St Mary's School, Shaftesbury

St Mary’s School, Shaftesbury Consultation Response Report Appendix

(1) All comments from

Q11: Could you please explain your answer? (to continuing to use the site for educational purposes) P.2 Q13: Could you please explain your answer? (to support proposals for opening a SEND school) P.64 Q15: Could you please explain your answer? (to support for a campus for vulnerable children, young people and adults) P.98 Q17: Could you please explain your answer? (to agreement with other uses for the site) P.126 Q18: Any suggestions on possible other uses you think would work well for the St Mary’s school site? P.166 Q19: Any other comments? P.202

(2) Copy of the survey P.222

Produced by Mark Simons for Dorset Council

March 2021

Q11 Could you please explain your answer? ‐ continuing to use the site for educational purposes .

... but not narrowly and only for educational purposes. The buildings clearly have utility for educational use, and for children. But they can also be adapted for wider educational purposes. The grounds have scope within the usage to provide entertainment of a narrowly educational but also wider, more inclusive sort of purpose. n the context of a school for children with special needs, the grounds, the art building and auditorium open possibilities to integrate special needs into a wider community. Too narrow a focus on children and special needs runs the risk of segregating these children from broader society. t creates a risk that isolation will make this component of society out of sight, out of mind. That is precisely the sort of institutionalisation we have been trying hard to overcome. 1. had a close relationship with St Marys due to my daughter attending the school and she was married there. 2. had a daughter with special educational needs. She attended Portfield School, Christchurch, which is now Wessex Autistic Society. was involved with fundraising over many years. A beautiful setting where children can thrive. The location is very good for the study of wildlife. With sensitive land management it could additionally be a centre for all children as it would benefit their education by adding subliminal learning as day visitors. have observed glo‐ worms along the banks to the sides of the drive when the natural growth is not cut back and would be delighted to know that Nature within the grounds would be highly respected in safe hands. A college would be beneficial for post 16 further education

A dedicated SEND school would be very valuable to the local community and would support a lot of families. A facility like St Marys being used for SEND would just be incredible. Excellent facilities and has everything there ready to go. Having this on our doorstep would be incredible A large proportion of SEN children are accessing education and care out of county A school for young people with additional needs is so very much needed in this area. The facilities at this site could be so beneficial for any student, bit especially those with SEND. E Swimming lessons, with the potential for developing hydrotherapy. The grounds could be used to benefit the education and well‐being of those using it horticulture, euine therapies, physical activity ‐ it's an exciting prospect A SEND school proposal is fine however there could be some facilities that Shaftesbury residents desperately need. Such as a swimming pool and gym affordable and accessible. And what about the school and medical facilities that are severely lacking in spite of the huge increase in population A SEND provision is an incredible idea A SEND school would be amaing for the local area. A site for SEND students is needed this end of Dorset to add spaces for children unable to go to Yewstock at Sturminster Newton. A site that is already used as an educational facility would be 1) most cost effective 2) most use to the Dorset area as these facilities are at present grossly over‐subscribed and carry lengthy waiting lists. A special educational needs school similar to Yewstock School in Sturminster Newton. North Dorset needs more of this provision. A total and utter waste of 10 million of the taxpayer's money A well needed facility A wonderful opportunity for North Dorset and the children it serves.

Adapting a building/ buildings for SEND children is never as good as a purpose‐built building sell the whole site (or keep back some land for new‐build) would be a better plan. am a Teacher of the Deaf and Educational Audiologist and have been in the SMT of a service for the deaf and a school for the deaf and know that compromises always occur with adapting. Finance a new establishment for a clearly defined group of clients with clearly identified specific needs . You can't lump a range of Disabled children of different ages together for your convenience ‐ they have to be educated in the best way for their needs. Additionally to be used fir community sports All children no matter what age or SEND should have the opportunity to have a good education in this present day. All set up for education so no point changing use. Already is an educational set up Already set up as a school and there's a desperate need for more SEN's places. Already set up for that purpose so would not reuire significant change if use planning permission and investment. Would also be if greatest benefit for our local community as there is under investment in young people who have been hit hard by covid Already set up to be a school and therefore should not reuire too much work. Also all children especially catholic Although being developed over the years Dorset is lacking enough specialist provision for young people. There is no ASD specific provision in North Dorset for secondary aged pupils. The CCN base at illingham Primary and Forum SEMH provision offer limited numbers of places. So additional ASD/ SEMH provision is definitely reuired. Whilst Yewstock could benefit from expansion in terms of pupils with learning needs feel SEMH and ASD provision is paramount. This would keep young people in their local community and offer greater choice for families. Although it is slightly out of county can see the benefits of having a provision closer to Dorset. Not only can time be taken to ensure the site is a perfect environment for SEND pupils but also less travel for individuals will mean less stress and more time being supported. Although my SEND child attends a very good primary school whereby her EHC plan needs are met, have less faith that this will continue into secondary education so more options for schools that meet the needs of these young people are extremely important Amaing educational facilities An exorbitant amount of money has been spent on this white elephant. Our Council Tax is already too high and public services have been cut back. These expensive facilities should be available for use by community groups rather than just a narrow group. The maintenance costs will be high and not benefit all residents. We should have been consulted on this purchase as it is our money that has been spent. An SEND site sounds like a fantastic utilisation of the space, however think that there will be enough room for this, alongside other educational facilities such as an outdoor education centre / DofE site. Any opportunity for SEN schools as there is a lot less than there potentially should be As children are loosing out on education from being incorrectly placed in schools which cannot meet needs. Any provision that will support the learning and growth of SEND members of the Dorset community is a provision. t will support not only the young people, but their families, local businesses, residents and our community. Dorset is a county of such a strength of togetherness and community spirit, we must continue this support for all our residents and members. There is always a lack of provision for SEND children and their families across the and we must support this gap.

As a children's placements officer in brokerage social care think it is really important to consider this fantastic opportunity not only for SEN needs but for our looked after children. We want to bring back many children that we placed out of county back to their community or at least their home county. This would give us the opportunity to place children in our area and not take up spaces in other local authorities. As a former outreach tutor for alternative provision in the area, there is not enough reliable provision to support young people with SEND needs in the area. This lack of provision has meant that young people are subjected to little choice other than to travel vast distances impacting on their lives in a variety of ways to have an education eual to those of their peers without SEND. Specialist staff, facilities and an appropriate setting are desperately needed to service the most rural locations in our beautiful county. As a former school imagine it is designed to be used for educational purposes and already has on site facilities to support education As a former teacher at the school know how special the environment of the school is in developing the whole person. t has a wonderful setting an facilities for many activities. The Chapel is a wonder space for uiet and meditation. As a former teacher am fully aware of how difficult it is to provide good provision locally for children with needs. would love it if St Marys continued as an educational establishment as it already has so many facilities, and supporting SEND children is a fantastic idea. As a foster carer for a child with special educational needs who has just relocated from over an hour away, we have struggled to find a school with space to take that child. Currently he is travelling for an hour each day to attend school. A provision in Shaftesbury would be fantastic as it would mean a travel time of 20 minutes. As a mother of a son with autism this would be amaing to see this site used for special needs children and young adults. As a neighbouring authority we welcome Dorsets proposal to continue to use the St Marys School Site for educational purposes, and in particular to meet the needs of SEND for the county. Whilst we do not anticipate that large numbers of our own learners will take up places at the setting we would want to work with you in considering strategic place planning opportunities. As a parent of a SEND child and a member of staff at an SEN school another school would definitely be beneficial . As a past student it is a beautiful learning environment where spent 7 happy years. t would be lovely for other students to be able to enjoy what it offers. The site already has all the facilities reuired for a school, which would mean less cost for the council to develop or fit‐out. Finally it would be sad to see it gutted for a conference centre, of which there are many (and with Covid are now extremely under‐used). As a pupil many, many years ago there was delighted to hear that DCC had acuired the school with a preferred option to use it for children and families especially with SEND. During my working life spent some time helping at schools for children with special needs and think that this outcome for our school is excellent. As a retired headteacher, many of whose pupils went on to St Marys, would be sad to see it change use. am also aware that Dorset spends huge amounts of money for pupils with special needs to be educated outside the county. cannot think of a better use for this ready‐made facility. n the long term it has to be more cost effective than outsourcing.

As a retired teacher and a grandmother of an SEN child think it is vital that Dorset provides more facilities and support for these children who cannot or do not thrive in mainstream schools. They need an environment with specially trained staff where they will be nurtured, understood and catered for according to their individual reuirements. t is nice to see that Dorset is considering addressing the lack of available spaces for these children. There also needs to be more support for the many parents who struggle with the whole system in finding the right school for their special needs children. The sooner a facility like this could be opened reasonably close to home, there would be a huge sigh of relief from an enormous number of parents and teachers alike.

As a retired teacher and having known many pupils who attended St Marys school, am very keen that it should stay as an educational establishment. Having moved from Salisbury to Shaftesbury eight years ago many of the comments have heard are about the lack of good secondary state education in this area. Salisbury has two grammar schools and the demand for these two schools is incredible. Children who live in this area do not have the same opportunities unless their parents are able to pay for private education. would love to see St Marys used as a grammar school for the surrounding area of both Dorset and Wiltshire. Do we have enough children and adults in this immediate area in need of specialist education or are we going to be spreading far and wide with children and adults having to do long journeys to attend a special school at St Marys would also be very keen for adult further education in the form of practical skills like upholstery, woodwork, painting, dressmaking , uilting and other practical skills which several years ago were run during the day at accessible places and at sensible times. would also like to be able to use the tennis courts and swimming pool. As a site, it seems a shame to lose it. Whilst turning it into housing (for example) would be a short‐term gain there are children in the county who deserve better for schooling. As a Special Education Needs and Disabilities coordinator, who works in an oversubscribed upper school (yr9 ‐y13) we are constantly in a position where we are not able to provide the most appropriate education for our students. The pace of learning, the learning environment, the knowledge needed by all staff to meet needs and also the opportunity for students to achieve their potential is a challenge that we aim to deliver but are often not able to, due to mainstream capabilities. Dorset desperately needs a place of excellence for our students, to engage with learning, to establish skills for life and achieve within an environment that enables them to thrive. As a specialist provision. There are not enough spaces for the children needing these facilities

As a teacher in Shaftesbury, am in complete agreement that Dorset (North Dorset in particular) reuires further provision for children with SEND. think early years and young adult provision could easily be provided here also. However, as St Mary's is such a large, beautiful site, think the high uality sporting facilities and some of the buildings would go to waste if they were not made more open to the public, perhaps as a leisure centre and community space, much like the local Nadder Centre in Tisbury, Wiltshire. As an ever growing town, Shaftesbury is really missing out on a community centre of this kind and St Mary's would be the ideal, almost ready‐to‐go solution. Of course, the swimming pool and tennis courts etc could be booked by the SEN school at specific hours throughout the school day for the pupils to fully benefit from the facilities too. As a teacher, feel strongly that there is a huge gulf between the uality of provision and services for different children in Dorset. Children who have SEND deserve top uality opportunities and support. There is huge distrust of third‐party providers, so Dorset Council should take responsibility for this. t would seem an absolute betrayal to use this for any other group than children with complex needs As a wedding planner know the potential this site has, even still operating as an educational premises, during school holidays (like other private schools in the area) weddings can generate a huge amount of revenue, run correctly.

As an educational practitioner involved in SEND welcome additional resources directed towards this crucial sector of our education As an ex headteacher know that Dorset needs specialist SEN provision within county. This seems an excellent opportunity as the building is already an educational site. As an existing school site, set in beautiful countryside which would provide an ideal site for children with SEND As an Old irl of St Mary's, a Dorset resident and a parent of SEN children, am very keen for this wonderful site to continue enhancing the lives of children who need it As DC has paid c10m for this asset, it should be used in part to generate income As former member of staff at St Mary's, would love to see it still being used for education. As said, was at school at St. Marys Convent in Shaftesbury in the 1960s. think creating a facility for children and their families in need would be an excellent use of this site and continue its tradition of providing education. As understand from press and television reports many children/persons with special needs are sent out of county, due to lack of facilities, virtually isolating them from family and friends, sometimes causing additional mental stress. An in County facility may help to alleviate the problem. As understand it, the proposal is to use it as a SEND school. As someone who worked in the SEN department of a local upper school understand the need for more specialist SEND school provision in Dorset. As it has already been developed as a school think it's an excellent idea to build upon this and would welcome the more local provision for the counties young people needing more help. However this is not mutually exclusive to enhancing the facilities for local people. For example the sports facilities could be made available to local groups and societies, such as the Shaftesbury community tennis club, for a small charge. Considering the large expansion that has happened to Shaftesbury over the last 10 years very little, if any, investment seems to have been made by the county in enhancing the local facilities. As it is a school currently, continuing this seems right. However think the sports facilities should be for the use of the public, run like a public leisure facility. as it is already a school , using it for education makes sense. however there is no provision for adults with disabilities anywhere in dorset such as respite, education or hep, i would like adults to be incorporated as well. As it would offer greater opportunities for children with special needs to achieve their full potential As its already an educational site seems a waste to change it plus we certainly have a shortage of SEND provisions in Dorset. As its already set up as this it would be the most cost efficient choice. As its important the educational resources are prioritised. As long as it benefits the local community and not a school for the rich As long as it run by Dorset Council and not leased to a private money grabbing third party As mentioned belong to North Dorset Sub Aua club. am one of the instructors. We give try dives and diving opportunities to local people. We used St. Marys as our training pool and often met with local people who wanted to try this new sport. t is not only an extremely structured activity it also provides social interaction for people locally and support mechanisms whilst increasing people's mental and physical health.

