More spaces for children with special educational needs

The expansion of three specialist schools has been approved.

Hampshire County Council has confirmed plans to increase in-house provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The authority intends to create up to 28 extra places between Heathfield Special School in Fareham, Haven Nursery School in Gosport and Pennington Church of England Junior School in Lymington.

The council is spending £482,464 on the plan which will support children with severe learning difficulties and social, emotional and mental health needs.

Councillor Steve Forster approved the recommendation, which will create up to 10 places for pupils at Heathfield school from September, as well as a further increase of 10 pupils in 2025.

There will also be eight extra spaces offered at the Haven Nursery SEND hub.

The county council said it chose this nursery because, during the past two years, the need for SEND provision had grown significantly and the area of Gosport does not have a “consistent” local offer for this type of provision.

Pennington school will also offer eight places to SEND pupils.

Figures from the county council showed there were currently about 16,784 children in Hampshire with education, health and care plans (EHCPs).

But the authority forecasts by 2030/31 this will rise to about 28,000.

During a meeting discussing the recommendations, Councillor Roz Chadd welcomed the extra places and praised the council for "continuing to increase the offer and finding new ways to offer the placement and the services it already had".

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