Funding boost brings 30 more school places for SEND children in Milton Keynes
Thirty local children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have a new specialist place thanks to extra funding shared by Milton Keynes City Council.
With the new school year underway, the City Council has been working with four local mainstream schools to increase the number of places and support for children with SEND. The schools are Wood End Infant and Pre-School, Portfields Primary, Chestnuts Primary and Oxley Park Academy. It comes as part of wider work to support the rising number of children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) as the city grows.
The 30 additional spaces will be paid for by government funding secured by the City Council. Dedicated areas within each school, called ‘specialist bases’, provide an alternative to special schools, while allowing children to go to schools with their siblings and peers.
They include teaching spaces with breakout areas, intervention rooms and a separate curriculum, as well as specialist teachers and support staff to meet the needs of children with EHCPs at their local school.
The construction work was completed in time for the new school year. It included some internal remodelling as well as extra buildings and new entry points. The City Council say that this work forms part of its ongoing commitment to grow the support for Milton Keynes children with SEND.
Over the last year, the City Council created over 160 new places through specialist bases in mainstream schools and expanding special schools. New schools like the primary in Whitehouse South and the new ‘all through’ school in Elverby, are also being designed with dedicated SEND provision.
Councillor Peter Cannon, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People said: “We want every child in Milton Keynes to have the opportunity to learn, thrive and succeed as close to home as possible.
“These specialist bases provide high-quality support within mainstream schools, allowing more children with SEND to learn alongside their friends, siblings and local community.
“They also help schools build inclusive practice and expertise, while ensuring that specialist special school places remain available for children and young people with the most complex needs.”