(UK) Suffolk educators call for new school to address 'CRISIS' is special ed

Nov 12, 2018, Suffolk Free Press: Suffolk County Council submits plans for new specialist facility to support children with autism https://www.suffolkfreepress.co.uk/news/plans-submitted-for-new-suffolk-special-school-for-children-with-autism-9048776/ Proposals have been submitted by Suffolk’s education team for a new special school in the county, amid a “crisis” in special education needs provision. Suffolk County Council confirmed it had submitted a bid to the Department for Education last month, under the latest wave of free special school applications. It aims to develop a specialist autism facility, which will cater for 60 pupils from school years 3 to 11. … “The decision was taken to request an ASC [autism spectrum condition] special school based on the growth data illustrated within the special education needs [SEN] sufficiency plan…. A report prepared for the county council’s cabinet meeting in September revealed the organisation was struggling to meet demand for special education needs places, with a projected rise in demand of 18 per cent in the next two years. Education chiefs said a further 300 to 400 new places would be needed in the next two years alone – the equivalent of three or four new special schools. It is also having to fund the places, resulting in a projected overspend of £1.5 million to £2 million this year. …