A Leicestershire school is celebrating after opening two new classrooms as part of county council plans to improve SEND provision across the county.
Forest Way School, in Coalville, has built a new extension, Forest Lodge, to provide extra space for pupils to learn as well as now having the capacity to take an extra 12 pupils.
The new facility was funded with a significant contribution from the county council and fund-raising and support from patrons of the school.
We’re delighted to see the new extension at Forest Way School now open. Providing extra space for 12 pupils, the work is part of our ongoing commitment to improve SEND provision across the county
Person:Ivan Ould, county council cabinet member for children and families
Gail Seaton, head teacher at Forest Way School, added: “We have the highest aspirations for our young people and the quality of the new modular build classrooms perfectly reflects this.
“We are proud that we can continue to adapt our facilities effectively to meet the needs of our growing community of students.”
The county council has committed to investing more than £30m in SEND provision and creating almost 700 extra places.
Overall, the SEND programme comprises of 31 schemes, 11 of which started to admit pupils in September, and a further five are expected to do so by Easter 2020.
The new SEND provision also includes:
Expansion of the remaining five county council special schools, including the creation of a new block for post-16 Maplewell Hall pupils on the Charnwood College campus in Loughborough;
A 15-place centre, ‘The Shine Centre’, for students with SEMH at Winstanley secondary School, Braunstone Town;
The development of a new 80 place communication and interaction school in Barwell, and a new 50 place SEMH school in Blaby both expected to open in September 2020.
There's more information on the council’s SEND provision at: leicestershire.gov.uk/send