(UK) Rochdale: $4.3M for more special needs places
- 2 days ago
- 1 min read
A total of £3.2 million [$4.3M] is being invested by Rochdale Borough Council into additional school places to support children and young people with special educational needs (SEN).
This follows a number of recent decisions by the council’s cabinet to support the expansion of school facilities to ensure more local children can access the education they need closer to home, through its Dedicated School Grant.
Projects include a new SEN learning space at Norden Primary Academy, delivered in partnership with The Harmony Trust, which will provide primary school places for up to 22 children.
The council is also working closely with Redwood Special School to provide an additional 20 secondary school places, while also supporting their sixth form provision at the Phoenix Centre.
These projects build on recent successes, including new SEN provision at Deeplish Primary Academy, thanks to a purpose-built extension at the school which now supports 24 primary age children who have additional speech, language and communication needs.
As well as benefiting local families, projects like these will help the council to reduce its reliance on expensive out of borough placements within the independent and private SEN school sector, a move which could save the council up to approximately £7.8 million [$10M] in the coming years. . . .
“The hub will mean that more children who need specialist support for their speech, language, and communication needs can access their local school and enjoy all the benefits of being with their peers".
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