Proposal to establish a new Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) provision at Townley Primary School
Introduction
Cambridgeshire County Council intends to make a prescribed alteration to Townley Primary School, Crown Road, Christchurch, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE14 9NA with effect from the Spring term 2025 (subject to installation of mobile accommodation).
Background
Townley Primary School is a maintained primary school currently offering 110 places for primary age children. The school was judged Good by Ofsted at its most recent inspection in March 2022.
The Local Authority is implementing a county-wide SEND Strategy to address the deficit in demand for specialist support for children and young people with SEND and Education Health and Care Plan’s (EHCP).
Proposal
It is proposed to create a new SEND Enhanced Resource Base (ERB) provision at Townley Primary School. The ERB will cater for up to 8 primary age children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. The ERB may also offer short stay places for 2 children without an EHCP, but at risk of placement breakdown due to their needs.
Places at the ERB are in addition to the published admission number for the school and children’s places at the setting will be kept separate from the normal admissions process.
Establishing a new ERB provision at Townley Primary School for up to 10 primary age children with SEMH needs will help the local authority meet the rising demand for enhanced provision within a mainstream school setting for children, either with an EHCP or at risk of placement breakdown due to their needs.
Implementation Plan
As part of Cambridgeshire County Council’s decision-making process, a consultation on the proposed changes will run for a period of 4 weeks from Wednesday 5 June 2024 to Wednesday 3 July 2024 and will seek the views of all interested parties.
The Council will consider all comments received during the consultation period before reaching a decision on whether or not to proceed with the proposed change to establish the ERB. If the change is agreed, it is proposed that it would come into effect from the Spring term 2025 (subject to installation of mobile accommodation).
Have your say
Townley Primary School will host a consultation event on Tuesday 18 June 9:00am – 10:00am. For those interested but unable to attend the consultation event at the school an online consultation event will be held via Teams on Monday 17 June 6:30pm – 7:30pm and will be attended by representatives from Cambridgeshire County Council and the school.
Consultation meeting on Monday 17 June Join the meeting now
Decision
The consultation for these proposals closed on Wednesday 3 July 2024. The Local Authority as the decision-maker for these proposals has approved them for implementation, with effect from 4 July 2024.