, which will be discussed by cabinet members before its anticipated approval, said Barnsley Council faces urgent and increasing pressure on delivering services to youngsters with additional needs.
“Despite recent local expansions, capacity remains significantly below requirement, leading to heavy reliance on out‑of‑borough placements, increased transport costs and inconsistent educational experiences for some of Barnsley’s most vulnerable children and young people,” it added.
“In December 2025, the DfE confirmed that Barnsley may either continue with the free school project or instead accept a £9.4m high‑needs capital allocation to develop local, council‑led solutions.
“This flexibility enables the council to reshape its approach in line with national SEND reforms and Barnsley’s ‘Great Childhoods Ambition’, which sets the expectation that all children especially those with additional needs are supported to belong, explore, dream, grow and connect within their own communities.
“A detailed options appraisal concluded that continuing with the DfE free school programme would delay new capacity until approximately 2029/30, prolonging the borough’s sufficiency challenges and limiting local control.
“Conversely, accepting the £9.4m allocation and pursuing council‑led alternatives offers earlier, more flexible and more locally responsive capacity from 2026 onwards, delivering quicker relief to the system and strengthening financial sustainability through reduced external placement and transport costs.
“There is also a strategic imperative to ensure that the capital programme is designed to serve the whole borough fairly and equitably, rather than tied to any single locality.
“The recommended council‑led model enables multiple smaller, flexible schemes distributed across Barnsley, rather than a single large facility in one area.
“This significant growth in demand continues to exert extreme pressures on provision, with an increasing reliance on out-of-borough placements due to a lack of local places.”