As someone that struggled to go through the state education system, this is something that is close to me. t is no secret that the supply and demand for such sites and facilities are so unbalanced and as such the need for them is so important. They give invaluable opportunities to children and young adults that otherwise fall through the gaps, not providing them with essential educational and fundamental life skills. This is why feel that a site such as this would be an amaing opportunity for those who need and would benefit from it. After all, the children of today are our tomorrow and so we owe it to them to do them justice and provide them with the essential stepping stones to make it in life and society. As someone who works in a school, know how important SEND Needs can be and how demanding they can be on staff. Having another specialist school in the area can only be a good thing As someone who works with children and young people in a residential setting am aware of the costs for out of county residential and education costs local authority. To save Dorset county council money it would make sense to ensure children are kept in county for the best interest of them and the finances of the local authority. As stated there is little provision for Sen children and north is increasing with high numbers of children with EHCP especially for ASD A nursery onsite would also be of benefit for SEn as yewstock is always full could include respite accommodation and short breaks for SEN children as provision is hard to find As the buildings are already adapted for educational purposes, believe that repurposing the site for a different educational institution would be an incredibly efficient use of taxpayers money. The buildings and the landscape are charming ‐ children deserve to grow up in safe, clean and beautiful places. St Mary's offers this all already. As the facilities are already in place it seems sensible to use them and much money has been spent to put the facilities in place. Also as a parent of 3 former students of the school and having seen the school develop its site think it would be a real shame to change its use. As the infrastructure is already there it would be a total waste to not use it in some form. The future is so unclear and the education in its many forms need to be continued

As the parent of a SEND child, it would be of great ise to have a facility within Shaftesbury where my child could be better supported. They are attending mainstream locally and doing well. However, we freuently have to travel to Salisbury Hospital for appointments such as physio and orthotics which is a long way to travel for a relatively short appointment. We are also under the care of speech therapy which would (outside of covid) take place in school with limited availability. Again, to have a base within Shaftesbury for the support services that are vital to us would be of enormous benefit and reduce the time lost during school attending such appointments. Although we would not necessarily need to attend the school, the potential to have a local hub of professionals can only be a benefit. As the parent of an autistic son am well aware that there is a total lack of provisions for disabled children. So would defiantly support a special school for this site as the resources for schools are in high demand theres just not enough places for send students As the town continues to grow opportunities for educational sites are very limited. The site would be better placed to become the senior school with the old school being used for Special needs and a joint hub next to the surgery. As there isn't enough schools out there for children who have a disabilitys As you are aware, Dorset is in desperate need of more high uality SEND provision for children across the county. A school of this sie, is just what the County needs in order to provide for all of our children with complex SEND who are unable to access mainstream education. As you have already identified, there is a shortage of suitable SEND facilities in the local area. As you say it has the potential to be a first class educational facility for a range of educational purposes from SEN, alternate provision and outdoor education. t has many attributes already in place. t would also protect the building for the future.

At the moment there is no local school offering education to children with additional needs so it would be great for the parents to have a setting so close and cuts down on the travelling costs. Aware there is a need for more specialist settings for children with SEND. All the Dorset Specialist schools are full and there is not enough availability of good SEND provision for children. Westfield in particular is oversubscribed. Many children are being held in mainstream education where is it affecting their education and the education of others. Badly needed in this area Basically because of the amount of pupils with SEN Be good for north Dorset Beautiful location, already is a school so ideal use of this former private school. Because my grandson has diyspraxia as well as other special needs and there is nowhere in Dorset that is suitable for his needs. His senior school has 1,600 pupils far too large for a child to cope and over whelming for his needs. He needs specific specialist help 1‐1. This new school would be ideal for him and other children who need specialist education in Dorset. Because the capacity at the current special needs schools has been reached and in many cases exceeded. Also a number of families have to send their children very long distances and this can be a very stressful thing for the child and the family. Because the facilities that have increased since left are such an amaing educational service, they should continue to be offered as such. Being the grandparent of a special needs child this would make an amaing opportunity to give educational provision to children living in North Dorset, South Wiltshire or even South Somerset. Both my children with SEN have had to travel far and wide for specialist placements as no local provision for years. do feel local residents need to be given priority over placements at this school as Dorset is a massive county that stretches for miles, and how you do that is unclear at present, but living a few miles from St Marys would hope consultation with parents with a need are prioritised who are out of county first. But also But also for local residents of Shaftesbury But in a wide variety of ways as its such a big site. There are many education needs reuired in the area that children and young adults need to travel outside of Shaftesbury. t would make a great hub and use for training for careers But in combination with opportunities for local businesses to rent office or training space ‐ and community use of the pool at certain times. But it should offer opportunities for lifelong learning as many people with disabilities particularly LD can gain huge amounts to have regular structured opportunities to develop life and vocational skills. But not if this means selling of the land to raise money for your plans on SEND. But not SEN. But with a growing population in Shaftesbury it would be good for some of the facilities to be made available to the wider community. Could the sports facilities be used by Shaftesbury school pupils in term time & by the wider community after school hours & school holidays. Can we see the full budget, including details of costs and expenditure. The Proposed Board, and Chairperson and salaries expected to be paid The number of Staff, their training, and the expected number of residents, how they may be assisted through their stay Centralising the facilities for SEND would optimise the service. There is a disused school building in Bere Regis which has been considered for about 12 SEND persons. However, St Mary's would be better. t is easily accessed from the whole county and has a pleasant ambience. Children and young people with SEND in our county are travelling too far to school.

Children are our future and more money should be invested in their futures. There are not enough establishments that cater for the lesser disabled child. Those on the cusp of a disability but need extra help that can't be supplied in normal stream school. clearly a building of this nature is hugely expensive to run from a heat and light point of view. Possibly a split use of the site would be more financially stable. Part of the site should be used to generate an income to subsidise the commendable proposed SEND. There is clearly a need to engage consultants on this sie project, it's highly unlikely that there is anyone in the employ of the council ualified to manage such a large investment of council tax payers money and certainly not a councillor. Community education for all. Mental health recovery college, all age and ability recreational facilities, crafts and local skills. We are lacking community resources and leisure facilities in nonetheless Dorset. Not a closed or specialist educational.. Concerned about massive annual cost to maintain the buildings. Concerned about massive annual cost to maintain the grounds, playing fields and sports areas. Concerned about the lack of awareness of significant wildlife and natural habitats within the site. Could be used for a recreation centre‐‐‐pools, gymnasium & further education classes Create more places for children who may struggle in a mainstream setting. Current schools in the area are unable to provide enough support. Children with learning issues are going undetected and unsupported due to this Definitely a respite centre for severely disabled children Definitely for educational purposes but as a teacher do believe there needs to be more provision for mainstream primary ages. There are not enough schools in Shaftesbury Perhaps a combined approach.

Definitely for SEND use. live in North Dorset and my son with Autism was offered a place in Weymouth (1.5 hour taxi journey) or mainstream in North Dorset . We chose mainstream to keep his anxiety lower but he was bullied beyond belief so much so that he tried to harm himself. This happened every day for 5 years. His teachers said they didn't really know enough about the spectrum of autistic traits to know how best to help and just forced him into school where anxiety took over. Luckily his life changed when he went to college but putting SEND children in mainstream schools to be bullied, mismanaged and treated like trouble makers doesn't help the schools or the child. St Marys should have varying levels of SEND from very low level to high. Let the main stream schools do what they are supposed to and let specialist schools deal with SEN. This school should serve North Dorset children and if room open up to accept Wilts children that will be paid for to increase DCC income. Depends on what alternatives are on offer Desperately needed Dorset are lacking SEND settings and children are having to placed out of county which occur huge costs. Dorset Council's proposal to use the site for SEND education provision makes huge sense economically but above all is a big plus for the wider local community in terms of offering high‐uality provision closer to home in an area whose family housing population is growing. The site is already set up for educational needs and has everything necessary to offer inclusive, innovative and creative provision. This is an outstanding opportunity to 'build back better' after the pandemic... Dorset desperately needs more SEND provision

Dorset desperately needs SEN provision for children who fall between special schools and secondary schools system. want to see a provision created for all future children with speech and language needs. My son attended the speech and language unit at illingham primary school. Their approach to teaching and the integration with peers worked very well. nfortunately it no longer exists and it now is a complex needs unit. Having spent 18 months trying to find a suitable secondary school, was left with the only option to send my son out of county. He is thriving at his new school. Yet don't understand why there is no provision within Dorset for children like him who need speech and language and OT on site and integrated into their daily learning as well as specialist teachers. strongly believe that it is imperative to invest in our young people from an early age in order for them to reach their full potential and become adults who are able to make a positive contribution to society. Early interventions will reduce the amount of long term care and support reuired. Dorset does need more Special Educational education centres Dorset does not currently have enough SEND Provision, especially residential and is therefore having to use independent settings which are extremely expensive and difficult to uality assure. t would also present as a great opportunity for a children's home for some of DC's looked after children. Dorset doesnt have good enough resourced provisions for it's SEND children in mainstream, there needs to be more done to support and help them thrive. Dorset has need for schools of this type and St Mary's seems to be an ideal site for this purpose. t is spacious, well‐situated for Dorset residents, with ample buildings and land for further developments. Dorset have a reuirement for increasing their provision for children with special educational needs. Dorset is desperately in need of educational provision particularly for SEMH needs Dorset is in desperate need of a provision which can provide excelent education for children with special educational needs and disabilities in particular a residential provision. The set up of St Mary's makes it possible to use the side in a short period of time after necessary alterations are done (like sensory room, accessibility for wheelchair users etc)

Dorset needs more alternative and special provisions for SEND students. Not only do we need more we also need good effective provisions that are catered for the need of the students, offering a complete and rounded provision utilising all resources on one site, with good communications and sharing of information. Dorset really does need another setting to cater for children with additional and/or complex needs. From my knowledge there is huge demand for the existing SEN schools with waiting lists. Dorset really needs more specialist provision. Dorset urgently reuires more Special School provision to stop it wasting millions of pounds on expensive independent providers each year. Dorsey has a poor provision of SEN educational settings and many children have to travel out of county to schools as Dorset cannot provide. This plan for st Marys would see Dorset become one of the best counties in the country with an amaing new facility, able to provide, teach and support children and you g adults like never before. Education for those with additional needs is paramount. St Marys would be the prime site with already boarding facilities to allow residential schooling to commence. t has fantastic sport facilities too ‐ which could be used by the local community and schools at additional monthly subscriptions. Education happens best in beautiful settings (as this is). Once buildings are lost to education they rarely return to it as they are priced out of the field. eep this beautiful spot in education. Education has been its purpose since the second world war. t has been built for education so many facilities are already in place Education is essential Education is fundamental for the future of our world

Education is important to children of all ages and abilities. However support the need for SEN facilities within North Dorset as it's extremely lacking.

Education is important whether it be for conference and training which would make the council some money and the building looks as if it is going to be expensive to upkeep. At the same time SEND need more resources but children with physical disabilities may not be able to use the upstairs. There is also a great need for respite care for both disabled people and their carers. At this time after covid the economy needs to be kick started and there are going to be a huge number of people who are going to be out of work and looking for retraining or starting their own business. They all need help and space to be able to do it. t looks like a large site and perhaps would be able to be used for at least two of the above functions. Education is key to all children. Providing a bespoke Special School in the area will not only benefit children with SEN but also take pressure off mainstream services, which will in turn add value to the education of the community as a whole. Education is so important, for all Education is very important for people of all ages. Will help make (SEND) participants happier and more confident in their daily lives. Education of all, including a dedicated Send unit. But also continuing to allow public swim sessions, public us of hockey pitches, etc to help upkeep of facilities Education of children is paramount Education of our children of all race, sex and mental ability is important to them, their families and our future. Education uses for mutil groups. A site that anyone can use to help advance young people's lives Educational facilities are very limited for young people in Dorset and believe that St Marys with which am familiar will be a great asset to the local community Educational plus other developments, ie contributing to Shaftesbury amenities. Educational purposes for all Shaftesbury children Educational purposes that make no noise is acceptable. Training courses for the public would be even better ‐ arts ‐crafts, science, astronomy, cosmology, welding etc. Especially for those in mainstream with autism where they are struggling to meet need and we are pushing them to have mental health issues and EHCPs they dont need because we are fixing children to suare pegs in round holes Essential to make best use of this resource and this is perfect to meet send place deficit Excellent facilities that can be utilised for special needs and disabilities. Also the facilities cam be a major asset for the community. Excellent dea for Special needs children Excellent idea for which the site is well suited. Excellent idea. 'm nurse children sent miles away. But please make pool gym open to public. Shaftesbury needs indoor pool. Plus other things could be done to produce money for school Excellent site and would seem perfect for this use Excited that it may be used for children with special needs, Expand council provided SEN provision to more pupils Expanding provision for children with SEND in the county is a brilliant idea & can see that the St Mary's site could provide superb opportunities which usually can only be provided in the private sector at great expense. am a retired social worker and am only too aware of how far from home children can be sent in attempts to address their needs. t is heartbreaking and counter productive for both the children & their parents. The site is already set up as an educational resource so would need less adaptation than some other sites.

Expansion of SEND provision will benefit a lot of families now and in the future. Facilities for SEND purposes would be most beneficial especially as many main stream schools are struggling to accommodate or provide the best possible provision and experiences for SEN children. A base that provides respite not only would benefit children but parents and other family members. Facilities for the future education of young people in Dorset is extremely lacking currently Facilities like these are few and far between in rural areas and think this is an excellent re use of an pre existing site. Fantastic facility that should be utilise for education but also public use. For children with special needs. For special need children ‐All ages including young children. From personal experience understand there there are cureently more children with SEND reuirements that reuire a place at a specialisyt facility than there are spaces available at existing facilities within the area. From the descriptions have read the site seems to have a range of educational, sporting and residential facilities. They appear to be in good condition, so it would seem most cost effective if they were utilised for education in its broadest sense, rather than altering and trying to repurpose. From what have read there is no provision for this in the area. iven the history feel this is appropriate. iven the need for more facilities for children with SEND needs think this would be a good idea to use a school. ood idea to support SEND but also create opportunies for all Dorset residents to have access for life long education and we'll being, e.g. have the swimming pool open ood use of current buildings. Would reuire minimal alterations reat facilities for much need specialised school for those children with learning difficulties or with special needs in the locality. reat need for further provision. Specially around dyslexia and SEMH reat site for SEND education. The facilities could also be used by the Shaftesbury Community Has all the facilities and there is a need Has the council made a cost analysis of its proposed recommendation What will be the effect on the rate payers Where has the capital come from to purchase the site There are too many unknowns. Surely it is better for an independent body to run this proposal Have you factored in the cost of converting to SEN use What is that cost What is the annual running costs once up and running Having a SEND school closer to home would mean when the time comes could potentially move my child to a school where will be able to provide my own transport and reduce her day in school keeping family stress levels down and saving the council money. Having been a pupil it was an excellent place to receive an education. Now as a teacher can see the huge benefits not would have on further generations especially with SEND Having been at the school myself believe it is an excellent use if its resources. Having been involved with children and adults with sens for many years would certainly like to see this facility used with this group in mind. As well as school age provision there is a great need for more adult activities to be available for 20 ‐30 year olds throughout Dorset Having been through finding a suitable school for our Son and him losing his place at a so called 'Special School within the county, ity has highlighted the inadeuacies of expertise within some schools and lack of experience of staff and help available to them at point of need. This is your chance to build a centre of excellence for SEND children and increase their potential.

