Further school places planned for children with SEND

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Further school places planned for children with SEND

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Knowsley Council's Cabinet has tonight endorsed plans to expand capacity at Alt Bridge School in Huyton which will provide additional school places for children with Special Educational Needs and / or Disabilities.

In Knowsley, the number of children with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) has almost doubled over the last four years - from 1,497 in 2020 to 2,275 in 2024 with estimates forecasting pupils with an EHCP to be 3,150 by 2026.

The Council has already supported the school to create an additional 50 places from September 2024, and the latest plans approved will see a further 130 places created over the next two years.

This will be achieved through the construction of two modular buildings to create 30 additional places by September 2025 and a further 20 places from September 2026. In addition, the plans include the relocation of the post-16 provision to the Kirkby Centre by Easter 2026 which will create at least an additional 80 places by September 2026.

Alt Bridge School in Huyton provides education to children aged 11 to 19 years. It is designated to support two of the most prevalent special educational needs in Knowsley - autism spectrum disorder and moderate learning difficulties.

The school's broad curriculum enables it to cater to a range of pupils, including those with varying cognitive and academic abilities. This flexibility means that Alt Bridge School is well prepared for the range of needs and increasing numbers of pupils requiring specialist provision in future years.

Moving the post-16 provision to the Kirkby Centre offers opportunities to enhance the learning offer and support pupils with the essential skills they need as they move into adulthood and employment.

Cllr David Lonergan, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said "It's essential that we address locally the rising demand for school places for children with special educational needs and / or disabilities.

"Our proposals for Alt Bridge School will create at least 130 additional school places over the next two years - of which, 30 will be available from September next year.

"I know that parents and their children want to receive good quality education locally which is why we are investing in a well-established provision that has the land available to support expansion which support our local community's needs."

The works will be funded from the Council's High Needs Capital Allocation from the Department for Education.

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