Delays over extra special needs school places in Central Bedfordshire failed to be highlighted at scrutiny meeting, despite being widely known

Financial challenges are hindering the local authority’s aim to provide extra space for children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs), its schools forum heard.

Conservative Heath and Reach councillor Mark Versallion complained: “This wasn’t raised at scrutiny, even though I repeatedly asked (as chairman) if there were any problems of which we should be aware.”

His comments were made during a deficit management plan presentation to the schools forum by CBC’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) specialist Jo Hedley.

“We’re looking at minimising the use of out-of-area very expensive placements,” she said. “Another key focus of the plan is demand and meeting early needs, so hopefully they won’t require an EHCP later on.

“We’re looking to resubmit that plan in December. We’re reviewing high cost placements and provisions, and considering value for money and best value across the system.”

Church of England diocese representative Caron Earp referred to an “absolute sense of desperation on the ground over SEND”, saying: “Our duty as head teachers is for the children in our school right now.

“Things are getting much worse. There are no places and mainstream is bulging at the seams, with students whose needs sometimes require a specialist placement. It’s absolutely desperate.”

Sandy Secondary School principal Karen Hayward, who chairs the forum, explained: “We were promised a brand new school. It’s been designed and was identified where it was going.

“I’m concerned again we’ve seemingly wasted money on an almost pie in the sky idea that this brand new specialist school was going to happen. Parents are waiting for Ivel Valley School to be increased.”

The school’s headteacher and forum vice-chairman Mr Creswick said: “There’s been an enormous amount of public expenditure to get us absolutely nowhere.

“Those places aren’t coming along. There’s no plan to give the children the hydrotherapy pool they need. Huge amounts of time and money have been wasted.

“One response was asking ‘can the pupils keep being educated in classrooms, one of which is rotting, and can they keep eating in a glorified marquee … would that suffice as sufficient accommodation?’

“There was plenty of noise about SEND, but now no action. We went through a process of looking for a new school. That was then scrapped. We worked through two sets of architects.

“I was told there isn’t any money identified now to pay for it and we’d be left in that inadequate accommodation, without enough spaces.”

CBC’s assistant director of capital delivery Sarah-Jayne Pizzie replied: “We’re considering alternative ways to achieve the same outcome in terms of place creation.

“Joe’s school is particularly impacted by that. I don’t have a date when that will conclude, but there’s work being done at officer level.”

Ms Hayward added: “We’ve all gone to the very top expecting something to happen, but it’s whether you get a response or not.

“There needs to be more clarity and transparency, especially over financial planning.”