Having worked at the school as a Swim Teacher, Lifeguard and Forest School Leader, believe that the facilities and the setting are ideal for SEND learners. t would, in my view, be an incredible waste of a once in a lifetime opportunity not to use it for such educational purposes. Having worked there for a number of years it's such a special place and should be kept as an educational site fitting new era as a SEND school/college High functioning asd children need more provision Housing for those who cant afford to buy a house is of paramount importance in this country. The CASE of social and other problems needs to be seriously addressed and not just the SYMPTOMS as is the current tendency, from our overnment. Build a community people will be proud to live in and look after and it would go a long way to solving problems such as One‐Parent families (where is the missing parent), drug dependency, disrespect for authority, children who are deemed to need Special Treatment away from regular schooling, etc. ts curious how there were apparently no children with Special Needs when was young. “Ordinary schools were good enough and Discipline won the day. absolutel approve of the school being used for childern with special needs. There is very little provision for these children in Dorset and parents and children have to travel a long way for their needs to be met agree that the school should remain a place for education, but not SEND. The area is desperately in need of a good secondary school. The area is rapidly growing and there are more and more people moving to the area. There is only one secondary school in the area, which does not have a very good reputation. And the need for a good secondary school in the area, in mu opinion, far out ways that of a specialist SEND school. Maybe there would be a way to corporate both A good second dary school with specialist facilities for SEND pupils agree that the site should continue to be used for educational purposes and the expansion of SEND provision. The sports facilities and land surrounding the former School could be made available to the local community for recreation. agree with Dorset Council's preferred option for the site, to expand its provision of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for the county (and also for the adjacent county too). agree with it being used for SEND but would also like to see some adult educational courses being run out of the buildings e.g. evening classes. This would make optimum use of the facilities. agree with providing extra support for SEND, but also feel the site could be used to provide some services for senior citiens, who despite getting ripped off Year in year out with rising council tax, get very little if anything in return. agree with the plan for something for children with special needs, perhaps an outdoors based education as would be seen in other countries like ermany to make the school stand out and be different, rather than the same format as in other places agree, but there needs to be a creative approach to the provision, i.e. not replicating what is available at the Learning Centres. t needs to link in with existing alternative provisions in the area to strengthen and complement what is available as it is not a one sie fits all. There needs to be an emphasis on therapeutic learning and skills based teaching‐ to do this properly it needs to be funded properly and consistently. am a Director of my daughter's company 'Mad Science Wessex' which covers, Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire in providing opportunities for children aged 4‐12 to engage in positive science‐based learning activities through 'After school clubs', holiday camps and science workshops. Also older students with summer events and large scale Science shows.

am a former employee of St Mary's Shaftesbury, having worked there at the time that it closed. As a result of my incredibly positive experience working at the school, feel very strongly that it should be used to continue to help educate children and serve the Dorset community. ts establishment as a Mary Ward school meant that it joined a long tradition of educational reform and progressive thinking, dating back to its spiritual foundress's work in the 17th century. The original owner of the site, Mary Hanbury Beaufoy, was also involved in educational charities in the early 20th century, adding to the school's wider educational legacy. However, the most profound reason for my answer, that the St Mary's site should continue to serve an educational purpose, is as a direct result of its most recent contribution to the lives of its (now) former pupils, parents, staff, local residents and the wider Dorset and Wiltshire communities. On a practical level, since it was a residential property, the site has been transformed and developed as a residential educational facility. t would seem an illogical waste to spend more funds repurposing the property and grounds to suit a different purpose. As the council has reported, the cost of building a new SEND educational facility from scratch would be enormous in comparison to the purchase and augmentation of the St Mary's site. am a former pupil of St Marys and cant think of a better way for the school to be used. am a foster carer am a secondary school teacher in Dorset and recognise there is a great need for SEND provision in the county, particularly to avoid students having to be educated out of county. am a teacher in Shaftesbury, and feel there is a real need for a school for SEND am aware that there is not enough provision for SEN education in Dorset am aware there is a need for more spaces for SEN pupils in Dorset and it is already set up as a school, so that makes sense. m not sure d be pleased if it were being sold off for housing developments etc. as it would be a shame to lose the site and grounds and see it all divided up. would also like the sports facilities to be considered as something which could be opened up to local residents, as there is a need for leisure facilities and swimming facilities in Shaftesbury. My children used to have swimming lessons at the pool, so it is a great shame that we no longer have that local facility.

am completely against the idea of having a single or even a single dominant use of the former St Marys campus. ndeed, am astonished that the Council ‐ who would have thought have someone expertise in this ‐ would propose such a blunt and unsophisticated idea. A single use creates a massive concentration risk ie if that use falters then the whole project fails and also does not extract maximum value from the asset. would strongly propose that the site be used for multiple purposes including ‐ sports / leisure club for paying members ‐ sports / leisure facility for others including elite groups, special needs groups, etc. ‐ space for learning for multiple groups ‐ adult, special needs, etc. ‐ space for entrepreneurs / local businesses to work, host meetings, etc ‐ cinema and theatre ‐ music recording studios ‐ eateries to be used by all of the above users ‐ some retail to be used by all of the above users ‐ perhaps a physiotherapist linked to the sports club, etc. The point is that you need to create an ecosystem which attracts a large and diverse group of users and creates flywheel momentum in terms of other uses ‐ there should be planning and steering but also a good degree of organic evolution am in favour of your preferred option am interested in the the proposals for it becoming a SEND provision. am not sure how much it will cost to maintain and look after this and whether it would be more cost effective to buy something newer or purpose built. am pleased that Dorset Council wish to use the site to expand its provision of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities but hope it will also be possible to use the site for the benefit of the local community in a range of other ways.

am responding as a member of a choir, but also have a son who attended ictoria Education Centre for a few years, so am thinking as a Dorset resident, a parent of a SEND young person, and as a member of a choir hoping to use the concert hall for rehearsals. f SEND education can be kept within Dorset, know this will keep costs down. am not familiar with the site, ( was due to visit just as Covid restrictions came into force) but education in its very broadest sense is important for everyone, whatever age they are. would hope that the school and all its facilities can be used for the widest possible good, across many areas. appreciate your explanation of how it would be ideal as a place for children with special needs and their needs are far greater than mine but am hoping that as an adult might be able to use the school for adult education purpose. When moved to Dorset missed the ability to go to night school /evening classes as there really was nothing local at all. realise that should adult education be allowable, there may be nothing on offer that am interested in, however it doesn't stop me waving a flag for adult education. Having said that, realise so much is online and that is where do my learning but found it good to meet and talk to the lecturer and other 'students' before and after the class. assume that the facilities reuired for teaching have already been provided and paid for by the former occupant, presumably to a high standard due to being a private facility previously attended the school. t is a beautiful site and splendid building. t should be available to inspire the public and students. believe investment in education for special needs is an excellent idea.

believe it is a fabulous opportunity to be able to educate some of our most vulnerable and challenging young people who are currently educated out of county in residential placements at a very high cost to Dorset County Council. Others who are educated at residential private schools such as the Priory roup also cost Dorset County council a huge amount of money, do not believe that these are as inclusive or as accountable as the facilities which could be provided by public money. f these children and young people were educated in Dorset then over time huge savings would be made. They could be educated up to 25 as per the current SEND Code of Practice with links to Social Care beyond 19 where appropriate for individuals. n terms of the well being of the young people they would be close to their own communities and families. There would be real opportunities for inclusion. Models in ermany which have visited build entire communities for people with special needs. These have a school which caters for the whole age range and also offers real work opportunities on a farm, bakery, shops, cafe, gardens which are open to the public. With a site like St Mary's believe there would be an opportunity to create something world class for young people with learning disabilities to have a meaningful life within their own communities. Public access could be maintained for use of the pool and sports facilities at times convenient to the school/education facility. The has a desperate need to develop opportunities like this for our population of learning disabled people for whom currently school is 'the best it ever gets'. believe it would be paramount to have options of secondary education in the area, possibly private education or more affordable education. This will give the local children who are reaching above educational standards a chance be together, exceed and be like minded. believe more schools like this are much needed . believe more SEND provision is needed. believe that retaining the premises as educational you would be open to using the school for children (and perhaps adults who also need care) and retsining the current sports grounds for the town which i believe would benefit the town greatly and provide income and jobs. We used the swimming pool for a long time and it was always full, there is scope to have a local gym also which would raise funds. believe the excellent facilities should be retained for educational uses

believe the site should continue be used as an educational site predominantly however there is many other ways for the site to be used for e.g the sports facilities could be offered as a provision for other schools and wider community to benefit. believe there is a great need for provision for children with SEN, in particular for the 11 age group. Would be great to have a facility for such children with scope for additional activities as well on this site. do also believe that this sight could offer mental health services for CYP as currently the North / West has very limited resources for MH . A 24 hr hub so CYP are not admitted to acute physical health facilities. A tier 4 placement for eating disorders with complex needs this could link with LD / ASD services to offer an specialised care pathway for children who currently wait months for out of area placements. do not know enough about educational provision in the area to usefully comment but if there is a need for local SEND provision then this could be a very good site for it

don't know why this has come through my door. But judging by the pictures, if you demolish it you're mad don't think it should be given over to anything else feel it is a great opportunity to extend and enhance our support for children with SEND. feel it should be used for educational purposes to serve the local community and be accessible to all. An Special Educational Needs facility would be a huge benefit for the area. feel it would be amaing i curre try know people who are struggling to get there children in to the school local we have to us. feel it will be great for so many ) feel it would be good to have a SEN provision locally, it would also support the local economy by providing a number of jobs. feel North Dorset is lacking in the educational side and the schools we do have are often at maximum capacity. feel that there is a huge need for additional SEN provision in this part of Dorset but also would hope that the facilities such as the swimming pool could be used as before for the general public, feel that there is not enough help for young children and adults in the area and having somewhere for them to go would be great for all partys. feel that this is an ideal opportunity to address some of the county's SEND placement needs locally. The fact that the site was a school should mean that it will be a cost effective option too

feel that we are in desperate need of more respite facilities. The waiting list for respite is on the rise and it is extremely hard to obtain respite currently. feel the initial support as an educational facility is a great idea. t would be great as a hub for additional uses such as leisure. feel the local area needs to provide schools that are living history, not all bland modern buildings. attended one myself in Sherborne and it was a wonderful place, and encouraged a sense of pride in the school from staff and students alike. feel there is an ever increasing need for special education provision within Dorset. feel there is enough need and demand for more educational facilities feel this is a much needed in our area as a special needs TA it would be a great addition to our education in this area . grew up in the area, and have friends and family in the area, some of whom are parents to children with special needs and disabilities who are unable to continue with mainstream schooling. The SEND provision in the area is very poor, and despite more housing developments being built in North Dorset settlements, and thereby a growth in the area, services have not been improved. A close friend recently had to find special schooling for their child, and there were few options available to them, some of which were too far for consideration. believe that keeping the St Mary's site open for educational purposes, and in particular, using it to focus on SEND provision in the area, would be filling a gap of services in the area. have 2 have a 13 year old in an SP because there was no suitable LA provision. have a 6 yr old out if school and there is no suitable provision for him either.

have a 8 year old child with additional needs currently waiting for a place at another special needs school due to high numbers that apply and not enough places for the amount of children with disabilities in Dorset. have a sens child with an ehcp who hasn't been to main steam school in 2 years. Still fighting for a place with extra support out of main steam have a son who has ASD and other conditions and has an EHCP. nfortunately at almost 18 he's too old to benefit from this, but it's very clear from our experience that a facility like this would be invaluable for the county. have a son with Down Syndrome and we are lucky enough to be close to Yewstock school for him to go to, however spaces in these type of schools are limited and another school is needed. Many children have to travel far to get to these schools have a son with special needs who has not been able to attend school since March 2020 due to unavailable places, dorset county have put in place 3x 2hr sessions weekly, unfortunately my son is not the only child going through this, all children with additional needs have the rights to education just like any other child, 6hrs a week is not enough have a strong feeling that the site is meant to be used for education and to provide facilitys for residents of Shaftesbury. The nuns who first came to the school transformed it into a lovely caring school that did such a good job educating women ‐ it is such a special place and it would be amaing if it could continue to be used for educational purposes

have been to the school for courses and used the swimming pool to teach swimming to children. Overall the facilities are very suitable for able bodied and those with greater needs. Also to be considered A central base for outdoor education. Training for basic and advanced navigation learning how to camp and cook outdoors team building exercises learning how to deal with challenges as an individual and a as a team orienteering courses could be set up in the open & in the woods. A base for Duke of Edinburghs groups‐ similar to the above and with the potential to develop the award for SEND pupils. Candidates from the award from outside could also regularly assist the SEND pupils with the award and help themselves at the same time with the other award sections‐volunteering, skills and physical exercise. uide and Scout movements, & Church youth groups would also be able to make use of the site for camps or an introduction to residential weekends. The house grounds and chapel could also be used for residential retreats. Bird watching, mammal, botany & insect clubs could make use of the facilities & grounds as well as conservation groups with the possibility for training future conservationists. There is also the opportunity to have a central base for courses on Saving the Planet ‐ Dorsets contribution have lived in somerset or dorset all my life and have always know the building as a school, think it would be a waste of the great grounds and the facility's to change the use. have read the suggestion/proposal regarding special educational needs provision and fully support such a plan. As a local resident and headteacher, am acutely aware of the challenges faced by children and families who need specialist provision. know from my work that there is not enough educational provision in Dorset for all our SEN children and rely on independent providers to fill the gaps. know so many pupils who go out of the county for placements and would be useful to have the provision within the county. The sit looks great to have different opportunities such as post 18, school, outside activities and farming opportunities with animal therapy.. having the space for pupils with special needs would be an amaing provision to have.. know the effects of the current shortfall in SEND special school provision in Dorset. t is damaging and heartbreaking. know the school and think it would be an ideal venue for a speial needs school. Accommodation in the grounds for staff and dormitories for residential children rounds could have a small commercial development ‐ housing ‐ without impinging on the school. To raise funds for adapting the school for special needs children Swimming pool for hydrotherapy already insitu know there is a huge shortage of educational space for SEND. Also the idea of supporting Dorset Care Leavers and supported living for these ages is a must. am married to a Dorset Council employee and am constantly hearing about lack of facilities in the County and kids having to go to other authorities as short of space here. The site is so bespoke that it should be used to continue to support education and Dorset residents. live nowhere near Shaftesbury so dont know what the community needs are. My son has an EHCP and goes to a maintained academy in hampshire ‐ think there is a gap for children like him who are not suited to an SEN school but who are constantly failed by their maintained school as they dont uite fit ‐ his needs are for social, emotional and mental health. Somewhere for therapeutic support Camps/clubs etc for kids like him todo normal kid things but supported properly so he doesnt fail/get excluded/feel like a burden Residential camps. myself have a child with SEN living just up the road from the former site would be so much beneficial for myself if my son was able to get a place and others of the dorset community needs to be put to good use for the community and the children could benefit from specialist care. personally know parents of children with special needs that would greatly benefit from a centre so close by.

