Local council provides refurbished classrooms at two schools to meet social, emotional and mental health needs
A headteacher in Dunstable has described the ‘meaningful difference to children and families’ being made by refurbished classrooms designed with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs in mind.
Classroom at Larwood Primary School in Dunstable, photo courtesy of Central Bedfordshire Council
Larwood Primary School has seen classrooms refurbished to better meet the needs of existing pupils, while the former Pulloxhill Lower School has been is refurbished to provide up to 50 further placements.
The aim is to ensure that children and young people receive the right support in the right setting – and there is urgent need. Demand for such specialist provision continues to rise. The new placements are part of Central Bedfordshire Council’s wider strategy to improve SEND provision across the region. In the past two years, the number of specialist places available across Central Bedfordshire have grown from 1,069 to more than 1,167.
Since last year, additional resource provisions (ARPs) have been delivered at Stratton School in Biggleswade (24 places), Shefford Lower School (8 places), Sandy Secondary (24 places) and Brooklands Middle School in Leighton Buzzard (12 places). A further 50 additional places have been delivered at the Chiltern School in Houghton Regis.
The council’s longer-term plans include creating more specialist school places and investing in facilities. Next year, it will invite schools interested in having an ARP to submit an expression of interest.
Pierre van der Merwe, Executive Headteacher at Larwood School, part of the Brighter Futures Education Trust, says: ‘I would like to thank Central Bedfordshire Council for getting this project over the line. We are now able to provide desperately needed placements for pupils who have been without an appropriate SEN offer or out of education entirely.
‘This work has made a meaningful difference to children and families who have been waiting far too long. We greatly look forward to working even more closely with Central Bedfordshire Council in the future and sincerely hope there will be further opportunities to collaborate with MGBC Construction again.’
Cllr Steve Owen, Executive Member for Children’s Services and Community Safety at Central Bedfordshire Council, adds: ‘We know how critical it is to provide timely and appropriate support for children with SEMH needs. Opening this interim provision means we can help children who have been waiting far too long for a suitable placement. It’s a key step in delivering our commitment to expand and improve SEND provision across Central Bedfordshire, so every child can thrive.’
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