The first specialist resource bases (SRB) to open in Norfolk as part of the County Council’s investment in special educational needs are welcoming their first students.
Redcastle Primary School and Thetford Academy, part of the Inspiration Trust have benefited from newly refurbished accommodation, extra staffing and professional support to enable children with autism and other associated needs to benefit from the extra support the SRBs can provide. Both bases are open for up to 10 children initially.
SRBs are part of mainstream schools and provide places for children and young people who need extra support to access and thrive in a mainstream school environment.
Hundreds of new special school and SRB places are being created across the county under Norfolk County Council’s £120m Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Action Plan Transformation programme, which aims to increase the number of special school places whilst also strengthening support to mainstream schools to ensure children with SEND can thrive in these settings. Work is currently underway to provide a further 90 new places at eight more SRBs in mainstream schools while work is ongoing to create three new schools in Fakenham, Great Yarmouth and Easton.
As well as creating new special school places, free autism support training is being made available to all schools in Norfolk through the Education Psychology and Specialist Support scheme (EPSS).
Norfolk County Council Cabinet member for
“Thetford is an area where there has historically been a gap in specialist provision for families, a gap I am proud to say we are now bridging. I am delighted that children, young people and their families will have the opportunity to access the extra support specialist resource base schools can provide, including the autism friendly refurbished accommodation.”
Dan Carter, Principal of The Thetford Academy said; “I am very pleased to be opening our new SRB at Thetford Academy. Our community has needed access to these specialist places for children with autism spectrum disorder for a while and I'm glad we've been able to work together with Norfolk County Council to make this happen. It's a privilege to be able to launch this provision, it will be a key component of our inclusive ethos at Thetford Academy.”
Deputy Head and Inclusion Lead, Emma Denty said: “I am delighted that we have had a considerable investment from the local authority into our community. It is much needed and has been very well received.
“Redcastle Family School is committed to providing an inclusive education for all children and the specialist resource base is designed to allow up to 16 children with a diagnosis of Autism to successfully integrate with their peers and as a result feel part of our whole school family’.
“Pupils who attend the SRB at Redcastle Family School will all have access to a broad, balanced curriculum differentiated for each child. Priority is given to communication and social interaction skills with explicit teaching of appropriate social behaviour and life skills. All children and all adults throughout the school are supportive of our commitment to inclusivity.”
See further information on Norfolk County Council’s SEND Transformation Programme.
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