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(UK) West Sussex: New SPED secondary school isn't big enough

Jan 13, 2020, West Sussex Today: County council branded ‘short-sighted’ over size of new college for Woodlands Meed [SPECIAL SCHOOL] https://www.westsussextoday.co.uk/education/county-council-branded-short-sighted-over-size-of-new-college-for-woodlands-meed-1-9200001 Campaigners and school governors have branded West Sussex County Council ‘short-sighted’ after it was suggested a new Woodlands Meed College could cater for only 100 children. By Karen Dunn, local democracy reporter. Despite the school, parents and the council’s own scrutiny committee supporting the idea of a new college for 136 pupils, Nigel Jupp, cabinet member for education, said the council was only really looking at the 100-pupil option. Chair of governors Marion WIlcock pointed out that the college, in Burgess Hill, already had 103 pupils. She said: “At a time when it is acknowledged there is a growing demand for special educational needs places, it appears short-sighted not to take the opportunity to provide the additional places.” Members of the Complete Woodlands Meed Campaign agreed, accusing the council of ‘demonstrating no strategic vision’. The council’s insistence that money be spent on another review of the current college – which is made up of prefabricated buildings branded ‘not fit for purpose’ – was a cause of frustration. While Mr Jupp said the review was necessary to assure the council could ‘acquit ourselves in terms of value for money’, others felt it was an unnecessary waste of time and money….

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