June 6, 2024, Herefords Times: Special needs adaptations planned at Hereford primary school
Central England
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 in Hereford 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 [$318K] 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 recent investment in the county’s mainstream schools.
Last August the council approved work totalling over £100,000 [$127K] to adapt two other primaries, St Paul’s Primary School in Hereford and Withington Primary School for this purpose.
“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 [$3M] 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.
