Ends Mar 2027
Education of EHCP pupils at The Hesley Village College
East Riding of Yorkshire Council · Yorkshire and the Humber · 5-year contract
Held by Hesley Group
Independent special schools tenders and contracts
UK public sector, covering 600+ buyer sites
492 independent special schools tenders and contracts, 66 this year.
Updated 4 November 2026 · compiled by BidSkim Limited · How we count
- Contracts a month1.7
- Won by SMEs55%
- Renewing in 6 months16
- Frameworks and DPSs9
- Live now4See them →
Independent special schools contracts
Tap a region to see its contracts. Pick as many as you like.
40 contracts across the UK, of any size
Live now
4 independent special schools opportunities are open now
- OpenCloses Mar 2034Flexible Procurement system for the Provision of Children's Specialist Education ServicesCity of Doncaster Council · Yorkshire and the Humber
- Awarded5 Oct 2026CALL-OFF: Children's Services Re-Opening of the Open Select List 2025 for all Independent Placement Provision of education in an Independent (Special) SchoolLincolnshire County Council · East Midlands
- Awarded15 Sep 2026Placements for 17 students at Alderwasley Hall School for the academic year 2026/27Derby City Council · East MidlandsWon by SENAD Group£1.7m
- Awarded1 Sep 2026W855 - Specialist Education placement for the academic year 2026/27Derby City Council · East MidlandsWon by Young Foundations Limited£69k
- Awarded22 Jun 2026CALL-OFF: Children's Services Re-Opening of the Open Select List 2025 for all Independent Placement Provision of education in an Independent (Special) SchoolLincolnshire County Council · East MidlandsWon by Keys PCE Limited
- Awarded8 Jun 2026CALL-OFF: Children's Services Re-Opening of the Open Select List 2025 for all Independent Placement Provision of education in an Independent (Special) SchoolLincolnshire County Council · East MidlandsWon by Blossom Children's Homes Limited
- Awarded12 Feb 2026Independent non-maintained specialist school Autism Spectrum condition placementsNottingham City Council · East MidlandsWon by Autism East Midlands£11.7m
- Awarded27 Jan 2026Contract For the Placement Of Learners With Additional Learning Needs In Day And Residential Schools And CollegesCity and County of Swansea · WalesWon by Bevan College Ltd£36k
- Awarded26 Sep 2025Independent Special Education Provision (ISEPS)Cambridgeshire County Council · East of EnglandWon by Outcomes First Group£254k
- Awarded22 Sep 2025Independent Special Education Provision (ISEPS)Cambridgeshire County Council · East of EnglandWon by Outcomes First Group£398k
- Awarded2 Sep 2025W726 - Education provision at St David's CollegeDerby City Council · WalesWon by St David's College Trust£67k
- Awarded31 Aug 2025Specialist Education provision RNCBDerby City Council · East MidlandsWon by Royal National College for the Blind£100k
- Awarded31 Aug 2025Specialist Education Placements within an Independent Specialist Post 16 CollegeDerby City Council · East MidlandsWon by Portland College£545k
- Awarded31 Aug 2025Extensions of tribunal-ordered placements at an independent special schoolDerby City Council · East MidlandsWon by Rushcliffe Specialist Schools£9.6m
- Awarded31 Aug 2025Tribunal-ordered placements at an independent special schoolDerby City Council · East MidlandsWon by Rushcliffe Specialist Schools£3.8m
- Awarded26 Aug 2025Independent (Special) SchoolLincolnshire County Council · East MidlandsWon by Keys Group (Begdale House School)£122k
- Awarded6 Aug 2025SEN Placements at Alderwasley School 25/26 Year 13-15Derby City Council · East MidlandsWon by SENAD Group£415k
- Awarded6 Aug 2025SEN Placements at Alderwasley School 25/26 Year 12Derby City Council · East MidlandsWon by SENAD Group£564k
- Awarded6 Aug 2025SEN Placements at Pegasus School 25/26Derby City Council · East MidlandsWon by SENAD Group£136k
- Awarded6 Aug 2025SEN Maple View School Placements 25/26Derby City Council · East MidlandsWon by SENAD Group£542k
- Awarded25 Jun 2025IA3657 Specialist Placements for Pupils with EHCPsStaffordshire County Council · West MidlandsWon by The Haven School Limited£4.6m
- Awarded16 Jun 2025Independent Special Educational Provision (ISEPS)Cambridgeshire County Council · East of EnglandWon by Hope Tree School Limited£23.1m
- Awarded31 Mar 2025SEND Specialist Support - Educational Placement at Quorn Hall SchoolDerby City Council · East MidlandsWon by Quorn Hall School£33k
- Awarded10 Feb 2025National Schools and Colleges ContractMiddlesbrough Council · North EastWon by Spark of Genius
- Awarded10 Feb 2025National Schools and Colleges ContractMiddlesbrough Council · North EastWon by Spark of Genius
- Awarded8 Feb 2025PB2024-01668 - Childrens Residential Placement - ID 386895Darlington Borough Council · North EastWon by Kisimul Group£608k
- Awarded12 Jan 2025PEP/ED/INM Education Placement/502336Bristol City Council · South WestWon by Orbis Education and Care Limited£245k
- Awarded12 Jan 2025PEP/ED/INM Education Placement/505082Bristol City Council · South WestWon by Outcomes First Group£354k
- Awarded12 Jan 2025PEP/ED/INM Education Placement/536064Bristol City Council · South WestWon by Belgrave School£124k
- Awarded12 Jan 2025PEP/ED/INM Education Placement/ 520117Bristol City Council · South WestWon by Outcomes First Group£198k
- Awarded12 Jan 2025PEP/ED/INM Education Placement/772793Bristol City Council · South WestWon by Bristol Steiner School£71k
- Open to joinApply by 10 Nov 2026South West framework
- Open to joinApply by 31 Mar 2027West Midlands framework
- Open to joinApply by 21 Sep 2027South East framework
Where to bid
Where independent special schools tenders are run
East Midlands Tenders1 25%
Kent Business Portal1 25%
ProContract1 25%
Supplying the South West1 25%
Tenders published in the last year that name the bid portal they run on.