respond in an individual capacity, but informed by my experience as a Trustee of Sherborne Area Schools Trust. can very much see the business case for using St Mary's as a SEND facility. But there is a wider, more systemic, issue related to the frightening large and fast‐growing unmet demand in mental health services for young people across Dorset. Whilst proper public funding and service transformation of CAMHS urgently needs to be addressed, in the long run, prevention will always be cheaper than treatment. As such, would urge Dorset Council to explore the potential for using St Mary's as a county‐wide residential centre focused on building resilience and adaptability in young people (i.e. developing their character), as protection against developing mental health issues into early adulthood and, thereby, significantly reducing avoidable costs to the individual, to adult services, to communities and to the economy. n other words, would urge you to develop a vision for St Mary's as a wellness centre for young people ‐ an investment in their future wellbeing. see no reason why not as long as its still fit for purpose and won't cost huge sums to make suitable see the need for send provision in the area strongly believe it would make a great site for Shaftesbury hospital and doctors surgery strongly feel that a multi‐educational site would be a huge benefit to sld youngsters and would benefit those entering into adulthood. support using the site for educational purposes alongside offering opportunities for local residents to use the facilities including use of the swimming pool and grounds/walled garden for a community allotment/gardens taught at the school for 25 years and know what good facilities there are. Those with SEND can flourish in a calm environment and in a beautiful location. think a school would benefit those in north Dorset where services are lacking. The provisions on this site kept as a school could also support other local existing schools in north Dorset such as the swimming pool and other sports facilities. think a SEND school is definitely needed around north dorset and surrounding areas as there is a lot of travelling around to get to SEND facilities and not all children can cope well with this. There is so many applications going in to grow the area but not enough educational facilities to accommodate the growth of the area. think a SEND school is very much needed in this area. think a special needs school is much needed. Mainstream schools are just not euipped to understand and help those with special needs. Despite their efforts. Also there arent enough special needs schools, yewstock is the only one closest to us and whilst a great school, they fill up fast. think education is good but not just for SEND children. This is a huge potential resource and should benefit all generations. t would be brilliant to see a community provision that catered for older people as well as children. Send a message of inclusivity and acceptance throughout society. think education is so important and making provision fir SEN literally changes lives for parents and children. This is a wonderful idea and has my full support. think given the amount of young people with send needs , this would give them further education and its within dorset think history has shown that putting people with special needs into institutionally sied buildings doesnt work. They need more one to one care in smaller units, preferably a family setting. This large building would make an excellent place for young & old to escape to for a holiday or recreational course where they can relax & learn something new. This could be paid for in the same way that people do now, for their holidays & learning. think it has some amaing facilities that should be offered to the public for arts and sports. think it is a great idea to keep it as an educational site

think it is a wonderful idea, the site seems perfect and what a brilliant way of utilising such a beautiful building. Lovely to be able to offer children and young people with special needs high uality educational opportunities. think it is an excellent idea to use the school for special needs children bearing in mind the facilities that are already in place. think it is really important for all children to be able to access education and there is a definite need for more sites to be available to those children with extra learning difficulties. think it makes complete sense to continues to use the School buildings and accommodation for the special education offering been outlined. think it makes perfect sense as the buildings are already set up for use as a school. t would also be good to have some community use on site as well ‐ the sports facilities possibly. think it preferable to use the buildings for vital educational need rather than to sell the land to a developer for housing stock. think it should be used as a school especially for special needs and respite. think it would also be a great place for Outdoor Education, as well as a great venue for Alternative Provision. think it would be a brilliant special needs school especially with such a lack of spaces in Dorset at the moment. think it would be a good Centre for a sports centre , any other sports facilities in the area the local people have to drive to . t would be great for young & old alike . think it would be great to have St Mary's as a school site, However to educate all children not just SEND children as a school of that sie will be wasted on the little amount of children that would attend it. This would cause funding issues in the future so the initial cost would be wasted. think it would be really important to have such a large space used to become a SEND school. There is only one other in this immediate area and this would open up opportunities for so many children think it would offer incredible opportunities to children with SEN. These opportunities are lacking in this area think it's a great idea. But would also like to see the swimming pool, tennis courts etc opened to the pubic as well.

think its a good idea to bring disabled education in‐house for Dorset but would also like to see the site used to its full capacity. f you have spare capacity sell the extra capacity to Wiltshire or incorporate a dementia unit for Dorset residents run along side the educational unit,there is no reason why this cant be done considering the amount of space you have. would also like to see some of that 55acres used for council houses for Dorset residents or sold off if the land cant be used to make money for the tax payer via a new outdoor park like moors valley. You could also build a separate council run care home on site and sell extra capacity to neighbour counties. There is absolutely no reason why this purchase could not serve two or three purposes given the sie of it not just one. think its a great idea for it to be used for send provision think its a great idea to use it for SEND. We are having a lot of difficulty at mainstream, my daughter is not really understood. All the children together means they can all be taught according to their abilities and their disabilities think its a great opportunity to provide support for those who reuire SEND support. Currently local provisions are lacking with many children needing to travel far to seek this support. think its former use means it is ideally configured as an educational building and a SEND school, s you say is badly needed think more needs to be done for those on the spectrum and those with semh this plan seems to be discriminatory against those and those that only fit the criteria of special school

think SEND is hugely under‐resourced and the St. Mary's School site could be a wonderful flagship location for many SEND individuals across the county. For me, the sports facilities that the school possesses will be hugely valuable to supporting pupils physical and mental wellbeing. However, the potential for these facilities to be used by other SEND members of the community is very exciting. Often, SEND pupils rely on the capacity of staff at their school to be able to transport them to sports fixtures or events. Smaller special schools around the county most likely do not have the space or resource to offer a suitable PE curriculum or after school programme so many pupils will not have the opportunity to reap the benefits of being active and having fun through sport and physical activity. Expanding SEND provision at the St. Mary's site may allow for more SEND pupils to attend one school and benefit from the wonderful facilities. Due to the space of the site it would be easier to accommodate visiting school pupils to engage in sports events which would take place during school hours and not after‐school to bypass the transport issues. think Shaftesbury is desperate for a leisure centre. think St Marys has great potential for local families to access the great enriching environment. t can be a great hub for local families to form a community as life with a disabled child or young adult its very isolating.

think that it is an exciting opportunity to provide education for Dorset Children with Special Needs. would also like see the sports facilities made available at some times to the public. deally the existing public footpath from Mampits Lane could be improved or rerouted to link with the drive to St Mary,s. The path from the Blackmore ale Dairy to Mampits farm could be improved to link up housing to sports facilities.A cycle path avoiding busy roads would encourage safe and environmentally friendly access for the general public who may use the sports facilities, people working there and pupils who may be going into the town . would think that there would sufficient space for other uses as well.. opportunities for teaching life skills and training both for older pupils and possibly students from other schools as well as Adult education. t could offer work related learning opportunities that are not locally available, such as farming, euine studies, animal care , hospitality. t may also be possible to offer respite care on a site of this sie think that the facilities that they have their it could be turned into a really nice gym and hotel, this will help bring more tourism to shaftesbury as well as people wanting to come and use a good uality gym. think that the plans you have are superb.

think that the site should be used for educational and respite purposes including short breaks and overnight stays for children AND adults with special educational needs, complex needs and learning disabilities. think a site like St Mary's which has so much to offer with the grounds, the swimming pool, the gym facilities, the bedrooms, music facilities etc..should be a facility which is available to all kinds of individuals with special needs.These should not be only available for age specific people as there is SO little in terms of respite and overnight opportunities for people with special needs including the break so needed by the parents/carers. very strongly feel that St. Mary's should be used as a great facility for these purposes. Eually, it could also be used for young adults needing a care facility in which to live on a daily basis. The very most needs to be made of what St Mary's has to offer for the widest possible groups of special needs people, including educational purposes, respite, life skills, life enhancement opportunities, activities which are specially designed to help with special needs people's mental health and wellbeing, as well as cater for ALL age groups from young children through to adults of all ages. write this as the parent of a 17 year old boy who is in full time education at Yewstock School, who has severe autism, learning disabilities and complex needs, including entrenched OCD and we would love him to be able to access somewhere like St Mary's throughout his life, offering onward educational opportunities, life skills, physical activities, outdoor experiences, music and lots of stimulation. am sure other parents/carers would love the same things for their children, young adults, older adults etc..A place for ALL special needs members of our community. The sie of St Mary's, in terms of accommodation, grounds and facilities, makes it a perfect asset to utilise for all the aspects mentioned above ‐ long term secure education for some, a special needs school, a safe haven for daily or longer visits, a venue for swimming or games and the ability for individuals to learn skills, indoors and out, throughout their lives. think the facilities would be great for SEND students and the sports facilities being open to the wider public in evening and weekends think the history, structure and facilities of the site would be absolutely wasted if not used to educate think the idea of it being a centre for SEND children/adolescents is great. m presuming with residential support being available... f it can be used for other educational purposes, this is a bonus think the idea of using it as a school, as of course this is what it was used and developed for since the 1960s. would not want it to be exclusive, and so the idea of leasing it out as an independent school again is not favourable to me. Perhaps you could put the Shaftesbury school into the St Marys site to offer better facilities and opportunities than they have at the moment.

think the idea you have for it is great, especially with many of the facilities needed in place. think it would also be in keeping with the ethos of the school when it was St Mary's. However, feel that there is room to open some facilities to the local community, such as allowing access to the music block for community use and perhaps to raise money by allowing private bookings. The swimming pool was let for lessons, but am not sure if the logistics with some SEND children, presumably being resident and maybe it will be needed more. There may also be some potential to allow groups to meet in the hall, or sports hall, or grounds maybe free for some community activities, but let in other circumstances. hope the nursery school is still there and will be allowed to remain at a low rent. think the site at Barton Hill could close for the 6th Form, allowing for housing in Shaftesbury, and the 6th form moved to St marys think the St Marys site should be used for higher education facilities. As there is only one secondary school in Shaftesbury. This local area reuires a better sixth form. However it would also be good as a leisure centre with swimming, sports facilities like football, netball, tennis, bike trail way and also a cinema complex with bowling.

think there is a distinct shortage of SEN provision in Dorset and happy for the site to have continued use as an educational facility, with the Residential placement as well. As an SEN provision it would be a great physical base for Specialist Providers ‐ OT, Physio, Specialist Teachers, SALTs as a one stop shop for these students and a resource base for the County ‐ both people and physical resources, advice etc. Another additional option for a section of the facility would be a month long placement for ASC while they complete their nduction programme into British life and culture ‐ a programme currently being worked on by Dorset Council.

think there is a massive need for support in the area for SEND young people. There is little available when the students leave school and think with the older students you could move towards employment by setting up part of the school as a conference centre/hotel where the students could gain valuable work experience. The grounds could also be used as a learning environment looking towards employment. With careful thought the end of school life can lead to meaningful employment with students staying in education in the setting until 25 if they are looking to move towards employment in what the school has to offer. The potential for a forward thinking establishment that really meets the needs of each individual is enormous

think this could be a very good use of the site. you can cater for all ages on one site There isn't enough out there for our children and due to the sie of it, it could perhaps be used for a multitude of things, all on one site. think 16 is a very important time, for children with learning difficulties, You could also take ideas from other facilities, such as beaucroft run a community cafe, thus providing the children with work experience/a job whilst providing something for the local community, perhaps they could hold coffee mornings for elderly/lonely people in the more rural location. You could have gardens people could enjoy with their coffee also providing children with gardening skills. ideas are endless perhaps also an overnight option for children to experience time away from home in short spells. think this is a really gold idea to use the school and facilities in this way and continue education at this site. ood for local educational jibs as well. think this is an excellent idea to bring together services for SEND students think this is an ideal opportunity to add to Dorset's SEND provision. think turning it into a SEND school is a fantastic idea. There is a huge shortage of spaces locally. t would only need minimal work doing to it to get it up and running. think we need a site closer to home for children/young adults with special education needs to learn in an environment suited for them. Mainstream schools dont always fit every child. think we need moor semh schooling around this area. think we really need to invest in education for our children especially in the current climate. f opportunities like this are rare then we need to grab it for our community think your plans are well considered and a good use of the site

truly believe that there needs to be an increased SEN school provision within Dorset. As a parent of a child with SEN have first hand experience of the difficulties in obtaining a place for my child at a full time SEN school. The lack of availability of space at the current SEN schools think must be in crisis and makes it very difficult for all involved as our children cannot be placed where they need to be and where they can thrive. My child very fortunately now has a place at a full time SEN school in Dorset but m sure there are still many children who need places but cannot access them due to the lack of provision. t would also be so helpful to have a local community facility that could assist with SEN beyond school age and into adulthood. understand the need for SEND schooling reuirements however the local community could benefit from alternative provisions. understand the wish to provide Children with special needs a secure environment. Please don't forget the young people of Shaftesbury who would like to make use of the very good sports facilities there

understand this school to have good facilities it would be good for them to continued to be used for children and young people. We also need additional resources in Dorset for SEND young people used to work at St Marys as a teacher. To see this beautiful site continue to serve children and the local community and benefit those groups is such a relief and so needed. now work at a school for traumatised children in Salisbury. Working in this field has given me an insight into the desperate need for options and choices for children with SEND. This is the best use of the site. want to clarify Educational. We are a group of ualified divers which includes National Scuba nstructors (BTSAC ‐ British Sub Aua Club). We can provide ualified instruction for all groups in society, that is ualified try dives and we can then provide instruction in learning how to dive ‐ we are all volunteers and feel provide an invaluable service to the community ‐ we used St. Marys Pool for our training facilities, without which we would not be able to provide our services which provide both physical and mental well being. want to yewstock school in to 2004 to 2012 and it's was really good for people with special need and there not many schools for us but here no school for the deaf kids and young people in Dorset

was a boarder at St Mary's Convent from 1962 (aged 12) until 1967 and was very happy there, not only thanks to the teaching staff but also the wonderful friends made during that time and with whom am still in close contact today. The grounds and amenities improved while was there and imagine they have improved even more since. We had a swimming pool, tennis courts and wonderful lawns with wonderful views. remember the impressive long driveway up to the main house and the beautiful rhododendron bushes in bloom along the way. imagine that children with special needs and disabilities would love the place, subject of course to the carers and staff being dedicated and kind to them. do hope Dorset Council is able to go ahead with this. was a pupil at the school for nine years and it was a wonderful place to study.

was a senior leader of St Mary's until it closed on uly 15th 2020. My remit was to oversee the Mission and Ethos, having been Head of RE for 15 years within the school. Working in such an environment, and reflecting on how it functioned dynamically as a school, which was excellent, think it wold be admirably suitable for continuation of such a purpose. The building have been sensitively designed to further the purpose of boarding and education. Perhaps Mulwith is slightly faded and needs attention, but overall the accommodation should be fit for purpose, albeit with a smarten up. The Chapel was my concern and hope it continues to function as such. The Blessed Sacrament is not now reserved‐ we removed it shortly after uly 15th, but am sure it can function as a sacred space, indeed many families with children who have special needs may welcome the tranuility it offered. Would it be possible to have reunions for those who attended the school We have a thriving alumnae. My only thought would be Rookwood‐ would this lend itself to some form of Adult Education, having this, am sure would not encroach on your main vision. think the nuns who bought the schools would be jumping for joy with your vision. think it is uite laudable and if can help, please let me know was absolutely to hear that Dorset Council had bought the School with a view to use it for those children with SEND reuirements. t is a long thinking, excellent stratragy ‐ which will benefit the young people and provide local employment. am also hoping that there will be opportunities for other special needs groups to be able to use some of the facilities ‐ adult disabled and the elderly, dementia, day respite care for all groups. was at st Marys when it closed, and the school was the best thing that ever happened to me, genuinely loved going to school everyday, as it is a very special place. definitely think it should be used for educational purposes so children can experience the special place it is. Of course wish it could be St Marys school again because it was incredible, however think being used as a special education centre is a great idea. But please may you let the sports facilities open for the public because thats one of the things miss the most.

