Hampshire County Council has approved plans to create additional special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) places to address the increasing demand driven by a rise in education, health, and care plans (EHCPs). Currently, 17,700 pupils in Hampshire have EHCPs, with 40% requiring placement in specialized schools. From September, 78 new SEND places will be established across six schools within the county.
Steve Forster, the council lead for education, emphasized the necessity of these expansions.
"Hampshire, like many local authorities nationally, continues to see growing demand for specialist school places and shortfalls in national funding." – Steve Forster
Hampshire County Council anticipates creating 166 new places in total to meet this burgeoning demand. The proposal targets schools located in the New Forest, Havant, Hart, East Hampshire, and Basingstoke areas. The six schools joining the expansion programme are Bartley Junior School, Crookhorn College, Fleet Infant School, Velmead Junior School, Hollywater School, and Maple Ridge School, the latter of which is situated in Basingstoke.
The number of students with EHCPs is on an upward trajectory, with projections estimating an increase in demand for SEND places to reach 28,000 by 2030. This growing need has led to insufficient provisions within Hampshire's schools, pushing more placements into the independent and non-maintained sector (INMSS). The financial implications are significant, with an estimated cost of £5.5 million for equivalent placements in INMSS.
Forster detailed the council's strategy to address this issue:
"These proposals are part of our ambitions to meet more pupils' needs closer to home, reduce our reliance on independent schools, and cut down on transport costs." – Steve Forster
The council's initiative aims to alleviate dependency on independent and non-maintained institutions while fulfilling statutory obligations. By expanding SEND places within local schools, Hampshire County Council strives not only to increase accessibility but also to lower associated costs such as transportation.