Frameworks and DPS
9 frameworks for independent special schools work are running. 3 are open to join now.
SENAD Group won the most independent special schools contracts
Hope Tree School Limited won the most by value. Each dot is one contract, coloured by who bought it.
Councils
| Rank | Contractor | Contracts won, by buyer | Contracts | Value won | Buyers | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SENAD Group East Midlands · SME · See every contract | 9 | £5.3m | 1 | ||
| 2 | Outcomes First Group East of England · 1 framework place · See every contract | 4 | £1.2m | 2 | ||
| 3joint | Rushcliffe Specialist Schools East Midlands · SME · See every contract | 2 | £13.4m | 1 | ||
| 3joint | Spark of Genius North East · SME · 1 framework place · See every contract | 2 | Not published | 1 | ||
| 5joint | Hope Tree School Limited East of England · See every contract | 1 | £23.1m | 1 | ||
| 5joint | Autism East Midlands East Midlands · See every contract | 1 | £11.7m | 1 | ||
| 5joint | The Haven School Limited West Midlands · SME · See every contract | 1 | £4.6m | 1 | ||
| 5joint | Kisimul Group North East · SME · See every contract | 1 | £608k | 1 | ||
| 5joint | Portland College East Midlands · SME · See every contract | 1 | £545k | 1 | ||
| 5joint | Hexagon Care Services Limited East Midlands · See every contract | 1 | £306k | 1 |
16 more independent special schools contractors ranked. See the full ranking →
Win independent special schools contracts? Share your ranking.
Who buys
Councils award 100% of independent special schools contracts
Contracts with a published value in the last 2 years, from the type of buyer to the size of the contract.
6 buyers bought independent special schools more than once in the last 2 years
Each dot is a buyer, by how many independent special schools contracts it awarded in the last 2 years.
See who they are and when they usually buy →
Few and big, or many and small
Each dot is a buyer: how many independent special schools contracts it awarded against what they were worth. The busiest and biggest are named.
Councils
Top buyers by contracts awarded
| Rank | Buyer | Contracts | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Derby City Council | 18 | £19.9m |
| 2 | Bristol City Council | 6 | £1.1m |
| 3 | Lincolnshire County Council | 6 | £703k |
| 4 | Cambridgeshire County Council | 3 | £23.7m |
| 5 | Darlington Borough Council | 2 | £736k |
| 6 | Middlesbrough Council | 2 | Not published |
| 7 | Nottingham City Council | 1 | £11.7m |
| 8 | Staffordshire County Council | 1 | £4.6m |
| 9 | City and County of Swansea | 1 | £36k |
328 independent special schools contracts awarded since 2021
- 862021
- 842022
- 552023
- 642024
- 322025
- 72026 so far
Prices
Half of independent special schools contracts are worth less than £304k
Councils
The 10 biggest independent special schools contracts
- Cambridgeshire County CouncilHope Tree School Limited · 16 Jun 2025
- Nottingham City CouncilAutism East Midlands · 12 Feb 2026
- Derby City CouncilRushcliffe Specialist Schools · 31 Aug 2025
- Staffordshire County CouncilThe Haven School Limited · 25 Jun 2025
- Derby City CouncilRushcliffe Specialist Schools · 31 Aug 2025
- Derby City CouncilSENAD Group · 15 Sep 2026
- Derby City CouncilSENAD Group · 6 Aug 2025
- Darlington Borough CouncilKisimul Group · 8 Feb 2025
- Derby City CouncilSENAD Group · 6 Aug 2025
- Derby City CouncilPortland College · 31 Aug 2025
Renewing contracts
43 independent special schools contracts come up for renewal in the next 12 months
16 in the next 6 months. The 3 ending soonest are shown in full.
