Wiltshire Council has acquired Calder House near Chippenham to provide education for up to 50 young people aged 11-16 years with Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs (SEMH) or who need alternative provision. Alternative provision is education that is arranged by schools and local authorities for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education.
The council has a high number of secondary age young people who need additional SEMH support to access mainstream schooling or to make a successful transition to specialist provision. This has led to increasing demand for short-term and full-time alternative provision packages.
The new school will help address the shortage in Ofsted-registered alternative provision places in Wiltshire at a time when there is an increase in demand for places. It could also provide a transitionary educational setting to help children return to mainstream education or into specialist provision for pupils with or without an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
EHCPs are legal documents that describe a child or young person’s special educational needs, the support they need and the outcomes they would like to achieve.
At a cabinet meeting on 16 April, Wiltshire Council leaders will be asked to authorise the award of a contract to an external education provider so the new site can be ready to open this autumn.
The school centre will help meet current levels of demand and reduce suspensions and exclusions. Improving access to local provision will also help bring down the use of expensive independent special school placements and in turn help to lower the current High Needs budget deficit. The High Needs Budget is the funding to support provision for pupils and students with SEND who require additional resources to participate in education and learning.