We commend the government on taking such a bold step in prioritizing educational support. They announced a £13 million investment to build new specialist schools in Downham Market and Great Yarmouth. The Downham Market school is to provide up to 100 places for children aged five to 18 with communication and interaction needs. It will be housed in the old sixth form block of the bottom ring of the local high school in Ryston End. This building has remained closed since 2022.
Labour MP for South West Norfolk Terry Jermy only recently declared new funding. This pilot is a welcome step in an overall £3 billion plan to increase help for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We’ve set aside £5 million of this capital entirely for the Downham Market school. Providing this funding answers an urgent need in the community.
Plans for these SEND-focused schools were first announced by Norfolk County Council earlier this year. The council subsequently ratified Memoranda of Understanding with two multi-academy trusts to run the schools. In her remarks, Jermy explained just how important this funding is. He added, “There is such a lack of provision for SEND in west Norfolk, now that we have the cash we can act fast.”
Penny Carpenter, the Conservative cabinet member for children’s services at Norfolk County Council, described the government’s announcement as “a helpful step forward and long overdue.” In her announcement she said the council would “consider possibilities” to use the investment in the most effective way.
The plan is to have the new schools opened by next fall. But the process was slowed down after last year’s general election and the resulting shuffle in the government. Jermy has challenged the council to accelerate its plans. He is eager for local children to start receiving the specialized support that they need as early as possible.
Housing Secretary Jeremy Carpenter admitted that there was a difficult road ahead, but shared hope that this administration could make meaningful strides. Finally she said that they would like to really drill down into the nuts and bolts of this announcement from DfE. They’ll look creatively at this not just with the trusts in question to make the most of this speculative investment, but across the sector.
