Issue details

Proposed decision:

Issue a public notice to:

(i)            Establish a satellite provision for 24 primary aged pupils at Parkside Primary School

(ii)          Increase the designated number from 285 to 310

And, subject to no objections being received to the public notice:

(i)            Establish a satellite provision for 24 primary aged pupils at Parkside Primary School

(ii)          Increase the designated number from 285 to 310

Reason for the decision:

St Nicholas (Community) Special School is unable to expand on its main school site and demand for PSCN Special school places in Canterbury district is increasing. The establishment of satellite provisions on mainstream education sites provides additional capacity whilst also enabling the school’s expertise to be shared with the host school and provides St Nicholas students the opportunity to integrate, (where appropriate) with their mainstream peers.

Background:

St Nicolas (Community) Special School is a day provision for boys and girls aged 4 to 19 with Profound, Severe and Complex Needs (PSCN). In addition to the main building at Holme Oak Close, the school also operates primary satellite provision at Chartham Primary School, Canterbury Primary School and St John’s C.E. Primary School. St Nicholas School also has secondary satellite provisions at Spires Academy, Canterbury Academy, as well as with Canterbury College for post 16 students. These satellites provide students with opportunities for integration at a mainstream school or College. The new satellite will provide additional opportunities and choice for integration for St Nicholas pupils.

Options (other options considered but discarded):

 St Nicholas Special school cannot be expanded on their main school site. A feasibility was commissioned to look at expanding the current satellite provision at St Johns CE Primary School, however the identified area was not appropriate or cost affective when compared to the feasibility for the provision on the Parkside Primary site. Parkside Primary School currently hosts the St Nicholas Nursery on site. The old swimming pool building area was identified as a location that can be redeveloped to create the new satellite provision. A new modular building will be provided on the site with facilities to include two classrooms, therapy room and additional small rooms required for the provision.

How the proposed decision meets the objectives of ‘Increasing Opportunities, Improving Outcomes: Kent County Council’s Strategic Statement (2015-2020)’:

This proposal will help to secure our ambition “to ensure that Kent’s young people have access to the education, work and skills opportunities necessary to support Kent business to grow and be increasingly competitive in the national and international economy”

The proposal also supports KCC’s SEND Strategy 2021-2024. The aim of the SEND strategy is to improve the educational, health and emotional wellbeing outcomes for all of Kent's children and young people with special educational needs and those who are disabled.