Consultation on proposals for Brampton's William Howard School to become a provider of special resources, skills and expertise for children with severe learning difficulties began this week (Monday 11 February).
As part of its comprehensive review of all schools in Cumbria, this consultation aims to extend the range of provision available to secondary age pupils with severe learning difficulties in the Carlisle area. The proposal would see 16 places made available at William Howard School for pupils whose needs, even with the help of specialist support, cannot be adequately met in their local mainstream school.
Pupils will be offered a broad and balanced curriculum in inclusive surroundings and for a significant part of the day they will learn alongside their mainstream pupils and receive support from teaching assistants.
The special provision at the school would form part of a wider development of special needs facilities and could be available from September 2009. The facilities would include: a reception area; two classrooms; staff workspace; medical and assisted toilet facilities; behaviour intervention and interview spaces; and space for health workers and family support workers.
Including children with special needs and learning difficulties in mainstream schools is a long established commitment in Cumbria. The development of resources like those planned for William Howard address that commitment.
The County Council currently has a network of special provision at 23 mainstream primary and secondary schools throughout Cumbria, and is currently working with Caldew and Cumwhinton schools to provide additional resources and support for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
The William Howard consultation document has been distributed to parents, staff and governors of William Howard School, all the county council's partners in providing education, neighbouring schools, the district council, voluntary organisations, staff associations and many others. Copies are also available by calling the School Organisation Project Team on (01228) 606013 or at http://www.cumbriacc.gov.uk/childrensservices/school-organisation/.
Councillor Jim Buchanan is the county council's Cabinet member for Children's Wellbeing. He said;
"Schools that have pupils with a wide range of special educational needs enhance the learning of all the pupils; the curriculum is enriched by the social awareness and community responsibility that inclusive education brings, the quality and skills of staff are enhanced, and better buildings and facilities are made available for everyone's benefit.
"Resourced provision provides pupils with severe learning difficulties the fullest opportunity to make progress in their learning whilst at the same time enabling them to take part in all the other activities offered within their school and local community."
The consultation document includes a questionnaire which can be returned to the School Organisation Project Team or completed online by going to http://www.cumbriacc.gov.uk/consultation/.
A public meeting will be held at the school at 6pm on Monday 25 February to discuss the proposals.
The closing date for all responses to the consultation is Thursday 20 March.
End
Further information from Alison Lister, media team, on 01228 606335
Notes
The consultation document 'Planning Resourced Provision for William Howard School' is available at http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/childrensservices/school-organisation/. For a hard copy contact the school organisation team on (01228) 606013
For a pupil to be designated as having a severe learning difficulty they would:
- be expected to make the kind of progress in 12 months that an average child would make in 3-6 months
- using formalised congnitive measures, have an IQ of 54 or less
- have significant delay in the development of social/self-help skills