Warwickshire County Council Cabinet has today – Thursday 9 May – approved the expansion of its Specialist Resourced Provision (SRP) offer at several schools in the county.
The continued development of SRP across the county enables pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), to be educated within a mainstream setting but with specialist staff and a higher adult: pupil ratio.
Over the next five years, the Council is seeking to increase the number of SRP places commissioned from the current position of 176 to over 500 by 2028 as part of Delivering Better Value (DBV) in the SEND programme of work. Schools currently involved in the programme include Oakley Secondary School, Briar Hill Infant School, St John's Primary School, and Shipston Primary School.
The increase in provision marks a significant step towards enhancing access to a more inclusive education for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across Warwickshire and is one of many steps being taken to help manage the increase in demand for tailored education.
The approved recommendations include:
Capital Programme Additions
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£0.113 million addition for Park Hill Junior School, Kenilworth, funded from the Special Provision Fund.
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£0.013 million addition for St Paul’s CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, funded from Developer contributions.
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£0.090 million addition for Nicholas Chamberlaine School, Bedworth, funded from the High Needs Capital Grant, subject to Department for Education approval.
Establishment of Specialist Resourced Provision
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At Briar Hill Infant School, Leamington Spa, with no additional cost to the Council.
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At Park Hill Junior School, Kenilworth, and St Paul’s CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, to meet the demand for specialised provision.
Cllr Kam Kaur, Portfolio Holder for Education at Warwickshire County Council, said: “The enhancement of Specialist Resourced Provision reflects our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our students and ensuring every child has access to high quality education where appropriate within their local community. This initiative aligns with our mission to create an inclusive learning environment where all students can thrive."
Warwickshire currently has 19 Specialist Resource Provisions across the county, with plans for further expansion in Leamington Spa, Kenilworth, and Nuneaton and Bedworth by September 2024. Additionally, Warwickshire County Council is in talks with 14 other primary and secondary schools across the county about establishing resourced provisions in 2025 and beyond.
The full cabinet report can be found here: https://democracy.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/s36714/Establishment%20of%20Specialist%20Resourced%20Provision.pdf
More information about specialist resourced provision can be found here: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/school-admissions-appeals/send-admissions-specialist-settings/2