Ambitious plans to develop local provision for children with special educational needs (SEND) across the county are well on track. Planning, building and refurbishment work at 15 new ‘resource bases’ is continuing across the summer months as part of the county council’s commitment to invest over £30m in SEND and create almost 700 extra places, some of which have already opened for the start of the academic year. The ‘ resource bases’ will cater for pupils with communication and interaction needs (C &I) which includes ASC (Autism Spectrum Condition) or social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH). Selected schools in towns such as Loughborough, Melton, Hinckley and, Ashby are either having existing space refurbished, or extensions built. A new 80-place communication and interaction school in Barwell is also expected to open in September 2020. The county council is also progressing the expansion of all six existing Leicestershire special schools. The encouraging progress being made is highlighted in a report being discussed by Cabinet next week which also outlines that the High Needs Block continues to face financial challenges with a current overspend of around £6m. Cabinet members will also consider a recommendation to consult in the near future with county schools on the proposed transfer of up to 0.5 per cent of budgets for both mainstream schools and academies into High Needs funding to help manage the budget position.
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