Herefordshire Council is making significant investments in two local schools to enhance facilities for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Leominster Primary School will benefit from an investment of over £200,000, which will be used to adapt an existing space to create an additional classroom. The expansion will increase the school’s capacity to support more SEND students. Following a competitive tender process, Hereford-based construction firm S C Joseph Ltd has been appointed to deliver the works.
Meanwhile, Aylestone School is set to receive more than £78,000 to expand and improve its facilities to further support teaching for pupils with an Education Health & Care Plan (EHCP) and a clinical diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The project will be delivered by J Harper & Sons (Leominster) Ltd, following a successful bid.
To minimise disruption to students and staff, the majority of construction and improvement works are scheduled to take place over the summer holidays, with completion expected in the autumn term.
Both projects are being funded through the council’s High Needs Capital Grant, an initiative aimed at improving educational outcomes for children with additional needs.
Mrs Rees and Mrs Lynch, Headteachers at Leominster Primary School, said:
“We are looking forward to the opening of our new classroom, which will include a new safe space for our pupils to thrive in our inclusive environment. Whilst the building work will mostly be completed during the summer holidays, there will be further work during the first half of the Autumn term.”
Simon Robertson, Executive Headteacher at Aylestone School, added:
“Following the success of our ‘Bridge’ Provision, we welcome the improvement works at our school to be able to expand this provision to enable us to support more children in an inclusive learning environment.”
Councillor Ivan Powell, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:
“We’re pleased to be in a position where we can fund these important improvements at Aylestone School and Leominster Primary School to help improve the experiences and outcomes for their pupils with additional needs and disabilities.”