was unaware that SEND pupils were having to travel outside the county to access the educational services they need. This proposal seems like it would reduce the stress and inconvenience for these students and their families. Moreover, it seems like it will reduce costs for the council, and therefore taxpayers, in the long term by providing this provision more affordably than currently. went to st Mary's as a child from 1988 to 1995 and the option to send my special needs daughter there is just a magical prospect. Also to have a send school in the country side is perfect. went to the school myself and think the site is absolutely perfect for that purpose. also think the nuns who invested so much in teaching there would be so pleased you get that kind of use from it. There is a wonderful bluebell wood and huge grounds for outside activities. The Combe we used for sledging on snow days. The round field could contain animals and the playing fields could host all sorts of educational activities, sports events. nside the school has everything you would need and its beautiful. Please take care of it work as a teaching assistant & a carer for sen clients & students. understand the shortage of facilities for both children and adults.

work as an independent Speech and Language Therapist supporting many children in Dorset (and just accross the border in Wiltshire) and recognise there is a huge need in the area for SEND provision. think this would be a fantastic resource for the area and fully support using the site for education purposes. Additionally think if there is possibility to include day services for adults with SEN (especially as EHCPs now last until 25years) this would be great. Even if it was only an opportunity for youth/social clubs or work experience (eg a cafe/ business venture) it would help many young people in the area. Foxes Academy is a popular goal for many young people with SEN ‐ if there was an opportunity to use part of the site for a small hotel/ restaurant/ cafe set up (run by those with SEN) it would also be a huge benefit to the area and reduce costs of that age group going out of county. work at illingham Primary School where we have a Complex Communication Needs Resourced Provision for primary aged children. This is a 14 place provision. There us nowhere local for our SEN children to attend when transitioning to Secondary Education. t could also support children from Wiltshire/Somerset and beyond. work in a SEN school and there is not enough provision for all children that reuire a place also children have to travel far and wide which can have an impact on their school day. work in a Special school already and would love to see the expansion of provisions for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Dorset. work in a special school in Weymouth and there is a great need for special schools in Dorset with specially trained staff to care for and nurture children with special educational needs and disabilities worked at st Marys as the head of art and it is so perfect to stay as a school. The facilities are amaing and will benefit the younger generation as well additional events worked there for ten years. Excellent educational facilities, and many ops for education and social ( and business uses) facilities to be made available to the local community would but would also like the public to have access to it or some part of it. THe use of the sporting facilities, a cafe which could bring in money etc would like it to be used as a school for people with special needs but also has a range of other uses which could be community based events and celebrations or other uses like DofE as the grounds would be grate for campers and the tracks and trails around the land could be used for walk and exposition. would like st Marys to be used as a special needs school as they are in short supply in this part of the country would like the facilities (swimming, tennis) to be available to the public. dont mind either way about it being for education.

would like to see Dorset expand its SEND provision as there are a number of pupils waiting for placements in Special schools in the area who are having to continue in mainstream education when it isn't suitable. Provision in a special school will cater for their needs more effectively and teach them the skills they need to be secure, independent, happy adults. would like to see educational facilities extended beyond the age of 16 eg small scale farming,office work and other work related activities. There is the opportunity to provide keep fit activities both for students and the local community The centre should also have a respite centre for both student and adult mental health. The centre should be available as a conference centre for local and national events. How about day and evening class activities for adults across a wide range of subjects to include academic. Practical and general interest. would like to see it open to the community, maybe make the leisure pool open to the public, add a building to include a cinema or bowing alley, something for kids and families and maybe even a restaurant would like to see it used as a mix educational needs and community use of the sport facilities and grounds. would like to see it used for educational Purposes , believe the schools we have already in shaftesbury are filled to the max and with extra houses being built we need another school to relieve the pressure . would like to see it used for educational purposes as long as the schools in Shaftesbury can use it especially for sports of all kinds including swimming and out of school hours the people of Shaftesbury can use it for swimming and sport. This is something to people of Shaftesbury have not got, they build, build build in Shaftesbury but there are no leisure facilities here for people. would like to see more provision in the local area for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. We have recently had a child who is unable to access a school place for September 2021 within a Specialist provision due to lack of available spaces. would like to see more respite care as have a child who has just turned 16 and has lifetime physical disability. Direct payments are good if you can find a carer who is reliable. feel it would help my son to be able to access overnight stays maybe once a month with peers to help gain independence from the family home and prepare him for independence in the future. would like to see St Marys School used for young SEN adults as there are no facilities in the area for them would like to see the school being used to bring the children that are being looked after outside the county presently bought back into the councils care at the St Mary's school this would save the council money in the longer term. The school could also be used to educate these children as well as children that have special needs located in other parts of Dorset Council. would like to see the St Mary's School site used and converted to social housing. would like to see a model 'village' or site created, including its amenities to house families in need. This would provide an exemplary model where families could be housed in a beautiful area with superb amenities, including shops and playgrounds and sports facilities. Perhaps education could be a part of it, with a nursery and, depending on numbers a small primary facility. There could be adult education including parenting, cooking, and general life skills as well as self care. This is my vision for your large, superb property. would love to see a school local for children with autism as we have nothing in this area would love to see in st Mary a place of encouragement and individual support for kids with learning difficulties. t would be amaing to have such wonderful grounds for youngsters who are depending on our help and support and i am more than willing to volunteer and get involved would love to see the site used to include a sixth form college for the over subscribed illingham and Shaftesbury schools, This would enable the sites leisure facilities also to be used by the public.

would need to see a full financial plan and how it will be financed. The purchase also involved stamp duty (5%) and legal fees therefore probably in excess of 11million. But it is the running costs want rot know. f StM went bankrupt, financed by fee payers how do DCC estimate the running costs without going bankrupt themselves also understand 1. The premises are in Wiltshire are there implications for that2. There is a Trust involved. What effect t would appear that this is a search of what to do now that DCC have made the purchase. What financial planning and justification was done in advance/ would think a lot of the former school infrastructure is in place though will need to be adapted for SEND would think it's the obvious thing as it was a school before. would want to know in what way/s the building would be used. Residential Daily visiting of children (involving a lot of travel expenses Storage for loaned euipment) can't at the moment visualie how such an enormous building could be put to good and economic use. would welcome people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities to Shaftesbury and hope that their experience hear enriches their lives as it has mine. would hope the large St Mary's site can also offer apprenticeships in a variety of trades, from woodland conservation to grounds keeping to make full use of this wonderful opportunity to build a connection between Dorset and its young people. m an ex pupil of St Marys ‐ we were always taught to never limit ourselves and its a great ethos to take forward. The tranuil setting is perfect for young people with additional needs. deal for SEND purposes deal situation for learning, well placed to provide a facility for many youngsters in he area. deally situated with good facilities for educational needs f all the housing plans go ahead it will be much needed, along with many others.

f it has to be education it should be for mainstream pupils. Allow some of the smaller schools in towns across the county to become specialist schools for SEND. Yet again, this is very short sighted. t is miles away from the main urban populated areas of Dorset. t will result in young people being taught away from their local communities. t is not easily accessible, there is no local railway station and buses are few and far between. The front entrance postal address does not even sit within a Dorset Council area. How are disabled young people meant to be integrated into their local communities when they are, yet again, put out of sight, out of mind. How will they learn travel training. How will they attend local young clubs etc when their school day will be taken up with travelling miles. How is this in the best interests of such vulnerable young people who already aren't heard or integrated into their home communities. ust because it is a posh looking building doesn't mean it is the right building. Does the building have lifts, wheelchair accessible levels, disabled access facilities, hoists etc feel for the young disabled students of Dorset, always pushed out and having to make do with unplanned brainwaves of those who just want to save money. f it was a school then the layout etc would lend itself to continuing to be a school. sing it for children with special needs is a brilliant idea f the idea of a hub for for SEND, then this would be great for the student to remain closer to home and presumably would save the county money having this in‐house facility. f the site can also offer some facilities for local residents. We would love a re‐wilding project in the grounds, and given its so large hope that local children and adults could visit the site for walks or to enjoy nature and community gardens. t would also be wonderful to have sports facilities and use of the pool, and local arts.

f the starting point (as described in the consultation video meeting at Dorset Council ‐ you tube 04/02/21) is to ensure people who have additional needs are supported in mainstream school, why arent schools properly funded to support this statement so that mainstream schools can support children with SEND. The banding system has caused significant difficulties for schools who do not have the proper funding to support children with additional needs. Why is the council spending 10 million on a property when it forecasts significant budget deficits for the next year

f there is a clear need for a significant numbers of places, which will include the need for differential provision for different categories and degrees of severity of SEND, (LD v. BESD SLD v. MLD, etc), it would make sense to make use of an existing educational site which is extensive enough to enable this as well as to cater for related services for both children and adults, as outlined in the proposal. Hopefully, the physical adaptation would be significantly cheaper than a newbuild option. would wish to see how this new provision will work within the existing structure of five special schools and various mainstream SEND bases, social and health care provision for young adults with SEND, etc, across Dorset ,etc. do have some reservations about the location in the far north of the county. f there is an educational need and good that site will be used f there is an educational need and it will save money, this looks like a sensible option given the facilities that already exist. hope it can be done in a way that does not destroy the beauty of the site and allows complementary uses such as adult education and recreation and sports, so it is part of the Shaftesbury community. f this can save up to 14 million per year then it makes sense to do so. 'm a former employee and it was great job. 'm aware that there is a lack of SEND provision in the North of the county and would like to see this plus opportunities for outdoor education. 'm filling in this survey with a word of warning. My mum was Head teacher of a residential special school in Newcastle, which, like this one, was housed in an old 'stately home'. t was cold, impossible to heat sufficiently, dangerous stairs, etc. The cost of making it safe was horrendous, made worse by its listed status. n the end, the upkeep was too much, and it closed. t could be a bottomless pit financially. Please cost carefully before proceeding. mportant that the area maintains provision for the County n a time where Dorset council are increasing taxes due to a apparent lack of funds purchasing a 10 million pound building with a annual upkeep that will no doubt run into hundreds of thousands can only be described as a totally irresponsible use of tax payers money n general am in favour of appropriate SEND provision ‐ but the St Mary's site is a long way from the area where live. t already has a number of the facilities needed for educational use. These mean that as well as termtime provision for appropriate groups, it could also be used (assuming a return to normal life) for group holidays for children run by eg ATE Superweeks (The ATE Trust). This type of holiday is not only for paying children but also offers subsidised places for children who might not otherwise have a holiday. Such arrangements could provide another income stream. Assuming as well of course that such not for profit organisations survive the COD pandemic... t already is set up as an educational building and imagine would cost very little to update. t already is set up with lots of suitable space and buildings and a very good location for a Dorset Special school

t benefits such a small percentage of north Dorsets residents The area is in desperate need of more jobs and economic opportunities, not leaving the building to fall into disrepair as the council will likely never have enough money to keep it sounds. This building needs to make money, and provide jobs to the local area. The facilities on site are begging to be used, and a SEND school wouldnt benefit anyone know, and cant be the only one. Why spend such a huge amount of money on something that will benefit less that 1% of the population. Provide jobs and revenue instead. Everyone seems to forget that the area has lots of wealthy people, especially living in the outlying villages. Dont make yet another project about the poorer few, some of us have money to spend. it could be used for some other community building complex. Drs , gym, cinema, flats for Dorset dwellers. t could serve the area with sports and training t definitely needs to be used to boost SEN provision which s seriously lacking in Dorset t depends if the school in its present state lends itself to the intended option of a provision for a SEND facility, without first reuiring extensive and costly refurbishment/demolition works. t depends on the sie of the reuisite building space for such a school facility. Do we need such a sie building f not could you also re‐use the rest of the building t would be a shame if any parts are demolished and costs therein. Last option. Housing. As there is so much concrete and tarmac on greenfield and it still continues to be developed, this uality building could be used for affordable housing and local people ONLY.

t depends on the type of SEND. The local main stream schools are very full and there are SEND provisions for disability pupils, however there aren't many provisions for social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. t has already been used as a school, it would be a shame to not utilise the space efficiently. t has already failed as a school and there are many schools already in the area offering outstanding educational needs

t has an established educational based around Coombe House, a ictorian Mansion built in the 1890's. The school is located in open countryside wholly within the Cranborne Chase AONB, a nationally designated area shared with Wiltshire and Dorset CC. As a school, the site and buildings sit well within the landscape, and apart from occaisional use of flood lighting, it is unobtrusive. The extensive sports facilities have been used by local communities and offer further scope for this type of joint use. The school appears well suited for SEND providing a calm peaceful environment surrounded by open countryside with abundant wildlife. Although connected to the RoW network giving good countryside access there are other access issues which will refer to in a later section. t has been a school for 75 years, it has magnificent facilities, and think it would be an appropriate use of the site. t would also create jobs for local people, and the hall could be hired out for functions during the holidays. Personally would much rather it was used for disadvantaged children rather than being turned into a housing estate. t has been a school for a long time and seems fitting for it to continue as an educational premises . t is also situated in such a beautiful place , it could be used for recuperation purposes . t has been a school for many years and is well suited without much work to continue as an educational venue. t has been a school recently, so much of the euipment/space for art, science, DT, sport will already be in place. work in a school as a science technician and sometimes we have pupils who are probably not best suited to a mainstream school and would benefit from the proposed provision. t has been an educational establishment for many years and is therefore very well organised to continue as such. Please do not allow any housing development on this site. t has been for educational needs for years and is set up for that.

