July 5, 2021, Reading Chronicle: Reading Council set to approve expansion at special education school https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/19420702.reading-council-set-approve-expansion-special-education-school/ (South central England)
Plans to expand a special education needs and disability (SEND) school in west Reading are set to be approved next week.
Reading Borough Council (RBC) wants to create 60 new places by expanding The Avenue School, a special needs academy on Conway Close in Tilehurst….
The expansion should allow more SEND pupils from Reading to attend a school close to home and in the borough.
Capacity for SEND children at the site would be increased from 175 to 235 pupils.
The plans are also expected to save around £1.5 million [$2.1M U.S.] in the first five years by reducing the number of more expensive placements at independent or non-maintained schools, often out of borough and with high associated transportation costs.
The number of pupils with Education Health and Care (EHC) Plans in Reading has increased from 1,282 in Jan 2019 to 1,436 in Jan 2021 and numbers are expected to continue to increase.
The Avenue School has reached its full capacity of 175 students despite having expanded twice already in the last four years.
Other maintained SEND schools, both within the borough and out of borough, are also at full capacity.
A new school in Earley is being built, which will have 75 places for Reading pupils and 75 for Wokingham Borough pupils, while there are also plans for 60 new places at the Avenue Academy School.
RBC’s Policy Committee is set to approve the £5 million [$7M} Department for Education-funded project on Monday, July 12, with approval then needed from the Regional Schools Commissioner.
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