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Numbers Behind Birmingham Education Updates: 520 New SEND Places and Key Dates

Specific figures on places, weaknesses and programme timelines outline current shifts in local school support.

By Birmingham News Desk · Published July 18, 2026

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Numbers Behind Birmingham Education Updates: 520 New SEND Places and Key Dates — Storyblocks

Birmingham City Council has granted permission for a new two-storey building at Baskerville School as part of efforts to increase special educational needs and disabilities places, with plans to open two special free schools by September 2027 that will deliver 520 additional places.

SEND Provision Statistics

The scale of the expansion is set against oversight of Birmingham City Council SEND services by a government-appointed commissioner. This follows Ofsted findings that identified 12 out of 13 significant weaknesses in the provision. The council is also developing a district-based Experts at Hand model alongside the Inclusion House platform to support inclusive practice.

Programme Timelines and Year Groups

Climate Ed is offering fully funded free climate education workshops for Years 5 and 6 at Birmingham primary schools during the 2026-27 academic year. Chapter One is seeking additional Birmingham schools to deliver free one-to-one reading support for Years 1-3, with the programme scheduled to begin in September 2026. These dates align with the September 2027 target for the new SEND school places.

Workforce Agreement Details

The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership reached an agreement that led to the cancellation of planned industrial action and teacher strikes. The deal includes a pause on redundancy consultations focused on job security and workload.

These figures and dates provide the measurable elements of current education activity across Birmingham. Schools interested in the Climate Ed workshops or Chapter One reading support can contact the respective organisations for participation details. The new SEND places remain on track for the September 2027 opening following the council permission at Baskerville School.

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