Decision details

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director – Children’s Services, which advised that in March 2024 the Council had been notified by the Department of Education that it would receive a further allocation of £2.1m High Needs Provision Capital funding over a two-year period to support the provision of new places and/or to expand existing provision for pupils and students with high needs.

          The Council had previously consulted with schools on the opportunity to expand their existing Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) offer or offer new SEND provision. The report sought approval to commence a statutory consultation to expand the number of SEND places available at Ashley School in Widnes through the provision of four additional classrooms to meet need for children and young people with a diagnosis of Autistic Specturm Disorder (ASD), taking the total number of places available at the school site from 112 to 152.

Reason(s) for Decision

The Council is required to demonstrate appropriate identification of need against spend from the High Needs Capital Allocation Grant. To deliver and implement the High Needs Provision Capital Funding Programme.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None

Implementation Date

It is intended that the additional provision, if approved, could be offered from September 2026.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    approval be given for the commencement of a statutory consultation process for the expansion of Ashley School in Widnes for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder to become a 152 place school; and

2)    a further report is brought to the Board in December 2024 detailing the outcome of the statutory consultation and next steps.