Bid for permanent special educational needs hub at West Boldon Primary as new school opening delayed

South Tyneside Council’s cabinet of senior councillors will make a final decision on proposals to establish a permanent ‘SEND additional resource base’ at West Boldon Primary School.

The school opened the temporary base in September, 2023, as part of efforts to increase South Tyneside’s special educational needs capacity ahead of the opening of a new special free school in the borough.

According to a report presented to cabinet earlier this year, the provision at West Boldon Primary School “provides a safe, stable and secure learning environment for the pupils who attend”, and school staff have received “additional support and training”.

A proposed special free school in the borough, which will offer social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) places, was expected to open in September, 2025, however the opening date has been delayed.

As the new special free school is not due to open until September, 2027, and due to growing demand for placements for those with SEMH, it was proposed to make the resource base at West Boldon Primary School permanent.

To make the proposal a reality, South Tyneside Council was required to go through a statutory process, including publishing a statutory notice and holding a four-week formal consultation.

The notice outlined proposals to “establish a permanent 13-place special resource base for pupils with social emotional and mental health and communication and interaction difficulties” and said the “unit will be located within the main body of the school and will cater for pupils aged 5 to 11 years old”.

The results of the consultation have been included in a report published ahead of a South Tyneside Council cabinet meeting on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

A total of eight responses were received in the consultation and the majority were described by the council as “largely positive and supportive of the provision”.

However, two of the responses were described as “less positive” and raised concerns about “the impact of additional transport, the qualifications and experience of the staff employed at the base and the suitability of the location”.

The council cabinet report said the primary school’s staff have a “range of skills and experience to support children with SEND”, as well as receiving extra training and support from the council’s inclusion service and receiving “regular monitoring visits”.

It was also confirmed that there would “not be an increase in staffing levels above what is in place currently.”

South Tyneside Council’s cabinet will be recommended to approve the permanent SEND additional resource base at a meeting next week.

A report to cabinet states the plan would “help to meet the increased demand for specialist provision for pupils with SEMH as their primary need.”

The cabinet report adds: “The recommendations are aligned with one of the principle aims of South Tyneside’s SEND Strategy which is to provide local provision for local children in order that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities can be educated in their own communities.

“The recommendations represent more efficient use of the SEND high needs block.”

A report presented to cabinet earlier this year added if the West Boldon Primary School proposal did not progress, then pupils were likely to be placed in “more costly specialist or out-of-borough provision”.

Benefits of the scheme also included “providing local provision for local children in order that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities can be educated in their own communities.”

Councils have a duty to secure “sufficient appropriate education places” including provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

South Tyneside currently has a range of provision for pupils with SEND, ranging from individual support in mainstream schools to designated special schools, supporting pupils with a range of needs.

A recent council audit identified increased demand for social, emotional mental health places, which the permanent resource base at West Boldon Primary School aims to support.

South Tyneside Council’s next cabinet meeting is scheduled to take place at Jarrow Focus on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

The meeting is expected to start at 10am and will be open to the public.