Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, has suggested that redundant churches should be converted into schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Speaking at a press conference in Westminster, Tice highlighted the struggles faced by families, with some children travelling up to 90 minutes by taxi to attend specialist classes.
Tice criticised the current SEND system, stating it is 'broken at every single level'. He proposed using churches that are only used one day a week for five-day-a-week schooling, calling on the Church of England to show 'real leadership'. The plan comes amid warnings from the County Councils Network that the system is on 'course for total collapse', with cumulative deficits projected to reach £18 billion by the end of this parliament.
Tice previously faced backlash for comments about a 'crisis of overdiagnosis' and calling on schools to 'stop labelling people'. He apologised at the press conference, acknowledging he had 'offended a number of people'. He announced a new working group on SEND policy, led by former Tory minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns.
According to the House of Commons Library, nearly one in five children in England – over 1.7 million pupils – have been identified with special educational needs. A Downing Street spokesperson said the government would set out plans for SEND in the new year, while a Labour source accused Tice of having 'brass neck' after his previous remarks, adding that Labour is investing £3 billion in more than 50,000 places to improve the system.
