Agenda item - Proposal to expand Hill Park Special School by establishing a satellite site at the Cedar Centre

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Agenda item

Proposal to expand Hill Park Special School by establishing a satellite site at the Cedar Centre

Report of the Executive Director, Families, Children and Learning (copy attached).

Decision:

RESOLVED: That the Committee –

 

(i)             Noted the outcome of the recent consultation to expand Hill Park School by establishing a satellite site at the former Cedar Centre for autistic children and young people who have anxiety and mental health issues but not a learning disability attached at Appendix 1;

 

(ii)            Agreed that the Local Authority should now proceed to publish Statutory Notices to progress this proposal.

 

Minutes:

85.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning regarding the review of Special Educations Needs and Disability in the city with focus on the proposal to expand Hill Park Special School and the establishment of a satellite site at the former Cedar Centre. The report was introduced by the Assistant Director, Health, SEN and Disabilities and Ms Burstow the Head Teacher of Hill Park School.

 

85.2    Cllr O’Quinn asked if there was a way of expanding the provision further if needed, what the previous intended project was and how that money was going to be spent. Officers advised that they had been looking carefully at possible future demand and said that the expansion was only part of what they were doing and there were also a number of places that officers were looking to develop for neurodiverse children in the city. The funding had been allocated when Homewood School was going to be relocated to the Cedar Centre, but as the school was now an academy a report had gone to Policy & Resources Committee about the change of funding.

 

85.3    Cllr Brown said that there had been a large increase in children diagnosed with Autism, and the Conservative Group fully supported the proposals.

 

85.4    Cllr Hamilton noted that there would be a Year 12 and asked if there would be a Year 13 to allow for full Sixth Form provision. Officers said that staff were currently focusing on Primary and Secondary provision but would be reviewing the need for post 16 and post 19 provision.

 

85.5    Cllr Nield noted that the Head Teacher of Hill Park School said that they were trying to make the setting unlike a school environment and asked in what way. Officers said it would have small informal areas, seating areas, café, allotment, corridors would would be wider and there would be fewer children so it would be more informal than a mainstream school.

 

85.6    Cllr Nield noted that a Local Authority was required to demonstrate that the new provision was genuinely a change to an existing school and asked for more information on the integration of the two sites. Officers advised that there would be integration between the two sites and students at Hill Park students would use some of the facilities such as a hairdresser, café, pond, allotments etc

 

85.7    Cllr Grimshaw asked if the number of pupils attending would impact on home to school travel budget. Officers advised that was being discussed at the next governance board, and would depend on each child’s needs and staff were currently piloting a scheme on individual travel.

 

85.8    Cllr Grimshaw asked if there would be the possibility of weekend provision. Officers advised that there would be a flat to learn life skills and it was possible that that could be used.

 

85.9    RESOLVED: That the Committee –

 

(i)             Noted the outcome of the recent consultation to expand Hill Park School by establishing a satellite site at the former Cedar Centre for autistic children and young people who have anxiety and mental health issues but not a learning disability attached at Appendix 1;

 

(ii)            Agreed that the Local Authority should now proceed to publish Statutory Notices to progress this proposal.

 

Supporting documents:

 


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