Ends Mar 2027
Education of EHCP pupils at Linkage College - Beverley
East Riding of Yorkshire Council · Yorkshire and the Humber · 5-year contract
Held by Linkage Community Trust
Ends Mar 2027
Education of EHCP pupils at William Henry Smith School
East Riding of Yorkshire Council · Yorkshire and the Humber · 5-year contract
Held by The William Henry Smith School
Independent special schools contract for a councilYorkshire and the Humber£1m or moreEnds Mar 2027
Independent special schools contract for a councilWest Midlands£100k to £1mEnds Mar 2027
Independent special schools contract for a councilEast Midlands£100k to £1mEnds Mar 2027
Independent special schools contract for a councilWest Midlands£100k to £1mEnds Mar 2027
Independent special schools contract for a councilYorkshire and the Humber£100k to £1mEnds Mar 2027
Independent special schools contract for a councilSouth East£100k to £1mEnds Mar 2027
Where and when
The East Midlands awards the most independent special schools contracts. January and August are the busiest months.
Contracts by region and by month awarded. Click a region to filter the page.
FewerMore contracts
The regions as a table
| Region | Open now | Contracts | Value | Typical contract | Won the most | Bought the most | Renewing in 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands | 0 | 24 | £32.2m | £323k | SENAD Group (9) | Derby City Council (17) | 14 |
| South West | 0 | 6 | £1.1m | £161k | Outcomes First Group (2) | Bristol City Council (6) | 5 |
| North East | 0 | 4 | £736k | – | Spark of Genius (2) | Darlington Borough Council and Middlesbrough Council (2 each) | 6 |
| East of England | 0 | 3 | £23.7m | £398k | Outcomes First Group (2) | Cambridgeshire County Council (3) | 1 |
| Wales | 0 | 2 | £103k | – | – | – | 2 |
| West Midlands | 0 | 1 | £4.6m | – | – | – | 2 |
| North West | 0 | 0 | Not published | – | – | – | 0 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1 | 0 | Not published | – | – | – | 10 |
| London | 0 | 0 | Not published | – | – | – | 0 |
| South East | 0 | 0 | Not published | – | – | – | 1 |
| Scotland | 0 | 0 | Not published | – | – | – | 0 |
| Northern Ireland | 0 | 0 | Not published | – | – | – | 0 |
Often bought with independent special schools
Related services
Key findings
- 1.7
independent special schools contracts are awarded in a typical month.
40 contracts in the last 2 years. - 16
independent special schools contracts come up for renewal in the next 6 months.
Recurring contracts with a named supplier and a published end date before 4 May 2027. - 9
frameworks and DPSs are running for independent special schools work.
3 open to join now. - 55%
of independent special schools contracts are won by SMEs.
As recorded by the buyer, on 38 award notices.
How many independent special schools tenders and contracts are there?
| Since November 2021 | Last 12 months | |
|---|---|---|
| Notices published | 492 | 66 |
| Contracts awarded | 251 | 7 |
88 independent special schools contracts and frameworks end in the next 12 months, 68 of them recurring services. In the last two years, 9 buyers awarded independent special schools contracts to 26 suppliers.
Source: Find a Tender, Contracts Finder, Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eTendersNI, to 4 November 2026. By Seamus White. How we count
Questions
How many independent special schools contracts does the UK public sector award?
40 in the 2 years to 4 November 2026, from 9 public buyers.
How much is a typical public sector independent special schools contract worth?
The median is £304k, and 43% are worth less than £250k.
Who wins the most public sector independent special schools contracts?
SENAD Group won the most (9). Hope Tree School Limited won the most by value (£23.1m).
Which buyers award the most independent special schools contracts?
Councils award 100% of them.
Which part of the UK awards the most independent special schools contracts?
The East Midlands: 24 of 40 in the 2 years to 4 November 2026, then the South West (6) and the North East (4).
How many independent special schools contracts come up for renewal in the next 12 months?
43 contracts end and are likely to be re-let, the first on 31 March 2027. Another 21 ending are one-off work.
Are there frameworks or DPSs for independent special schools work that are open to join?
9 frameworks and DPSs for independent special schools work are running. 3 are open to join now.
What is included
Day and term-time residential places at independent and non-maintained special schools, independent specialist colleges and high needs study programmes for children and young people up to 25 with EHC plans, bought per child or through a placement framework or DPS.
- INMSS individual placements
- Placement frameworks for DfE-registered independent special schools and colleges
- Weekly boarding placements
- Independent specialist college placements
- Post-16 high needs study programme places
What is not included
- Alternative provision places, including post-16 AP (see Alternative provision places)
- Education placements with no setting named (see Education placements for individual pupils (unspecified))
- Supported internships (see Supported internships for young people with SEND)
- 52-week children's home placements (see Children's residential home placements)
- Therapies named in an EHC plan (another industry: healthcare)
- SEN transport (another industry: transport-logistics)