Wiltshire Council buys Colerne site to expand local SEND places
It comes as demand for specialist provision has risen in Wiltshire, particularly for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs
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Wiltshire Council has acquired the former Calder House Independent School site near Colerne to create additional specialist places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The site, now called the Northwood Centre, will operate as a satellite campus of an existing special school under council ownership.
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A report to cabinet tomorrow (9 December) will ask councillors to approve a statutory process to establish high-needs places at the centre and to delegate delivery decisions to the director for education and skills Paul, in consultation with cabinet member for children’s services, education and skills Jon Hubbard.
It comes as demand for specialist provision has risen in Wiltshire, particularly for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs and those with speech, language and communication needs, including autism.
According to council officials, this is placing pressure on mainstream schools and increasing reliance on placements at independent non-maintained specialist schools, many of which are outside the county.
Council figures show a full-time placement at an independent non-maintained specialist school costs an average of £62,219, compared with £25,471 for a maintained or academy special school. Creating 50 high-needs places at the Northwood Centre is expected to cost £1.27m a year, set against £3.1m if the same places were commissioned from independent providers.
The move coincides with national delays to the Department for Education’s free school programme. In Wiltshire, projects on hold include the Bitham Park social, emotional and mental health free school in Westbury – planned for 130 pupils – and two alternative provision free schools in the north and south of the county, each designed for 40 places.
Hubbard said: “We want our children in need of a special school place to remain in our County, and are determined to meet that need. We are taking proactive steps to ensure children and young people with SEND receive the right education in the right place.”