t has enjoyed a long history of education and is already set up to provide this with excellent facilities in situ. t has excellent facilities t has excellent facilities, particularly for sport. t has fantastic potential as a SEND school t has fantastic potential for helping young people in the county of Dorset who need specialist education. The ethos of the school produced many talented successful people working in media ,arts, law, education who have special memories of that school . Dorset council have the opportunity to really create a legacy for those SEND pupils who could benefit from the beautiful surroundings and facilities of the school. The council should reach out to the SOA (st.marys old girl network) to establish bursaries and scholarships for pupils attending the school. t has long been a school and will be euipped to continue as one. t has lots of facilities t is cheaper than a new school and we will need a new school soon t will keep SEND kids in the county

t has marvellous teaching and pupil facilities ( know the school) ‐ and it would be sensible to use these. The facilities are wide ranging and could be put to various uses e.g. summer schools for music/ art/ sport which would utilise all St M's has to offer out of term time.. grew up in Somerset where Dillington House and Dartington House ran summer schools which were a wonderful opportunity for school age and students to experience these arts ‐ especially when (as ever) so much is London based. A local base would be a feather in Dorset's cap. completely agree re the cost of sending children with special needs outside of County is both unsatisfactory for them and very costly. t seems a good idea to facilitate this site in this way. t has so many facilities that were built specifically for education that it would be a waste of resources not to use them. t could well reduce the need to travel long distances for those living in North Dorset as at present North Dorset is often forgotten when it comes to provision of services. To help achieve a cabon neutral development it really needs to have better walking and cycling links to Shaftesbury (for staff as well as pupils). t has the facilities for so much linked to education, and special Educational Needs. t has the facilities to provide excellent opportunities for all children and young adults it has the most wonderful facilities for education and great history of nurturing children t has the perfect set up for education. also believe there should be leisure facilities for local residents. t has too many decent facilities not to be used as a school/educational facility. t has wonderful facilities and has been an educational establishment for many years. t holds so much history and being that used to work there it would be amaing to keep it running as a school. t is a beautiful setting with fantastic resources which would give a range of opportunities. t is a fantastic facility using it for children with additional needs is superb next use.

t is a good site for education with relatively new facilities. t would be a shame to change its change of use. Many employees of St Mary's such as cleaners, maintenance and catering staff would be able to apply for similar jobs. t is a lovely site for children and young people to have experience of and develop in. t is a gorgeous facility and site and would benefit students and learners to be able to utilise such a brilliant environment. The Dorset School ames has built strong links with the school which acted as a host for the Dorset Spring ames and it would be positive for students of Dorset (and of the school if it were to be used in this manner) if these links were able to be continued. t is a magnificent asset with lots of excellent infrastructure. t is a perfect opportunity to extend the send provision in Dorset.

t is a potential site for SEND provision in the North of the county, as well as providing another potential footprint for educational offerings more widely. iven the scale of the site the is an opportunity to develop provision extending the range of ingston Maurward College within both and‐based and allied education. The College would be keen to work with the authority in developing a strategic outcome for the site which benefits Dorset learners, at the same time as reducing outflow of SEND financial support to out‐of‐county providers. t is a superb site with a long history of delivering education. think it would be an excellent use of the site if Dorset were able to use it to provide extended services for young people with SEND. t is a uniue and very versatile site with excellent educational, residential, sport, music/theatre facilities so it would be enormously wasteful if it was not used for its intrinsic educational purpose. t is a very big site and can be made useful fo a wide range of the community. t has a wide sports facility centre (swimming pool, tennis courts etc) this would b of such value to the town There are many young people like myself who don't have the opportunities to use these resources, if a gym was built and monthly AFFORDABLE memberships were available it would be a massive asset to the community. surrounding towns such as gilling have been provided with a leisure centre, can Shaftesbury The SEND school could also use these facilities but it is important that the site is purposeful for all t is a very high uality educational site. This is a very appropriate use for it. t is a very special place with great soul and therapeutic value. t is presently amaingly euipped for the purpose of education. To set up facilities of this kind elsewhere would be incredibly expensive and to be able offer such a beautiful place for the purpose of Education perhaps especially for the disabled and their families is a rare and wonderful opportunity. t is a well euipped site that could be put to good use. SEND provision is crucial and it seems a perfect opportunity. t is a well positioned and established site t is a woke, inappropriate and costly idea, yet another burden on the taxpayers. t is a wonderful setting with the facilitys needed to create something wonderful that local children can benefit from.

t is a wonderful site, used to great effect previously as a school offering first class facilities in a uniue, calm and rural setting. ncorporating extensive grounds, sports facilities and a safe environment for,learning. t is already a well provisioned educational site and perfect for SEND . t is already designed and euipped for this. t is already designed for education purposes. t is already euipped to do so. t is already extremely well set up and euipped as a school, with excellent facilities. t would make sense to retain all of this. t is already set up and ready to use and is ideally suited for a special needs schooling. t is already set up as a school, it would be a waste of money to change it all. t is already set up as a school. d like to see a SEND school on the site. t is already set up for educational use. t is already set up for this purpose. t is already set up to be used as a school t is already set up with good facilities for educational purposes and it would be good to continue this use of the site. t is an amaing location for an amaing cause t is an amaing site to educate young people.

t is an existing site geared for the provision of education so would make sense to continue although it would be nice if it could also be opened up for community activities. t is an ideal site for SEND children and young people particularly as there is residential accommodation for those who need it. Local young people could also use the sports facilities as there are not many opportunities in Shaftesbury and they also could be open to adults for a fee. t is an important and substantial educational facilty. The building and site is of local historic value and should be preserved Alternative commercial ownership would undoubtedly lead to some form of residential development t is an inspiring place with so many opportunities for a wide range of activities, experiences and taught skills. Also, Dorset and the surrounding areas desperately need more local facilities for SEN students, adults and their families. t is currently a fabulous school with sports facilities that could be used by the wider Dorset school communities in the area. t is designed for that purpose t is in the wrong place for people who have SEN or disabilities. t is in completely the wrong place. Have you hard of the word inclusion Children and adults with additional needs should be part of their local communities, not hidden away. A ERY RETRORADE STEP t is purpose built as school so makes sense

t is set up as a school ( am an ex‐employee) and it seems to me that it would cost huge sums of money to change it to another use. However, SEND pupils are not the only ones in need in this area. nsufficient schools have been built to cater for the large number of houses springing up all over North Dorset. Although contributing to the local infrastructure should have been built into the contracts with the developers, as a condition of planning permission for all these houses, that does not seem to have been done, which is very shortsighed. We are therefore very short of all sorts of things such as medical centres, schools, hospitals, etc. The facilities are amaing though and should be for the benefit of all who live in the Council area that paid such a large sum of money to purchase it, effectively on our behalf. The six lane, 25m indoor swimming pool in particular is a great asset in an area that has no other facilities of this nature. This should be made available to the public, along with the tennis courts, astro, gym and sports hall facilities. There is a huge walled garden that could be turned into allotments. All of these are at a distance form the school buildings and so could be made safe from a child protection point of view. The outlying buildings could also be let or rented for other educational/life enhancement purposes from which all in the area could benefit. t is set up as a school and so makes sense for this to continue t is set up as a school and we need more special needs schools. This would be ideal for that purpose. t is set up as an educational centre and has ready made boarding facilities for students from the and around the world T S SET P FOR SCHOOL SE AND WOLD PRODE A PERFECT SETTN FOR THAT AS TS CONTNN SE. t is the best,most effective use of the current buildings t is the logical thing to do with the site as all the facilities are already there. t is too far out of county for users in south, east and west forset t is well set up for educational purposes which would suite young people and adults. t could be used for residential accommodation, including holiday courses and provision. t is what the site was intended for.

t makes overwhelming financial and practical sense. Trying to change the use to business use would be costly and fraught with difficulties. The site is not exactly on the beaten track and the winding driveway not suitable for heavy 2‐way traffic that business use may attract. Building a new school from scratch, whilst may provide a more accessible and bespoke building, would cost far more and take a lot longer. t makes perfect sense to continue the existing use of the site t makes perfect sense to continue to use the buildings for educational purposes. t would save money, rather than turning it into business or residential. t makes sense to have a facility to serve children might otherwise have to go further away from home. t makes sense to continue using it as a school and provision for SEND youngsters. t makes sense to use it for educational purposes as it is set up ready for that. t makes sense to use it for schooling as it is already designed for that. t seems like a good option considering the costs already incurred and the need. But would be keen for the swimming pool to be available for public use at times if possible. t seems to be the most rational use of the existing buildings t seems to excellent opportunity to use this building for the purpose it was intended with minimal work or development t sounds an ideal use. t sounds like a lovely idea for children with extra needs t was a fantastic school and has all the correct facilities for this to continue t was an amaing school, it should continue to be used for educational purposes. t would be a great asset to have a SEND school as know that the local area is struggling with current special needs children. t would be a huge benefit for it to remain for educational purposes, as it would make an ideal school for whoever uses it. t would save money by remaining as a school, as not many changes would be needed. t would be a much needed resource t would be a shame not to use all the facilities that are already there. t would be a tremendous opportunity to use existing facilities. t would be a waste not to do so. t has brilliant educational facilities, which should be utilised. t would be beneficial to use site for a school for special education woth children for learning disabilities. ts a big site and rewarding opportunity to help. t would be brillant to keep the education going and to support the children with their needs and to help them achieve life skills. t would be good if could provide for those pupils who are high functioning, at age related or above educationally but sturggles to remain in mainstream education because of ASC, ADHD or attachment. t would be good if young people and children with or without SEND could benefit and be able to access st Marys wonderful facilities and grounds whether art, sports or drama. t would be good to have a SEND school close to home. t would be good to have part of the premises used for education in areas where Shaftesbury is currently deficient ‐ such as special learning school, nursery or primary. Additionally it is vital that new teaching options are considered such as adult‐learning classes, plus physical activities such as dance/yoga studio. Outdoor tennis courts and football fields / multi‐use pitches. Shaftesbury is really lacking in these kind of outdoor educational spaces. The sports facilities and especially the swimming pool must stay as facilities for the Shaftesbury public and use by Shaftesbury schools. Finally the excellent outdoor spaces provide a great opportunity for 'forest school' type activities. t would be good to keep SEND pupils in Dorset where it would be easier for families to a good relationship with them. t would save money by not sending them out county and in the cost and time spent travelling long distances.

t would be good to keep this for educational use however the site is very big and there are alot of other opportunities. t would be good to remain a school given its history and the need for more local places for SEND t would be great that the grounds and buildings can be used as they were previously and are well set up to do. Would much prefer this than, for example, houses or a hotel. t would be great to see a new SEND resource for the county ‐ and what a lovely setting t would be really good to have a greater level of alternative/SEN educational provision in the north of the county, instead of young people needing to travel outside of the area to access this. Or to be a hub for services to operate from that are connected to young people and families. t would be shame if the site was used not as a school t would be shame to lose a building that has been adapted for use in education t would be wonderful to have such a needed facility here in north Dorset. t would seem there is a great need for Special Education needs and Disabilities in this area. Other areas could be open for public use such as swimming pool,tennis courts etc. A cafe open to the public would assist with integration. Open access to the grounds for walking would be beneficial. ts a beautiful setting and children deserve to be educated in such a lovely space particularly children with SEND as the surroundings would benefit them greatly. ts a beautiful space that should continue to inspire young minds, especially those with extra educational challenges. Children with special needs thrive in green spaces which St Marys can offer. What a wonderful opportunity ts a fantastic opportunity to continue the frantic history of the site and provide a world class site for children and adults with special needs. We dont need another housing estate in remote parts of the countryside we need places for people who need help ts a large site, some use for educational purposes would be good. However am aware of the challenges Ed. Safeguarding of a mixed use site and this would need to be carefully considered. ts a lovely location and could offer children a fantastic environment for outdoor learning as well. ts a wonderful location where many happy memories have been formed. t would be good the site is still used for children and educational purposes. ts a wonderful space and resource. ts a wonderful use for the site that is so well set up for education, and continues the ethos of the school that thrived there for so long ts an euipped educational setting so should continue as such ts an ideal setting for a pastoral educational establishment and it has great space and resources which would make it ideal. ts fit for purpose and pointless spending even more money than you have re aligning to something different ts got so much appropriate infrastructure and its an inspirational setting. Also it would preserve the site for the public ts heart, soul, buildings and facilities lend themselves perfectly. ts means using the current site to the best of its current facilites ts set up for education so it makes sense to use it for that purpose t's a big spacious ground that would serve well as being a school again t's a fantastic opportunity for the children and young people of Dorset to have this site on our doorstep t's a perfect site as it's already set up as a school and Dorset would really benifit from a SEND school

t's a shame that in recent years, Dorset Council's predecessor, Dorset County Council, disposed of many sites in South Dorset which would have lent themselves very well to modest redevelopment to deliver SEND provision. This is particularly disappointing given that South Dorset is where a significant increase in SEND provision appears to be reuired. To that end, the location of the new facility is somewhat disappointing but nonetheless a bold step in the right direction. With careful planning and implementation this could prove to be an excellent facility for the residents of Dorset and other localities nearby. t's been a private school for years/decades, so presumably the facilities are very good. t therefore makes sense to make use of what is already there ‐ ie. presumably less construction work to alter the building for another use and therefore less cost. t's been used as one upto this point it should continue to be a school. t's made to be a school and would be a terrible shame not to use it for education t's setup for a school so should continue. Plus it could be use for other bits as well t's so important to ensure that there is sufficient of this type of education provision in Dorset so that our children and young people have the right education for them and this is within Dorset.

've worked with SEN children in schools for 10 years, first at Primary, now at High School in illingham. Resources for SEN kids would benefit from increased availability. 've always been part of a Pastoral Support Team. What would really love to see is more support for mental health for children. At the moment unless kids have attempted suicide the wait for CAHMs is too long and most don't meet the criteria. t is so important to support mental health in children early. St Mary's could be a fantastic opportunity for Dorset to be the first County to really address and support children with this issue. There is a real need for mental health support for our children. With Shaftesbury being on the boarder of Wilts and Somerset, this could be amaing and make a huge difference for a lot of children's future. Support for children who are carers to their parents, respite, etc would really make a difference. ust doesnt look like a school l was on the teaching staff at St.Mary's and l fully appreciate it's facilities. Lack of Sen provision in schools, we need this school to open Lack of suitable support in dorset. Local population is increasing. There is a real need for an putdoor pursuits facilty in North Dorset Local provision for SEND children is sparse. There are lots of local children including my own that would benefit from additional SEND spaces in education. We have an EHCP but there are very very limited suitable provision in Dorset. Local schools are oversubscribed and struggling to deal with the differing needs of individual pupils. Children need more individual attention that reuires more schools and facilities rather than less funding, less staff and large class sies. Having worked in education for 20 years this is painfully obvious to me as a teacher and as a parent. Local SEND provision is essential, locally and nationally. Location is remote and not enabling of easy community access. t feels a backward step for disabled children and adults as it removes them from the community when the council should be promoting integration and visibility Looks like a great facility set up for educational delivery so minimal adaption cost reuired. se as bought. Lots of children have wide ranging disabilities, not many places in dorset to accommodate these needs Lots of purpose built school facilities, would be a waste not to use them again when in perfectly good condition. Main use for children of dorset and surrounding area Makes financial sense as the infrastructure is already in place at the site Makes sense to keep it as a school as it is already set up.

