(UK) Hants: Number of SPED students expected to double by 2030

Dec 9, 2024, Daily Echo: Hampshire County Council plans to expand specialist school places  https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/24781057.hampshire-county-council-plans-expa 

SE England

Hampshire County Council is initiating plans to expand specialist school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the New Forest - amid a warning the number of children in the county with care plans could nearly double by the end of the decade. . . .

Councillor Steve Forster, the council's cabinet member for education, stated: "By the end of this decade, the number of children in Hampshire with education, health, and care plans could increase by over 11,000, reaching around 28,000.

"Every new specialist school place we create, including in our mainstream settings, is important. . . .

The proposals include Bartley Church of England Junior School in the New Forest, which would provide extra provision for 12 pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, and Crookhorn College in Havant, which would cater for an additional 15 pupils with autism spectrum condition.

Both provisions are due to open in phases from September 2025.

These new proposals follow an earlier decision to consult on providing an additional 32 specialist places at several primary schools in Gosport, Eastleigh, and the New Forest.

Currently, many children needing specialist educational support are funded by the local authority to attend independent schools, which costs significantly more than providing a place in a local authority mainstream or special school.

If agreed, the extra places at Bartley and Crookhorn will cost the council £568,796 [$726K] per year, compared to an estimated £1.9 million for the same number of places in independent special schools.

It also comes after the county council lodged plans for a new special school in Boorley Green.

Luminous Oak will provide 125 co-educational special educational needs and disability (SEND) places specifically for pupils between 8-16 years with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs and is planned to open in September 2026.