Funding has been sought to build two new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) schools in the borough in response to a damning Ofsted report. 

The education watchdog insisted that a Written Statement of Action (WSOA) was required to address the “significant areas of weakness” highlighted during an inspection of Bracknell Forest Council’s SEND services earlier this year.  

One of the problems highlighted was a lack of appropriate educational facilities for a significant number of children and young people in the borough. 

To help address this, a bid has been submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) for a 2022 free special school capital fund to build two new facilities. 

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One is outlined as an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) special school for children from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 5, which would provide places for 100 pupils. 

The other a Social, Emotional & Mental Health (SEMH) special school to meet the needs of children from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4, creating 70 new placements in the process. 

DfE funding would cover all building costs, with each successful school also allocated £220,000 by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to help support set-up costs. 

The council has proposed the utilisation of the current vacant site at the former All Saints primary school in Warfield as a potential location for one of the facilities. 

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If funding is secured for both schools, the council will make annual savings of £1,590,000 in year one, £3,360,000 in year two, and £5,100,000 in year three, according to figures released by the council. 

Following the Ofsted report, a review of the council’s SEND provisions was carried out by the education, skills and growth overview and scrutiny panel was carried out - with the findings delivered last month. 

The council’s executive director for People, Grainne Siggins, said the services for children with SEND had “not been at the level” expected but emphasised a commitment to making improvements “as quickly as possible”. 

Addressing the councillors at a meeting of the executive last week, Ms Siggins confirmed the grant applications have been submitted to take advantage of the recent offering by the DfE. 

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She added: “In terms of when we will have any outcome, it is expected in March and April. As you would expect, our alternatives and Plan Bs are also being developed at the same time.” 

The council is required to participate in quarterly review meetings with the DfE and NHS England regarding the progress that has been made delivering the more than 110 actions agreed – the first one took place on October 10.