Makes sense to reuse well built educational buildings reat location for the special needs children Scope to sell places for Wiltshire children Makes sense to use the current facilities Makes sense. Many children across the county are unable to find suitable schools and drive miles to get to school or do not find a setting . Education is so important yet many children are denied an education as Dorset cannot offer spaces to all children. Maybe a cross section of all that's being proposed . Maybe a summer school for pupils to catch up after lockdown. Also sports clubs for children. For example tennis and cricket lessons during sumer holidays. More local schools are needed as more houses are often being built but no extra provisions put in place so schools/doctors/dentists are overrun More places like this are needed in Dorset More provisions for SEN schools are needed in dorset More specialist schools focusing on academic ualifications and business studies are needed for our SEND children in the local area. Mostly educational but other support services and centres to be considered. Much needed resource for SEND children with limited local provision Multi sports provision for Physically disabled. My son play wheelchair Tennis LTA representing England South West juniors and we travel to Cardiff every Sunday to train. (Pre‐Covid) He also plays wheelchair basket ball and Rugby, but nothing near. Swindon for basketball and Southampton for Rugby, my son now 18 wants to be disability sports advocate for Dorset. To have somewhere as a base would be incredible. Having more Dorset representation when it comes to para sports.

My 8 year daughter has been accepted at Yewstock, despite the fact that they are over subscribed. She will have to wait until September 2021 but ideally should be placed sooner. My husband and , and indeed our daughter, would be far happier with a more local arrangement which can offer this much space she does not like noisy and cramped places. There is a need for more SEN provisions in the area (and nationwide) and this need is not limited to the children but also the families of these children as well. t would be a waste of money and resources to abolish what is a perfectly good school at a time when children are needing education and support perhaps more than they have for many, many decades. would much rather have my daughter 5 minutes down the road and be able to drop her off and pick her up rather than send her on a bus with other children, which know she will find tiring and nerve racking. Historically and culturally, feel that this is not a time to be repurposing such a beautiful and desperately needed school. My anxiety is , where will you acuire properly ualified staff of many disciplines from . You will reuire medical and educational staff , and ancillary staff as well . The school is stuck out on a limb . would be inclined to pull the whole lot down and start all over again. My child is highly dyslexic and a facility that can not only help provide training but also potentially be a place he could visit for extra activities to help him learn would be an invaluable asset to our County. My daughter attended the school and know it has excellent facilities. would love to see these made available to those with Special Needs. also work at a Special Needs School in Dorset and appreciate the valuable work it does for those with Special Needs. also appreciate the struggle to offer enough places for those with Special Needs in the county and to support parents close to home. My daughter has a 16 she has no where to go post 16 school wont have her as doesnt meet entry grades she cannot attend college in Poole or Weymouth due to her disabilities and she has been refused an EHCP am left with no help or support

My daughter is being looked at for autism and aspergers, am concerned for the future and would love to keep her closer and St Mary's would be ideal. There is not enough support locally for children with special needs this would be amaing My daughter is having a statement put together from illingham Primary school, and she may need more specialist help. Which will mean a more specialist school. The only ones near me in Mere are frome or Sturminster. This will make working life hard for me, as work tk 9 till 3 at a Preschool. So travelling to both these places will be a long journey each day and will have to adjust my working hours. My daughter was a pupil at St Marys when it closed last summer, its a wonderful site and would be perfect as a SEND school, so beautiful and peaceful. My daughter was at St Marys when it closed down. t was a wonderful nurturing caring place that help support her in main stream education. The site deserves to help others like her who need to access and achieve an education. My foster son currently attends Yewstock School so having local provision for children/young people and adults with SEN is very important to me. Having local provision is also very important. As a SEN TA in a primary school am also very aware that there are lots of children in mainstream school who would benefit from specialised education, either full or part time. My granddaughter is autistic, she has just been accepted into the Sturminster facility, to have something a little nearer (illingham) would very helpful. My in laws live nearby and know of the area uite well a school is vital to the area for education and increase of population My oldest daughter has been at The arden Montessori since September 2019 and we are planning to send our youngest daughter there from September 2022. t is a wonderful Montessori school in the most fantastic setting ‐ the children love exploring the amaing grounds, it feels safe and is a real oasis of calm and beauty for children. My son attend Beaucroft schol but know there are not enough local resources so this would be welcome and very much needed. My son attends Beaucroft and the site is small and limited for the children attending the school. The education provision the school provides is fantastic and would benefit enormously from a site like this. My son has autism and a moderate learning difficulty. For other parents to have an additional educational facility suitable to SEND needs is vital so stop children having to attend schools out of county and as boarders. My son has CP and ASD and is academically able, finding the right provision is impossible My son has send he made need use of this school in the future. My son has to travel over an hour each way to receive his education.... also work in a school and we have children that should be enrolled in a Sen facility rather than mainstream My son is currently in mainstream education in Dorset where we live. He is in the process of an EHCP for ASD ADHD and sensory attachment issues and we have been looking for schools in the area that suit his needs and we are struggling. To have a SEND school so close to us would be amaing. He will have to travel miles to go to school which will add to his anxiety. My son is currently in mainstream school but we have been advised that this is not going to be best for him past year 5. We have 2 years to find him a suitable alternative, which is not easy during a global pandemic. We have looked at Yewstock, but this seems to be geared towards children with far more complex needs so we are now in the process of looking at our other limited options in the area.

My son was struggling in mainstream for along time, even after he was excluded we were still being pushed by county to put him back into mainstream as send places where not available at the time. This was detrimental to not only my son, but the other pupils and our family. t took 18 months of him being out of education before he finally got a place at harbour school, this school has changed his life and ours. There really needs to be more spaces for send children in specialist schools to enable them to have the best chance at a good start in life. My son who is selective mute and has autism, wasn't allowed to continue in main stream education after the age of 13years as he hardly spoke at school. The only alternative was The Compass, which was extremely unsuitable for his needs. Need more schools in the area and schools to help them kids with extra needs needs to be more flexibility no No understanding of whether the site is appropriate or demand is sufficient for SEND provision. North Dorset desperately needs a designated setting to support young people with SEND. n particular, there are limited opportunities for young people with high functioning autism and severe mental health needs.

North Dorset is very poorly served for children and adults with Special Educational Needs and other disabilities. Despite living in North Dorset, for the last 20 years we have have had to find suitable placements for our 25 year old son with autism and moderate learning difficulties outside the locality. This has been very difficult and as a conseuence he has had fewer visits home to keep in contact with family. Not enough provision in Dorset for children with SEND. t is an additional cost to send them out of county and often involves costly residential care as well. This is not an efficient use of tax payers money especially as there is a further adjustment applied to the HNB when Dorset exports children with SEN out of county. This further detracts from the resource that could be recirculated and inwardly invested. Not enough schools available to meet the needs of children. My own son hasn't been in school for over a year due to lack of suitable school. Not enough schools in area, so many new housing builds in the area need more schools to cater for all kids in the area Not enough send provision at the moment Not enough sites like this. This is reuired Nothing would make the former school community happier than to know that St Marys will continue educating and enabling young people. Only if other children that should have SEN support could have use this facility. Hidden disabilities seems to being forgot in schools and support is needed for those children. Our 2 daughters attended this school . t is a beautiful building with amaing facilities as well as accommodation already in place . t would be lovely to think it would continue as a school providing education to children with special educational needs and their carers. Our child currently travels 45 mins in each direction to tge nearest suitable provision. A specialist school close to home would be amaing

Our home and land adjoins St Marys boundary (house owned, and land rented from previous owner Baroness Sharples) the woodland on the right before and after the driveway bridge, the grass valley on the right hand side of the drive, and our house is at the bottom of the back track emergency access into Higher Coombe (Well Cottage). We have always had good relations with St Marys, and found that our land uses and outlook worked well together. We love living here am an ecologist working for the prison service, and my husband is involved locally in agriculture and conservation. The valleys and the woodland are a lovely place to be, and we have conservation graing and woodland management in place primarily for conservation. firmly believe that the sense of place, connection with the landscape, green space and a strong local community culture can only offer a wonderful place for education and young people, perhaps of even greater value to those with SEND needs. We agree with your vision that it is a fantastic opportunity for the county and provision of services for those who can not otherwise access locally. Our SEN schools are already full and much needed, this school is also much needed. There are more and more young people needing SEN education. This would be the best use for this building Our son, age 8 currently attends a mainstream primary school. He is deaf and wears Bahas. He is currently working at 18 months behind his peers. As parents we would welcome some kind of deaf provision for him as there is nothing locally available. We are well supported by hearing support service and speech therapy but he does really need more. Out county placements are not value for money ( dealt with many) and child and family ties are reduced. The st Mary site would offer multidisciplinary working. Efficient use of staff skills, preventive work and combined planning for young adult provision. Many uses that would save on the countys budget . Parents desparately need affordable educational provision for thier SEND children locally. t is heartbreaking to have to send your child far away for their education, and many simply aren't in a position to be able to afford it. Partly YES, but Shaftesbury badly needs a ym and Community Centre and this is a uniue opportunity to include a facility within St Mary's. Perfect site, great layout, fabulous facilities. Perfect location Perhaps. However t depends upon whether the site/existing buildings long term maintenance is affordable for the tax payer. Personally, think it would be good to have a commercial site which is going to benefit the local economy and letting it be purchased by a commercial company which would bring money into the area rather than something which will need continual investment and hence a drain on the local community finances. Placements for children with high functioning autism or Aspergers are substantially disadvantaged. They have only an option of a attending a school for those whom are severely disabled or a alternative provision (which is used for children who have no disabilities but show appalling behaviour) Because of this have had to electively hone educate my child when he is due to start secondary school as there is no suitable alternative. Please read the Warnock report of 1978 Mary Warnock was interview on a radio program many years later expressing her enormous regret at closing these much needed and valued special needs schools down. She explained the misguided understanding that all children had eual right to the same education, but of course physically and mentally need specialist support to achieve this. We owe it to our children with profound and complexed needs to give them back these much needed and valued facilities. The mental health of the families and, the children need this site. Most definitely keep this site for education but do this for special need children and adults. Prefer some sport facility. Leisure centre/gym. So that all members of community can use it.

Preferred option would to be sell off shaftesbury hospital and turn st narys in to a local health care hub with community hospital, inpayient rehab, end of life and respite beds, outpatients, diagnostic services, gp surgery, physio etc Second option would be to have a council run educational facility either special needs, primary or seconday with access to tennis courts and pool to local community. Previously been a school Provided that the sports facilities can be used by the local ratepayers, think it is O to use the rest as a special needs school. Provision for Educational purposes is always needed within any community. t's already an established site for Educational purposes too. Provision of education generally is a vital role for DC. SEND tends to be a poor relation and whilst all children deserve the very best we can give them, SEND children need the best we can afford. Purpose built nfrastructure already there for education, accommodation, catering and leisure use (swimming pool, courts, etc). Rather than go into private hands think it is excellent that the Council has purchased the site SEN children in North Dorset would massively benefit and would not neeed to travel long distances to school. SEN is lacking in spaces across the county of Dorset and provision that extends in to older years plus offers variety SEN provision and a catch up school for chidren in care to prepare for mainstream or leaving care Sen provision in Dorset needs to be improved. Far too many children are in mainstream school working 2,3, or even 4 years behind their peers. Mainstream teachers cannot give the Sen children the provision they need. SEND

SEND and Care leavers are very worthwhile recipients of the potential of such a facility ‐ dedicated space, wonderful resources that can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to access similar outside of existing state funded Dorset institutions. t will provide much needed local employment. The development of this site for these groups of children is a very clear statement of Dorset Council's intent to support the most vulnerable in our community. Access to the facilities to other groups and perhaps the public is a welcome bonus ‐ all safeguarding issues being addressed. t is important it remains wholly under the control of Dorset Council. would be concerned that a private, albeit state funded, provider, will mold the school to their needs and aspirations and not to those of the Council. SEND but also local sports groups and outdoor education and well being for children, young people, SEND and adults. se the Outdoor education team at Dorset Council ‐ set up a base for alternative provision and well being activities Expand school field trip residentials for geography at A Level ‐ At Leeson House many groups come from SW, Somerset, Wales, this could be an excellent base for small group accommodation and provide useful income. SEND education is desperately needed . Send educational provision in particular is in short supply here in Dorset. t would be very disheartening to see a site previously used for education move to providing something corporate or similar when there are children with SEND in need of education near their homes. SEND provision in the county is wholly inadeuate. These are the most vulnerable in our population. We are morally obliged to use this ready made facility. SEND provision is a priority SEND provision is vital in the area and would meet local need. SEND provision needs improving in the area. t would be good for other local schools and community groups to be benefit from the continued usage of the pool and sports facilities

SEND provision needs to be closer to where children live MST not be run by and Academy ‐ Muat stay as a maintained LA school SEND provisions are stretched and many children often have to wait a period of time before getting access to the support and services that they need. have experienced this first hand as my son was out of education for 16 months due to a mainstream provision being unable to meet his needs & there being no placements available in SEN schools despite his EHCP stating he needed a SEN placement. SEND reuirements on one site would be more efficient of staff and other resources SEND schools are hard to find locally and or are very expensive as you often have to go out of county. Dorset reuires this service and as it has formally been a school it makes sense for it to remain one. SEND schools are in short supply in the whole of the . SEND schools needed and to be funded by DCC SEND services are stretched as it is, this is an opportunity to help bolster these much needed services. SEND would be the best choice in my opinion having read uite a few letters and comments via Facebook.

SEND Yes But also open up for talented children North Dorset struggles with sporting excellence facilities. Many children have to travel to Bournemouth, Southampton, Bath and Bristol. ery time consuming and expensive. Also a drain on the child's education if many hours are spent in the car driving to caching and practice facilities. know of one tennis coach that has nowhere to train since St Marys closed. Also look at encouraging Stem engineering workshops and other careers so students don't have to travel so far. We need to celebrate and encourage talent as well as support our SEND students. uite often there is an overlap with either sports, science or other skills and these should be seen as a positive and built upon, along with others that do not ualify for SEND status. n other words widen the scope to the whole of North Dorset we need something like this for our youngsters to excel. Sens provision in Dorset islacking particularly for tennsgers and young adults Services of this type for children with additional needs are needed in the county, used to work in transport planning and some kids were travelling for hours out of county to get to where they needed to be. Not sustainable for the children or their families really and it makes sense to use an education site that is already set up as a school. Severe lack of SEN school places in Dorset Shaftesbury and surrounding areas need it Shaftesbury is in desperate need of more recreational facilities, swimming pool, sports pitches. would be happy for an educational facility to continue with public access to sporting and recreational facilities. Shaftesbury needs a sports centre and swimming pool so that adults and children do not have to travel miles for swimming badminton and football. Maybe the site could be shared between a special school and local residents for indoor and outdoor sports. Shaftesbury school struggles with SEND in my own opinion, and a dedicated school for these kids is MCH needed in this area. Shortage of places that children with SEND can access‐ would like to see educational & social/leisure access built in for the community of children & young people with SEND. Shortage of suitable SEND places available in Dorset. silly uestion unless we know what the options are. Since the main things Shaftesbury lacks are a leisure centre with swimming pool, a large community centre for activities and meetings etc and parking space i would only agree to the site being used as a school if provision for a leisure centre could be guaranteed and built within the vey large grounds. Site already set up to cater for education So many children are not getting the support needed for their SEN. To keep the building a school and to have it just for SEN and disabilities of many many childrens is a welcomed and most fantastic idea

So many children of Dorset have SEND and would benefit with a place at a SEND school. There are not enough spaces available at the currently SEND schools in Dorset. Something that all children and adults can use ‐ no one specific group. Sounds ideal as a school for children with Special education Needs and Disabilities. mportant to have the school in Dorset if possible. Spaces for SEND children in Dorset are very limited and many parents struggle to find a place at a specialist school.

