Consultation on a proposal to establish a specialist facility at All Saints CE Primary School from 1 September 2022

Overview

East Sussex County Council is proposing to establish a specialist facility at All Saints CE Primary School from 1 September 2022.  The facility would accommodate up to 12 pupils with neuro-diverse profiles, such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder and associated Social, Emotional and Mental Health and Speech, Language and Communication Needs.

Why your views matter

Why do we need to establish a specialist facility at All Saints CE Primary School?
Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient good school places for all pupils, including for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).  East Sussex County Council (the local authority)’s SEND forecasts provide clear evidence that we will continue to see an increase in the number of pupils with SEND over the next 10-15 years. 

The overall number of children and young people age 4-24 with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has been rising in recent years and is forecast to continue to rise, as shown in Chart 1.  Over the next 5 years, we forecast that overall numbers will continue rising but at a slower rate.  From 2014-15 to 2019-20 the number of children and young people with plans rose by 861 to 3503.  From 2019-20 to 2024-25 we are currently predicting an increase of 422.

Chart 1: Overall Numbers with EHCPs – Age 4-24 years

Chart 2 shows the historic and forecast numbers with plans by primary need group. The chart shows that the two groups with the biggest increases continue to be Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH).  Rising ASD pupil numbers reflect increases in diagnosis and an increase in parental and professional awareness of these needs. We are still seeing an increase in SEMH, and schools are reporting challenges in meeting these pupils’ needs.

Chart 2: EHCPs by Primary Need Group

Over the last few years, the local authority has been implementing its strategy to develop more places for SEND pupils.  This includes securing new free special schools and the development of more specialist facilities in mainstream schools.  The local authority undertook a consultation earlier in the year on its SEND place planning strategy.  Feedback from the consultation agreed that a priority for the local authority should be the creation of specialist provision in mainstream primary schools for pupils with neuro-diverse profiles, such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder and associated Social, Emotional and Mental Health and Speech, Language and Communication Needs, in the Rother area.  The local authority would like to establish a facility for up to 12 pupils at All Saints CE Primary School (the school) in Bexhill to address this.

What are specialist facilities?
Specialist facilities are located within a mainstream school and provide specific support to a limited number of pupils with an education and health care plan (EHCP) naming a specific primary Special Educational Need (SEN).  Pupils within the facility are on the roll of the mainstream school and are in addition to the published admission number.  The school receives additional funding from the local authority to support the child.  Placements are determined by the local authority according to clear criteria and will be drawn from a wider geographical area than the school’s usual catchment.

Specialist facilities promote an ethos of inclusion and help integrate their pupils into the mainstream school for as much of their learning time as their needs allow.  Specialist facilities also provide access to a base within the school for more intensive learning and support when required.  The expertise of staff within specialist facilities provides significant benefits to the rest of the school and other schools in the local area to support all pupils with SEN and create a fully inclusive learning environment. 

Pupils in the facility will have their special educational needs reviewed regularly in discussion with parents/carers and professionals to ensure that the facility remains the most appropriate placement to meet these needs.

What will be the impact of the new facility on other pupils in the school?
We would expect the new facility to have a positive impact on provision at the school.  Specialist staff would work with pupils in the new facility and also work with teaching staff across the school to develop skills and expertise in responding to SEN needs and creating an inclusive environment.

Will building work be required to establish the new facility and, if so, how will this be funded?
The school and the local authority have identified the former nursery building on the site as suitable to accommodate the new facility.  Some internal adaptations would be required to the building and the local authority would work closely with the school to ensure these are completed in time for the facility to open.

The Council is seeking the views of parents/carers, staff, governors and stakeholders on the proposal.

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What happens next

What happens next?

Following the consultation period, a report on the outcome of the consultation will be considered by the Lead Member for Education, Inclusion and Special Educational Needs and Disability at a meeting in January 2022.  The Lead Member will decide whether to proceed with the proposal.  If approved, a statutory notice would be published on the ESCC website, probably in February 2022, which would be followed by a representation period lasting four weeks when further comments or objections to the proposal could be submitted.  The Lead Member would consider any responses received during this time before making a final decision on whether to approve the proposal at a meeting likely to be held in April 2022.