'Loose ends' still need fixing at West Sussex special school
Woodlands Meed is set to open in September - a year behind schedule
Governors have said there are ‘a lot of loose ends to resolve’ before they can celebrate the completion of Woodlands Meed College.
After a string of delays, West Sussex County Council announced on Tuesday (June 25) that the Burgess Hill special school was ready to be handed over.
But a letter to parents from chair of governors Marion Wilcock made it clear that it was not yet time to pop the champagne.
The governors presented the council and contractor ISG with a list of work which needed to be completed before they felt the school was ready for the children.
While some of those concerns have now been addressed, Ms Wilcock said that others – such as the need to source and provide suitable evac chairs for the bottom of stairways in case of fire or accident, and the need for a secure exam room to allow the college to offer GCSEs – have not.
And she raised concerns about when and how the second phase of the work would be carried out.
That phase would see the buildings currently used by the children demolished and the area turned into an all-weather pitch and car park, with a new access.
Ms Wilcock said this work was planned for November to January, disrupting access to the new building for up to 12 weeks.
She thanked neighbouring Birchwood Grove School, saying they had agreed to share their entrance, with Woodlands Meed pupils set to arrive 15 minutes late to avoid the chaos and confusion of two sets of children arriving at once.
The new school contains a hydrotherapy pool, 12 classrooms and a two-court sports hall.
While it allows for 100 children with special educational needs and disabilities, Ms Wilcock said there were already 130 on the books.
Jacquie Russell, the council’s cabinet member for children, young people, learning & skills, said: “This is a crucial moment in what has been a very long journey to deliver new facilities at Woodlands Meed.
“We’ve faced many challenges and setbacks along the way, but it is important to now look ahead to the benefits this provision will bring to children with special educational needs and disabilities.
“We appreciate the frustrations of parents, pupils and staff and would like to thank everyone for their continued patience throughout this process.
“Despite the challenging nature of this project, we are ultimately proud of what has been achieved and know that these fantastic facilities will help children at Woodlands Meed achieve their potential for many years to come.”