(UK) Birmingham: $25M to increase SPED places from 108 to 287

July 30, 2024,Birmingham Live: Major Birmingham school project called 'big step forward' as £19m [$25M] costs agreed

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/major-birmingham-school-project-called-155230016.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMqRHS5-UGmV6IdUsxpMeVDM7_AgoPg_WO-q9IzNsPB9EPS64mn73D8wGbbEomBaipMVebwL34w7KFDg96n-yy2hzbA0D1Iz0vcsHk92YR_zce-5BjmzqoH5g9Z5qE3ikWIgyeVuxpmb1McUIYoqyOZRCgO_zG3FcNtZw_VIEAs6

NW England

Costs for a major project at a Birmingham school have been agreed amidst concerns over the shortage of school places for SEND children. A report on the plans for Hamilton School, a special education school in Handsworth, stated there is currently a high demand for additional school places for SEND children across Brum.

But it continues there is also a large shortfall in available places amongst Birmingham's schools to “safely educate this cohort of children”. Amid this shortage, the city council (BCC) launched a consultation on a number of proposals for Hamilton School.

These were altering the age range from four to 11 years to four to 16 years and increasing the number of pupils from 108 to 287. Later in December 2023, the council said it determined to implement the proposal as approved.

The local authority then sought approval for the project costs for the extension works at the school at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, July 23. The council report said the costs would not exceed £19,482,838 [$25M]. . . .

Roger Harmer, leader of the Liberal Democrats at BCC, said he welcomed the plans at the cabinet meeting. “I think it’s going to be a big step forward for children to actually be able to stay in the same school throughout their time at school,” he said.

Asked about the demand for school places for SEND children, Cllr Mick Brown, the cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: “The All Through schooling option is something that I’ve really appreciated over a significant number of years. I think it’s something, if possible, the city needs to continue to develop.

 “I think it’s a question of the city being aware and monitoring what the demand is and seeing how they can respond to it effectively". There is a planned “phased handover” to the school allowing children entry from September 2025, with final works being completed by December the same year. . . .

The report was considered last week by the council’s cabinet, who approved the project costs as well as the full business case. "This project will be funded from the High Needs Allocation Grant (HNG) and Basic Need (BN)," the report said. "No General fund will be used."