Have your say on new special school places in Biggleswade and Shefford

Have your say over plans to provide more specialist school places in Biggleswade and Shefford as Central Bedfordshire Council calls for feedback on its proposals.

The council plans to expand Ivel Valley School and College in Biggleswade to meet the growing need for specialist school places and open a new Additional Resource Provision (ARP) at Shefford Lower School for children with social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

According to the council, increased demand for special school places has meant more children are being placed within the independent sector and outside of Central Bedfordshire. From September 2017 to September 2023 there was an increase in education, health and care (EHC) plans of almost 94 per cent – compared to 65 per cent nationally.

Ivel Valley School and College operates from three different sites – the main site at Hitchmead Road, two classes catering for key stage 2 and 3 children in satellite classes at Biggleswade Academy and the sixth form at The Baulk.

The council says the 23-place expansion at Ivel Valley from September 2024 is required to cater for the children moving from the Biggleswade Academy site due to this school’s move from a middle school to a primary school in September, and will also accommodate a small number of additional children. These additional places are being phased at the Hitchmead Road site before the construction of a new school building.

The relocation will allow all pupils at the school to benefit from enhanced SEND provision and enable the school to provide additional support to students, currently not available or not accessed by all pupils due to the school being on a split site.

You can find out more about the Ival Valley School and College plans here.

At Shefford Lower School, the council is proposing to create a new Additional Resource Provision (ARP) attached to mainstream school to support 12 pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental health (SEMH).

You can find out more about the Shefford Lower School plans here.

Cllr Hayley Whitaker, Executive Member for Families, Education and Children, said: “We want to make sure every child or young person with SEND has access to a high-quality education near their home and community. So, we’ve listened to parents’ thoughts about the need for more special school places and now we are taking action.

"We've set aside around £50 million to make sure these changes happen across Central Bedfordshire to help children with complex needs get the support they need to learn and grow.

“Relocating pupils from Ivel Valley’s satellite sites through the refurbishment at Hitchmead Road will allow for all pupils at the school to benefit from enhanced SEND provision and enable the school to provide additional support to students, currently not available or not accessed by all pupils due to the school being on a split site.

“And at Shefford Lower School, pupils attending the Additional Resource Provision will have access to a mainstream curriculum and a safe space to be, where their needs are met. I’d urge as many people as possible to have their say on these proposals via the consultation questionnaires at www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/consultations.”

The consultations are open now and will run until April 5, with the Council’s Executive set to be asked to consider the responses and make a decision on June 4.