New special needs facilities open in Kendal

On Tuesday 4th March at 5pm Cumbria County Councillor Joan Stocker, Cabinet Spokesperson for Education will officially open a new Strategic Provision at Queen Katherine School in Kendal to address the needs of children with physical/medical needs. 

The project was designed to allow the school to become the latest addition to a County-wide network of strategic mainstream schools able to cater for the needs of a wide range of pupils with physical/medical problems and cost in the region of £400k. The work, which was carried out alongside a range of other work to provide the school with additional places to cope with an increasing roll, include a new build physiotherapy, medical and assisted toilet facilities; three new lifts, additional ramping and magnetic hold-open devices on fire doors to provide easy access to all areas of the curriculum. 

County Councillor Joan Stocker is delighted to see more facilities being provided in mainstream schools for children with physical medical needs. She says 

"Cumbria County Council has had a long standing commitment to inclusion and supports the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools where this is possible. These new facilities will help to offer additional choice to families and young people with physical medical needs. They will benefit from successful learning opportunities along side their peer group in mainstream school." 

Stephen Wilkinson, Headteacher at the School says 

"I am delighted that the County Council has such confidence in our school to ask us to become a strategic provision for students with physical and medical conditions. Governors here are committed to inclusion, this will be a fabulous asset to the school."