New 'Free Special School' on its way for BCP area
The Council's got funding from the Government to improve services
A new free school is coming to the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, for children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The Council's secured funding from the Department for Education for a project to improve services for young people with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) in particular.
The new school will have places for around 180 pupils, aged between three and 19 years old, and will be built within the next two years.
Cathi Hadley, BCP Director of Children’s Services said:
“This investment will help more children with special educational needs and disabilities receive a world-class education.
“Confirmation that a new school will be built in our area means we are providing vital specialist spaces for those pupils whose needs cannot be met in mainstream education.
“But we also know that many children with SEND enjoy and achieve in mainstream education, and many parents want their children to be supported to stay there where they can.
“We have also been working hard with schools, our Parent and Carer Forums and the DfE to increase specialist provision in mainstream schools where needed, so that those children who can enjoy and achieve in mainstream schools are able to do so.
“Alongside this work we continue to improve the timeliness of our services, with the backlog of Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs) and Educational Psychologist (EPs) advice both reducing.
“We know it has been difficult for families to navigate the SEND system, but today’s fantastic announcement of funding, and our improvement work, shows that we are committed to achieving the best for all the children and young people in BCP who need extra support to fulfil their full potential.”
This follows news that a brand-new Dingley’s Promise centre is to open in Bournemouth.
BCP Council worked closely with the charity to provide a new nursery assessment centre to support children under five with SEND and their families.
The authority's also continuing discussions with the Government conversations around a separate application for around £5 million of capital funding to support the creation of a further specialist SEND provision in the conurbation.