Nottinghamshire County Council has approved an additional £3 million in funds for the ‘SEND’ (special educational needs and disabilities) programme, which will be distributed across three specialist education schools within the county. King Edward Primary School in Mansfield, Derrymount School in Daybrook and Newark Orchard School are the three schools benefitting from the £3.3 million expansion in funds.
The funding will allow the schools to expand their student numbers by 74 pupils, as well as fund better facilities across the schools such as calm rooms and play areas – in line with the ‘SEND’ aim to create 375 additional school places across Nottinghamshire by 2026. After the Finance Committee’s approval, Councillor Richard Jackson said: “It is good news that councillors on my committee have given the green light to this substantial sum to help youngsters with special educational needs receive an improved learning and classroom experience. Our excellent SEND programme is vital and will create nearly 400 new school places across Nottinghamshire over the next four years – the £3m signed off today for schools in Mansfield, Daybrook, and Newark is proof of our ambitions.”
As Chairman of the Finance Committee, Jackson also stressed that these additional funds will have no effect on the County Council’s goal of maintaining a balanced budget over the next three years. The level of work across the three sites varies, along with allocation of funds.
King Edward Primary in Mansfield will receive £695,380, helping them to create 24 new places by late 2022, as well as significant external work to the buildings. Derrymount School in Daybrook will receive £1,152,490, creating an additional 20 places by late 2022, along with a new two-classroom build with calm rooms for the students. Newark Orchard School will receive almost half of the allocated funds, totalling £1,465,810, aimed at creating 30 new places through the construction of a two-storey extension to the main building which will provide additional classroom space.
The works are expected to be finished for all three schools by winter and will be carried out by Arc Partnership. Managing Director of the architectural firm, Dan Maher said “This is great news. We’re extremely proud to be delivering the works to expand these three SEND schools which will continue to provide excellent education to young people in an environment where they can thrive.”
