Proposed expansion of Palatine Primary School

Summary of proposals

To expand Palatine Primary school, by creating a satellite provision at The Lyndhurst site, a former mainstream infant school. The satellite provision would create up to 41 additional specialist school places and reduce the number of pupils at the main site by 34 to 190. Planned places for the whole school will increase to 262.

Background

Palatine Primary school is a Special School in Worthing offering Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision for children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The school offers generic SEND provision for those aged between 5 and 11. The school size has increased over recent years with two temporary classrooms, a classroom on a neighbouring school site and a new building housing 4 classrooms added to accommodate additional pupil numbers. Current places at the main site are 221.

Need for Change

Notwithstanding the recent expansion, there is an ongoing shortfall of specialist places for young people in West Sussex and an urgent requirement to provide additional places. . This is in line with what is being seen nationally - see Support for children and young people with special educational needs - NAO report (opens in new window) West Sussex special schools are operating above capacity. Year on year the number of children who require a place in a special school, but do not get one, is growing. Special schools have grown on physical sites which have not grown, which has increased pressure on the schools. The complexity of needs of pupils has also increased resulting in an increase in staff, which has also put more pressure on the schools. The County Council has a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for all children who need a place.

In West Sussex there has been a significant growth in the number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The county currently maintains over 10,000 EHCPs. Whilst we would expect most children and young people with an EHCP to be supported within a maintained mainstream school setting, there is increased demand for specialist provision and approved place numbers of all the Council’s maintained special schools have been exceeded.

Increasing provision for children and young people with SEND through the creation of additional places will assist with the aim of enabling children to attend school locally. Consequently, this will reduce the number of children and young people with SEND moving from maintained schools and academies into costly education provision in the Independent and Non-Maintained Special School sector.

Staffing

The Local Authority does not envisage the school changing its ethos, vision and values. The school provides an exemplary education, with high-quality teaching and a nurturing school ethos that empowers each pupil to achieve their personal best. Staff are our most valuable resource, and it is important that should there be any need for changes these are dealt with fairly and sensitively. The County Council follows a national framework on school reorganisation called Making significant changes ('prescribed alterations') to maintained schools (opens in new window), and will work with those involved to support all staff through the process of change.

Some staff will predominantly be based at one of the sites and where appropriate they will transfer between sites accompanying pupils so they can access school events and therapy provision.

The proposal

The Lyndhurst site is owned by West Sussex County Council (WSCC). It is just over 3 miles from the main site.

The satellite provision at the Lyndhurst site will accommodate up to 75 pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities increasing the schools overall planned place numbers to 262 and will be managed by Palatine Primary school. The leadership of this satellite site will come under the current governing body, Headteacher and senior leadership team of Palatine Primary school.

Decreasing the number of pupils at the main site will support the regulation of pupils and the even distribution of resources to best support pupils. This will also remove the need for the current temporary classroom, which will allow for increased outdoor space at the main site.

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