Next steps agreed for new special educational needs provision at Sunderland Mill Hill Primary School in Doxford

Plans for a new special educational needs (SEN) unit at a Sunderland school have taken a key step forward, following a decision by city leaders.

Sunderland City Council’s cabinet of senior councillors has agreed to progress plans for a new SEN provision at Mill Hill Primary School.

The council-maintained school, which is based in the Doxford area, could soon benefit from a 16-place provision for pupils between the age of five and 11 with additional needs.

The proposals have been developed in response to demand for SEN places across the city, with a report to councillors stating settings are either “at capacity or operating waiting lists”.

A report on the proposed provision, described as an 'autism spectrum disorder unit', was presented to senior councillors at a meeting at City Hall on January 18, 2024.

Councillors heard that the provision at Mill Hill Primary School would bring many benefits.

This includes children being able to access provision locally, rather than having to travel miles to other parts of the city and allowing children access to elements of a mainstream curriculum in a maintained primary school setting.

Councillor Linda Williams, the council's cabinet member for children, learning and skills, described the proposal as “good news”.

The Labour cabinet member said the proposed provision followed the success of a similar scheme in Washington and was needed to address increased demand for school places.

Councillors heard this included pressures on education infrastructure in the South Sunderland area stemming from new housing developments.

Cllr Williams told the meeting: “The increased complexity of the needs of children in maintained school settings, particularly those with an autism diagnosis, has also led to greater numbers of pupils seeking places in special school provisions.

“However, it’s considered that a number of those children’s needs could be accommodated within the mainstream sector if specialist provision was incorporated into that mainstream curriculum.

“These units enable pupils with education, health and care plans to receive a greater level of support while still attending a mainstream setting and accessing, in part, lessons with the core year group as well as being able to access specific support within the unit in the school.

“The development of these units has also made it possible to deliver SEN provision locally instead of children being required to travel to a main city-wide provision.

“For me, that’s an absolute bargain, you don't want to be sending young people, particularly say a reception child, from one end of the city to the other.

“They need to be able to access local provision so that they can learn alongside their peers [...] to me it’s really important that our young people get these opportunities”.

Councillor Paul Edgeworth, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat Group, thanked Cllr Williams for keeping Doxford Lib Dem councillors informed of the proposals at an early stage.

Labour councillor Iain Scott, deputy cabinet member for Dynamic City, also welcomed the proposals.

Cllr Scott said: “I’m absolutely delighted to see that this much-needed provision is now going to be coming to the fore.

“Again it’s very much needed for autism spectrum disorder provision as we’re running short on places across the city and it’s great to see this coming forward”.

According to a report presented to cabinet this week, the cost of the new provision at Mill Hill Primary School is estimated to be around £650,000.

This estimate is based on the “delivery of recent capital schemes of a similar size and nature”.

The cabinet decision this week will start the legal process required to establish a resourced autism spectrum disorder unit at Mill Hill Primary School.

Following a notice period, Sunderland City Council’s School Organisation Committee of Cabinet will consider any representations made before making a final decision.

If approved, the council is expected to procure capital works and award contracts to make the Mill Hill Primary School proposals a reality.

The unit would be managed by the leadership team at Mill Hill Primary School, with the provision based at the surplus teaching areas in the main school building.

Improvements are expected to include increased availability of small group and "calming rooms", provision of increased sensory resources and amended access to the SEN provision at the site.

More information on the scheme can be found via Sunderland City Council’s website.