Hereford primary school plans SEND extension

The work will be carried out at Lord Scudamore Academy, Broomy Hill

Author: Local Democracy Reporter, Gavin McEwanPublished 6th Jun 2024

A quarter of a million pounds is to be spent adapting a Hereford primary school, for pupils with special needs.

Herefordshire Council is inviting tenders to carry out the work at Lord Scudamore Academy, Broomy Hill, consisting of new extensions to the main building plus some internal remodelling, in order to provide hygiene and physiotherapy rooms and other new facilities.

The tender puts the value at £250,000 and says it expects the successful bidder to carry out the work between July 17 and September 29 this year.

Rising numbers of young children with special educational needs in Herefordshire have prompted substantial investment recently in the county’s mainstream schools.

Last August the council approved work totalling over £100,000 to adapt two other primaries, St Paul’s Primary School in Hereford and Withington Primary School for this purpose.

It also made Hereford’s Hampton Dene Primary School an “early years assessment base” for children with complex learning difficulties.

“Demand continues to increase and additional capacity is urgently required,” with 150 extra specialist places likely to be needed over the next four years, the council said at the time.

Then in September the council approved spending of £2.4 million of a government grant to extend the language and communication centre at Hereford’s Hampton Dene primary school, which helps children with autism spectrum disorders.

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