Proposal to establish SEND resource bases in Bristol - Broomhill Infant School, Broomhill Junior School, Sefton Park Infant and Junior School
Consultation has concluded
Bristol City Council proposes to establish three resource bases (Special Educational Needs and/or Disability (SEND) provisions) in the city. This proposal has been developed in response to the demand for special educational needs provision in Bristol.
Should the proposal be agreed, the council and the schools will work together to ensure that all admissions are handled effectively and efficiently.
The Proposals
In accordance with Section 19(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (as amended by the Education Act 2011) and the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013, Bristol City Council are proposing changes to:
- Broomhill Infant School, to establish a 24-place resource base for children with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs and register it with the Department for Education (DfE).
- Broomhill Junior School, to establish a 16-place resource base for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH) and Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and register it with the Department for Education (DfE).
- Sefton Park Infant and Junior School, to establish a 12-place resource base for children with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and register it with the Department for Education (DfE).
The SEN designation of the provisions will be inclusive of children with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) Needs and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) to support the needs of children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The resource bases will receive children with SEN from the local area, not limited to the school’s mainstream catchment.
The projects at Broomhill Infant School and Sefton Park Infant and Junior School are targeting a delivery of January 2024. Broomhill Junior School Resource Base is targeted to be open in September 2024. The provisions will increase capacity in the city by 52 places, with the expectation that the provisions will increase the number of places available as appropriate. The Published Admissions Number of the schools will remain the same and not be impacted by this proposal.
Bristol City Council are making this proposal to meet the needs of the growing number of children with SEND.
The case for establishing each SEND provision
Bristol City Council has a statutory duty to secure sufficient school places for pupils with special education needs (Children and Families Act 2014) and to ensure that these places provide both high quality provision and value for money.
The establishment of a resource base at Broomhill Infant School is being proposed for the following reasons:
- Bristol City Council has identified a demand for resource base provision in the South of the City
- Broomhill Infant School was judged to be a good school by Ofsted at their last inspection in October 2022
- Broomhill Infant School are committed to inclusion and delivering a high-quality SEN provision. In particular they are committed to supporting pupils with ASC and SEMH
- Existing, suitable indoor and outdoor space at St. Anne’s Infant School has been identified for the resource base
- Broomhill Infant School were fully supportive of the proposal
The establishment of a resource base at Broomhill Junior School is being proposed for the following reasons:
- Bristol City Council has identified a demand for resource base provision in the South of the City
- Broomhill Junior School was judged to be a good school by Ofsted at their last inspection in October 2021
- Broomhill Junior School are committed to inclusion and delivering a high-quality SEN provision. In particular they are committed to supporting pupils with SEMH and ASC
- Existing, suitable outdoor space at the school for a new building has been identified for the resource base
- Broomhill Junior School were fully supportive of the proposal
The establishment of a resource base at Sefton Park Infant and Junior School is being proposed for the following reasons:
- Bristol City Council has identified a demand for resource base provision in the East of the City
- Sefton Park Infant and Junior School was judged to be a good school by Ofsted at their last inspection in October 2017
- Sefton Park Infant and Junior School are committed to inclusion and delivering a high-quality SEN provision. In particular they are committed to supporting pupils with ASC and SLCN
- Existing, suitable indoor and outdoor space at a nearby school has been identified for the resource base
- Sefton Park Infant and Junior School were fully supportive of the proposal
The Outcomes of the Proposal
Bristol City Council is proposing to establish three SEND provisions.
We believe that this will:
• Provide additional capacity to manage demand for SEN school places in Bristol where demand is high
• Support improved educational outcomes for children with SEN
This proposal is not expected to have any limiting impact on other local provision including local schools but will contribute towards parental choice.
Implementation
The Local Authority is working in partnership with the schools who will operate the Resource Bases. Following consultation, the local authority and schools will work together to ensure that all admissions are handled effectively and efficiently.
These projects are part of a wider plan of increased SEN school place capacity across Bristol to ensure citywide SEN school place sufficiency and improve the outcomes of children and young people with SEND.
Costs and Expenditure
These proposals were part of the Educational Capital Update and Capital Investment Decision paper in the September 2022 cabinet report pack. The capital funding for these proposals form part of the agreed £14.9m spend for SEND Wave 2 works in September 2022. This funding is met from High Needs grant allocations provided by the DfE and will provide long-term value for money as less children will have to travel out of their local communities to attend school.
All provisions will receive SEN place funding for each place at the provision and top up funding for each child which will vary according to the child’s needs identified in their EHCP. The school will be responsible for staffing and resources, and the local authority and the schools have worked together to financially model the provisions to ensure it is affordable and will not impact upon any other budgets.
All statutory consultation requirements relating to these proposals have been complied with.
Indicative Dates
The relevant proposal will be published on the Broomhill Infant School, Broomhill Junior School, Sefton Park Infant and Junior School and Bristol City Council website for 4 weeks from 9th October 2023 until 6th November 2023. A copy of the proposal has been sent to the Governors of Broomhill Infant School, Broomhill Junior School and Sefton Park Infant and Junior School and the Head Teachers.
Each school will ensure that the information is released through a circulated update (this may be a paper or electronic newsletter or update) and sent directly to all parent/carers of all registered pupils. Copies of the proposal will be available via the school, by contacting Bristol City Council and on the websites.
Responses
Comments can be made using the online survey:
- Broomhill Infant School resource base survey
- Broomhill Junior School resource base survey
- Sefton Park Infant and Junior School resource base survey
Alternatively, you can respond via E-mail or post to:
Jessica Taylor, Place Planning, Bristol City Council, City Hall, PO Box 3399 or Specialist.Provision@bristol.gov.uk
If you choose to respond via email or post, please use the consultation response template.
Comments must be received by no later than 6th November 2023 to be considered in the decision-making process.
Following the representation period, a decision will be made by 1st January 2024. The proposal can be:
- Accepted
- Rejected
- Or accepted with modifications by the proposer
The decision will be published within one week of the decision and;
- published on the same sites as the publication
- sent to every registered pupil
- and sent to the governing body