Head of School of Education welcomes Chancellor’s £760m commitment to SEND

Published on 13, June, 2025

This week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed over £1 billion of financial support towards reforms to children's social care and the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.

In the Spending Review, the Treasury allocated £760 million towards making the SEND system “more inclusive and improve outcomes for all children and young people.”

Sunderland is the only university in the north-east to offer a specific SEND course – BA (Hons) Primary and SEND Education with QTS.

This course allows students to specialise in supporting pupils with SEND within both mainstream and special schools. Additionally, the University offers postgraduate options like the MA in Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion (DL), which is suitable for professionals looking to deepen their knowledge in SEND education. 

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Welcoming the Chancellor’s announcement, Vicki Stokes, Head of the School of Education at the University of Sunderland, said: "News about this funding for SEND provision is very well received. In working with our local partnership schools, we know that many are struggling to provide for the wide range of needs children in their care at present.

"SEND and inclusion form a vital part of all our Initial Teacher Training programmes, and we continue to develop programmes specific to teaching in specialist SEND provision."

Reforms to the SEND system will be set out in a schools white paper in the autumn.

For more information on studying Primary and SEND Education with QTS at the University of Sunderland, click here.

For the University’s Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion (DL) MA, click here.