Mainstream school places under consideration as part of Great Alne Primary School SEN conversion
Mainstream school places could be brought back to the former Great Alne Primary School as part of plans to create a special educational needs (SEN) facility there.
The lightbulb moment was provided by Councillor Keith Kondakor (Green, Weddington) who offered the idea as a way to aid the viability of the proposed refit, one that Reform UK councillors agreed to consider.
The village school was closed down by Warwickshire County Council earlier this year amid plummeting pupil numbers, prompting a backlash from local councillors and residents who argued it had not been given enough time to turn around its fortunes.
As part of that process, the Reform UK cabinet that runs the county committed to looking into alternative education or community uses for the site with a plan for a 40-place special educational needs facility now in the pipeline.
The principle was approved at Thursday’s cabinet meeting ahead of further assessments and talks with the Department for Education (DfE) on the delivery model. Another cabinet decision on funding to repurpose the site – currently estimated to be £1.3 million – is set to follow in December.
A key part of the business case will be that the up-front cost is expected to be recouped within two years through avoiding the costs associated with sending children to more expensive private provision with Cllr Kondakor weaving in another way to improve the financial outlook while addressing local concerns over the loss of what used to be provided there.
“It is really easy to understand why we can’t run a school with just nine pupils,” he said.
“If we are running a special educational facility or a new academy for 40 pupils, that covers the costs of a headteacher, a lot of the on-costs, so can we consider having one classroom for local children as well? Particularly at the infant age.
“We would have a positive message around the new opening and the on-costs could be shared.”
Cllr Briggs agreed and said: “I will put it to the team as part of the business case. That seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to look into.”
Councillor George Cowcher (Lib Dem, Wellesbourne) asked whether the SEN places would be reserved for locals given that the council report detailed an identified need across Stratford district.
It was noted the volume of available places would gradually scale up over the first three years with Cllr Briggs admitting he was not sure whether or not pupils would need to be taken from “slightly further afield”.
Councillor Mark Stevens (Green, Lapworth & West Kenilworth) queried the “rather slow ramp” of available places with 16 set to be made available in year one, 32 in year two before the full 40 are opened up in year three – when those years will be has yet to be confirmed with the council stating the conversion will take place “at the earliest opportunity”.
“I would have thought we should be aiming to get to 40 places in year one or shortly after. Three years for just 40 places seems pretty slow,” said Cllr Stevens.
Cllr Briggs put that down to a lack of specialised staff.
“Nationally there is a shortage of that sort of staff as well as provision,” he said.
“It is better to set a realistic goal rather than get ahead of ourselves.”