Special education provision could be expanded at two Gosport schools as consultation launched

This time, two schools in Gosport, one in Eastleigh and another one in Blackfield, could see their SEN provision expansion by 58 extra spaces for those children who have education, health, and care plans (EHCPs). As of July 2024, Hampshire County Council was maintaining 17,002 plans, which detail the extra support a child needs.

Now, it will launch a public consultation to seek residents’ views on extending its special education needs (SEN) offer across four schools in Hampshire due to the high cost of those types of education in the independent and non-maintained schools (INMSS). In the last year, the county council has been extending the provision across all state schools, increasing the resource provision by creating additional places for children with autistic spectrum condition (ASC), social, language and communication needs (SLCN), and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.

A total of £679,829 will fund the extra 58 spaces for children between two and 11 years old at Bedenham Primary School and Holbrook Primary School, both in Gosport, Cherbourg Primary School in Eastleigh and Blackfield Primary School in New Forest. At the two Gosport schools, 42 spaces will be allocated. Bedenham Primary School, on Bridgemary Avenue, will offer six new places for children with SEMH starting September 2025.

A spare classroom will be renovated at the school to create additional space for more students. Holbrook Primary School in Wych Lane will expand its ASC provisions by merging the SLCN provision into a single resource, increasing capacity by 36 places starting September 2025. The plan will involve refurbishing a surplus meeting room, connecting it to the existing Resourced Provisions spaces, adding a dividing wall to create a separate meeting area, and installing a fobbed door.

The Cherbourg Primary School, located on Cherbourg Road, Eastleigh, will cater to an extra four children with SEMH starting September 2025. In addition, to support the creation of a new provision for 12 pupils between the ages of four and 11 with SEMH at Blackfield Primary School from September 2025, the council would approve working with Inspire Learning Partnership Academy Trust to establish the provision.

At his decision day (October 25), cabinet member for education, Cllr Steve Forster, welcomed the expansion that “built” on previous decisions to increase the council provision on SEN. Cllr Forster said: “It’s such an important area to ensure those specialist places are provided.

“I’m really pleased that we’ve been responsive to the lack of take-up on the SLCN places, and shifting that capacity to autistic spectrum conditions is really good news. I think it just demonstrates or evidences the responsiveness and the way that we are very much looking at what the needs are and making sure we are delivering those most effectively, most speedily, and most cost-effective as well.”

A four-week statutory consultation will be undertaken regarding the proposals to increase the Resourced Provisions at Bedenham Primary School, Holbrook Primary School and Cherbourg Primary School. As an academy, Blackfield Primary School will undertake its own four-week consultation.