Nursery World - Funding pressures put children with SEND at risk of missing out on nursery school places

More than 4 in 10 maintained nursery schools are concerned about their ability to offer places for children with special educational needs and disabilities, as a survey shows rising demand for places.

Nursery schools are reporting a rise in demand for places for children with SEND PHOTO Adobe Stock

The findings come from a survey by Early Education carried out last month, which are released ahead of a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Nursery Schools, Nursery and Reception Classes, which takes place today (Tuesday).

It shows increasing demand for places in nursery schools from children with special educational needs and (SEND) in the current school year, or for starting in September.

Responses to the survey were received from 101 maintained nursery schools that between them support 1,445 children with SEND.

More than nine in ten (91 per cent) of those that responded said they had seen increased demand for places for children with SEND.

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