Developing new SEND provision

The local authority has been working with schools and colleges to develop new SEND provision within the County.

This provision will better support vulnerable learners to access education in schools in their local area and to develop friendships and peer groups in their own communities and thereby support improved long term outcomes for these learners.

This has already had and will increasingly have a crucial impact in reducing High Needs Block expenditure on out-of-authority provision. It will also contribute significantly to reductions in SEN transport costs.

As examples of new provision:

• The Discovery Academy opened in September 2015, ultimately providing 80 places for Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) & Social Emotional and Mental Health issues (SEMH)
• A SEN Free School for Rugby is due to open in September 2017, ultimately providing a further 80 places for ASD / SEMH
• A ‘Link’ base opened at Wheelwright Lane Primary School in Bedworth providing short term intervention for learners with SEMH
• Funding has been approved for development of new accommodation for two ‘Link’ bases - one at Stockingford Primary School in Nuneaton and another in the Rugby area

Other developments include:

• Brooke School Partnership @ Rokeby Primary – 8 places for learners with a range of SEN
• Brooke School Partnership @ Harris Secondary – 8 places for learners with a range of SEN
• Exhall Grange Coleshill Learning Pod – 8 places for learners with acute SEMH in Key Stages 3&4
• Work is ongoing with River House School as it becomes an academy and changes its admissions criteria to reflect local needs

SEN Resourced Provision for learners with complex communication and interaction (C&I) needs have been developed at the following locations:

• Peter’s Place at Trinity High School, Leamington Spa – 8 places
• Evergreen at Water Orton Primary – 8 places
• Lillington Primary School, Leamington Spa – 8 places

Two further C&I bases are under development as follows:

• Middlemarch Junior School, Nuneaton – 8 places
• Stockingford Primary School, Nuneaton – 8 places

Investment has also been made in new learning facilities in further education at Warwickshire College Group and North Warwickshire and Hinckley College. These new facilities increase the local offer young people aged 16-25 with SEND, and again will help to reduce out-of-authority placements.  

A new county panel for admission to specialist SEND provision was established in September 2016. The local authority is continuing to work with schools to develop further SEND provision.