Following a 12-week public consultation, the council’s Cabinet has approved the new Education Sufficiency Strategy for 2026 to 2031. The strategy sets out how the council will make sure that every child and young person can access the right education, in the right place, at the right time.
The new strategy outlines how the council and its partners will plan education services over the next five years, covering early years, mainstream schools, SEND provision and post-16 education. It is built around 8 key priorities:
- Improving access to early years education.
- Promoting fair access to education.
- Safe, supportive and inspiring places to learn that meet the needs of pupils.
- Focusing on SEND provision based on needs not diagnosis.
- Supporting sustainable and climate-conscious planning.
- Adaptability planning to respond to the changing needs of the community.
- Working collaboratively with education partners and families.
- Helping young people make successful transitions into adulthood.
Feedback from the public consultation showed strong support for the strategy’s vision and priorities. In particular, there was support for its focus on expanding local SEND provision and making sure decisions are based on individual needs rather than available capacity alone. Feedback from families, schools, education providers and young people has helped strengthen the final document.
Cllr Megan Wright, cabinet member for children, young people and health, said:
“Every parent would like their child to go to a local school and access learning that is right for them. This strategy shows Bracknell Forest Council shares that ambition.”
“Bracknell Forest is undergoing significant change, with new housing, shifting demographics and rising SEND demand. The strategy prioritises data-driven planning and the creative, efficient use of the existing school estate. This in turn will help communities to access good and outstanding schools locally.”
The strategy makes sure there is alignment with national and local SEND reforms alongside the council’s Priority Action Plan to increase local SEND provision. Through collaborative working and following the ‘right place, right time’ and a needs-led approach, the council also aims to increase opportunities for more vulnerable pupils to be educated closer to home.
More information
The new strategy aims to replace the previous document, ‘School Places Plan and
Capacity Strategy 2023 to 2028’. Although this strategy remains current, there is a need
to revisit and revise the document considering the findings in the 2025 Ofsted local
area SEND inspection and legislative reform changes.
Read the full agenda document presented to Cabinet at the meeting on 13 October 2026.
