The priority schools building programme. A library in every primary school. The free schools programme since 2024. And now, the 10 year estates strategy. What do all these DfE programmes have in common? They all deliberately marginalise special and AP schools, sacrificing their essential investment needs on the altar of hubs, resources and 鈥渂elonging鈥� spaces in mainstream schools. The same mainstream schools that are, in many areas, seeing swathes of space open up as pupil numbers nose-dive, and where almost all pupils coming into the special and AP sector have arrived from. The case for a more inclusive system is clear. Nobody wants to see the continuation of what has been an exponential increase in movement of children into the specialist sector. If more children and be supported and thrive in mainstream schools by throwing huge sums of capital funding in that direction, that鈥檚 great. However, I鈥檓 not aware of any mainstream school leader saying that the number one inclusion issue is physical space. It’s not all about physical space Rather, it鈥檚 expertise (which is funded from revenue budgets) and the tension between 鈥渦napologetically high expectations鈥� and the marginalising of some vulnerable learners. There鈥檚 a clear correlation between our nation鈥檚 rise up the PISA rankings and the demand for special and AP places. Millions of capital funding doesn鈥檛 change that in any way. Even if there was to be a big change in the accountability system and what the DfE measures, values and rewards in mainstream schooling, it does not mean the specialist sector is surplus to requirements. The special school estate cannot be left to rot and crumble under the false narrative that more inclusive behaviours will reduce a forecast 拢14 billion high needs overspend to zero. Our trust operates across seven local authority areas, working with and for 25 special and AP schools, some part of our trust and some in the process of joining. We have excellent relationships with local authority officers, and we鈥檝e done everything we realistically can to stay ahead of the demand curve, with tribunals directing more and more placements every year. Growth isn’t a choice That means growth isn鈥檛 a choice for our schools: it鈥檚 an unavoidable necessity. The majority of our schools were built in the 1970s for around 40 per cent of the pupil population they now have to accommodate. Our leaners have the most complex needs in some of the most dilapidated public buildings. Our annual condition allocation averages out to 拢66,000 per school. It would take us nine years to save it up and build one replacement site. If I had the energy, and if I thought it would make a modicum of difference, I would ask questions like 鈥渨here is the equality impact assessment that considered the current special and AP school estates needs in the development of this 10 year plan?鈥�. But we know that won鈥檛 have factored into the thinking. Or more accurately, it was deliberately ignored. State special and AP schools appear to be constantly blamed for the chronic overspend in high needs blocks. This overlooks the fact that special schools are not in control of their admissions, and that councils independently and objectively assess and commission provision and can place even when we say we can鈥檛 meet need. Those facts have nothing to do with the prevailing 鈥渢ruth鈥� of this matter. Don’t pretend we don’t exist All the while, the market share of private equity-funded independent specialist providers continues to increase pace, raking in billions in public funding. To be fair, the estates strategy does talk about creating more specialist places, but these are either preceded or closely followed by references to units in mainstream settings. 鈥淢ainstream school鈥� appears 13 times in the new DfE estates strategy. Special school doesn鈥檛 appear once (other than the two times they are listed as types of schools within responsible bodies). The subtext appears depressingly clear. It鈥檚 not that we don鈥檛 love you, special and AP schools. It鈥檚 that we want to pretend you don鈥檛 exist. I remain hopeful that when the white paper lands, it is explicit about how essential special and AP schools will continue to be in a reformed system. It must also be unequivocal in its commitment to invest in a world class education for all children in our society, and that our most vulnerable learners and their schools aren鈥檛 pushed further to the edge.