Speaking from my own experience as a parent care of a disabled YP. There is v little opportunity for non learning disabled disabled YP and adults post 16 to continue their academic learning other than for Maths, English and life skills in North Dorset and Shaftesbury in particular. There is so much this group can learn and contribute to society if they were only given education in a format and facilities that are accessible to them and provided education as laid out in their EHCP. t may reuire active input of on‐site SLT, Sensory ntegration trained OT, physio, other sensory opportunities such as swimming, fresh air and space to run, jump, low arousal, low anxiety environment. Many people with ASD can achieve some levels of CSE yet cannot cope with an FE college and so cannot continue school or college post 16. They still wish to learn and achieve paid or voluntary work as adults just as those who are not disabled might. They may want to continue learning and living in the community they grew up in. They may have much knowledge in specific areas. t is mentally crippling and indirect discrimination to provide nothing other than maths, English or life skills at 16years old when their skills, knowledge and strengths may lie in other areas such as History, eography, orienteering or sciences (speaking from personal experience). They may or may not have been able achieve CSEs due to the nature of examination and inability to access the exam despite having huge knowledge and having followed the course at school pre16. Outcomes are key and need to reflect skills reuired in the employment market currently often measured by ualification markers. These YP are not being given the chance as there is nowhere to continue after 16 despite the implication of new legislation enabling continuation of study post 16 to 25. ts key to enable learning to continue in subjects of interest knowledge and strength ‐ absolutely key to mental heath, and sense of self worth. f possible specific ualification markers offered to enable the sense of achievement even if Btecs or A levels are not achievable. How can this happen if there is nowhere to continue.. in Shaftesbury there is a local museum for example run by volunteers typically retireees ‐ the manager struggles to keep the museum open due to shortages of volunteers ... the opportunities are there but the education is not we are failing these young capable adults and the communities who need them.. Special Educational Needs and Disabilities School Special educational needs would be of the most benefit as there is not alot of options in the local community Special needs school Special school with wraparound holiday cover. Specialist provision St Marys has already run as a school and boarding it has leisure facilities ie swimming pool ect and is in large out door space which is in a lovely peaceful setting and secure grounds which as a mum of a special needs child which attends a special school in Dorset there is not enough secure space and facilities for these children think having st Marys as a special needs school would be fantastic and make great use of these facilities for them ST Marys site should continue its tradition of use for educational purposes. t was designed from the beginning as a school and should continue as such, serving most urgent local needs. Dedicating it to SEND education will be best purpose. St Marys would make an excellent facility for SEND as it is already suitable for educational purposes.

St Marys has been a school for many decades and is set up as a school. To change this is an unnecessary expense St Mary's has the most excellent sporting facilities, in terms of sports pitches and the swimming pool. think the very best use should be made of this excellent resource. St. Mary's is also located in delightful grounds and use should be made of this environment too. St Marys is a beautiful school on a stunning and uplifting site. As a former old girl who benefitted from an education here am delighted that the local Council have purchased the site for educational use. The facilities here will be of huge benefit to children with SEN and there is great scope for future development. St Marys is a fantastic facility. All the facilities are there and ready for use. can't imagine there would be much reuired to change these facilities to accomodate SEND students. As it has already been a school, would like to see this re purposed as a school ongoing. We live in Sharftesbury and the town has grown and continues to grow with new housing offered. However, there is no other provision for any of the other services that towns reuire. No extra, Dr Surgeries, schools or other infrastucture to support the people of the area. would welcome a school to support local people. St Mary's is an excellent provision and would adapt well to the different educational usage envisaged. To think of children and young people with special EN being able to stay relativelt close to home and with a provision from their own Council is heart warming, uite apart from the financial implications. St Mary's School ‐ that know well ‐ has not only outstanding educational and recreational facilities but is set in an outstanding natural setting that must be preserved at all costs for both wildlife as well as human activity. St Marys School has a rich history of education St Mary's would be the perfect and ideal location for a Special Educational Needs and Disability school. The facilities for sports and leisure are much needed, due to the lack of current provision in Shaftesbury. St Mary's is in a peaceful setting which is also important for the mental health and well being of children with additional needs. Such a fantastic site that would be able to offer our SEN children all the opportunities to learn and be educated in one safe environment. Such a site is needed to meet the needs of children who need extra educational provision to suit their needs. Such an excellent setting for education. The facilities are so good and it would be a shame for them to not be used. Such provision seems to be a growing need and if the projections are correct it will save the council money in the long‐term and it will also provide specialist education in Dorset. Superb facilities Survey is being done AFTER the purchase of the St Marys property....who decided this Are the cost benefit analysis numbers correct and accurate Safeguarding is difficult more do in a residential facility for SEND children... roup homes carefully managed for adults makes sense and is proven to be effective, this conversion of a boarding school for SEND S1234 students does not make sense...they make more progress n a mainstream school That is what the facilities are designed for, so least rework reuired. That's what it's built for. Too big as a residential house. The answer wold like to give would be YES and NO. A Special School and care facilities would be good but would like to see it as a site for a hospital and Health Centre. t would replace Westminster Memorial Hospital and Abbey iew Health Centre. The hospital would serve Shaftesbury, illingham and the surrounding area. The area needs extra provision for send

The area needs good schools and with the regular flow of newcomers moving to the area, losing such a great place would be detrimental to the community. The building has been a school since 1945 and is clearly already set up as an educational establishment. Being local to the site and having walked on the footpaths around it am familiar with the environs and great rural positioning, yet is close to Shaftesbury and the A350 leading N to the A303 or S to the coast making it easily and uickly accessible from most parts of Dorset. eg about an hour from Purbeck and from Bridport The building has been in educational use for a long time and has many of the facilities needed. The building has been updated with wonderful onsite facilities to operate as an educational and residential site. Egnew arts block, music block, swimming pool and residential uarters. The building is already set up as an educational establishment and what better than to use it for SEND The buildings and site are so obviously school‐shaped and firmly believe that this facility would be a brilliantly therapeutic setting for Dorset's SEND children. The buildings and site are well set up for continued education and there is a need for more local provision for special education needs. The core purpose to be for SEND and other educational activities. Also a amenity for the community leisure, sport and entertainment. Maybe some community/support staff housing. Open Park to the public The Council should be looking at expanding existing special schools and any new school should be more central to make it accessible for more pupils reduce travelling time and travel costs The council taking over such a large building (and estate) that is so old just seems utterly ludicrous. Old buildings are money pits, how on earth can the upkeep be justified Surely there are much better options for this proposed use m not uestioning the need, but the decision to buy it in the first place. The Council's information pack outlines the need for additional SEND facilities and this site is ideally suited to this purpose. The County seems to be in particular need of a facility for children with significant SEMH needs and their families. Children who present with very challenging behaviours due to early trauma in their young lives need an environment and a flexible routine which often cannot be provided in a school, particularly in small rural schools like ourselves. St Mary's in my opinion would be best suited to meeting the needs of these 'at risk of exclusion' children rather than waiting until they are excluded Exclusion just re‐traumatises. The site could also be set up to provide vital support and guidance for the parents and guardians of these children.

The delivery of a specialisr university r9viding degrees relevant to our county with placements in the whole of Dorset would make excellent busibess sense driving university students here and enhancing our economy. Alternatively it couod sustain a huge EMMAS project rehousing the homeless and training them in hospitality gardening maintenance catering careers to support their transition back into the community. Alternatively a respite centre for families of people recovering from intense care respinsibilities

The education system is stretched enough as it is. This building is a perfect opportunity to have a new place for SEND pupils, which is sorely needed with so few places available across Dorset. There's such a high proportion of children needing spaces but having to manage in poorly provisioned mainstream, or at home. The estate and recent years investment are focused on educational use. t seems strange to look for an alternative use that would be likely to deliver less social value than the proposed plan The existing facilites are ideal to provide much needed additional SEND provision for Dorset children and young people.

The existing facilities lends itself for specialist education delivery. Dorset lacks a facility that can develop talented sportsmen and women from schools across the county, believe the facilities at this site would lend itself for this purpose for development in a wide range of sports, this could be combined with other educational delivery. The facilities already there are ideal for this purpose. The facilities and grounds are made for the education and enrichment of children. The facilities are excellent and will provide much scope for support of needy adults and children. n today's climate where experience and education through nature is recognised as having huge benefits , the site offers tremendous scope for exploration of nature. Exercise and time in nature will only benefit many, if not all those disadvantaged by educational needs or physical difficulties. All can be accessed within a controlled environment, not available in may places. The facilities are in place for a much needed SEND facility in this area. The facilities available at the site are ideal for the preferred option of the Dorset Council and will, long term, represent a valuable cost saving. At the same time believe that there should be opportunities for community use of the facilities ( sporting facilities, meeting facilities, religious uses) as and when appropriate. The facilities could be put to great use yo support children who need a different setting catered towards their needs. Outdoir space is important for children and this site seems to have plenty. The facilities for a school are already there which would make it a cheaper option than building something from scratch and think the idea of SEND would be ideal as know that there are not many such facilities in the local area and surrounding areas The facilities have been adapted and/or provided for use in an educational environment but believe it is important that there access is more open to the wider community. The site has many possibilities but the swimming pool and tennis courts could enhance the local provision to encourage greater health and general wellbeing. The 55 acres of ground and gardens should be available for exercise and open‐air events at least freuently, preferably every day with coffee and other food outlets to generate income. The facilities in place provide a cost affective means of providing additional learning opportunities for a wide range of ages and abilities. The facilities in the school could be used to benefit many different groups with educational opportunities The high uality facilities will reuire little alteration and places are needed in Dorset for SEND students The huge deficit in the Higher Needs block can only be addressed through the development of SEN provision within Dorset Council. The St. Marys site is an ideal vehicle to do this. The idea for a special needs school seems sensible . However uestion whether such a school would make good use of all the sports facilities. This needs to be addressed as well The idea of a dedicated centre for SEN pupils is a MST for Dorset and a wider section of the the South West around Dorset. The idea of a dedicated place for those with extra needs from child to adulthood to go is really great The government has deliberately under funded social care to force through its idea of 'care in the community' with no consideration on the strains that puts on families who now have to sacrifice their own life to be carers/social workers. welcome this move from Dorset Council to reject the 'care in the community' experiment and go back to providing dedicated facilities with trained specialist to care for societies vulnerable. The ideas as suggested are excellent. But could the site also be used for adult education, hopefully looking at the model in Somerset, at Dillington House, where excellent courses are offered in a lovely setting. Wiltshire also used to run rchfont Manor in a similar way, until it was sold. 'm sure the idea would be very popular, as well as a good money spinner. The infrastructure is already in place for it to be used as a school

The is a void in further / higher education opportunities in the North Dorset area. This is a brilliant opportunity to address this long standing problem which has meant large numbers of young people not continuing in further or higher education. The more schools the better The north of dorset has less provision as more rural

The opportunity to reduce travel reuirements for young people and provide improved services more locally is of obvious benefit, as is the importance of maintaining and building local community connections. The plan to use the site for more local provision for SEND pupils is commendable, and definitiely needed. As a retired primary school headteacher was always concerned at the placement of SEND pupils out of the county where, while the provision was excellent, they were isolated from family, friends and their local community. The preferred proposed use put forward by Dorset Council and the rationale (ie the costs saved by the provision of SEND facilities for Dorset children, rather than having to outsource them) seems sensible. The previous school was well respected and the set up is ideal to carry on for use as a school. t would also add employment to the local area for teachers and other staff.

The proposal for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities is an excellent one, especially as it is all set up as a functioning school. School Holiday se ‐ Creative and Academic Workshops and Classes However think the remit could provide educational/leisure activities for other local and outside area sectors. n school holidays St Mary's could offer adult education workshops and courses. These could be of a creative and academic nature. This could provide another source of income during during school breaks. Residential Courses ‐ Field Studies Centre ‐ p Market Cultural/Creative Holidays Residential courses offering classes in subjects such as Art, Music, Yoga Meditation, Nature Studies. t could be run on the lines of a Field Studies Centre or a more up market Holiday Retreat themed course ‐ a lucrative source of income there think. Making full use of extensive grounds ‐ Nature Trail ‐ Art Exhibitions ‐ Forest School type activities. There is an endless variety of uses that these grounds could be used for. would hate to see the land being sold up when there is the potential to provide added value to the wonderful house. During term outdoor classroom activities would provide a relaxing environment, especially good for children with special needs. Things that come to mind Ropes course, making outdoor camps, creating home grown vegetable garden and sensory garden walk. The proposed plan for SEN School would be a good use of the school. The proposed use of this site sounds a good idea. However it would be of great benefit to the local residents if the pool , tennis courts etc could also be made available ( a possible income stream) to the local community. Not being privy to the full details/ numbers am unable to comment in detail on the use of the facilities. f there is spare capacity then the use for small businesses might be an idea. t would be good if some areas of the school could be used for adult Ed classes. The provision for children with special needs and looked after children inside Dorset is a financially wise move to make. For many reasons, children should remain within their area to be educated if they reuire special educational needs. This is an extensive site which should be adapted primarily for education for children. However, would also like to see the following‐ Sub‐letting of performance spaces and studios for both large musical productions and community classes including, e.g., yoga and pilates and other classes to aid mental wellbeing and fitness. These areas should be sub‐let to suitable groups, clubs, etc, at below‐ market rates to encourage people in Shaftesbury to use them. the purchase should never have been made and need liuidating immediately and return the money to active budget

The purchasing of property is not really part of a local authorities remit especially when the money used comes from taxpayers and they havent been consulted in the first place to speculate with such a large amount.

The range of AFFORDABLE, local and suitable alternative provision for students who are unable to cope with or attend (for whatever reasons) mainstream education is really really poor in the County. Students with a range of SENDs, (diagnosed and undiagnosed) are being forced to attend a setting that is not suitable for them, resulting in more and more exclusions and behaviour issues in schools, as well as impacting on teaching and learning, but also, the hooped that school shave to go through to get these students considered for AP is massive and usually results in unsuccessful processes, or, reuests for schools to fund placements that are ridiculously high. The 2 main local PR's in Blandford and Sherborne are impossible to access unless the students have been PEx and the funds for schools to build AP on their own campus is also not available. A site like this would be really beneficial for education providers and families with students who fall into this criteria. The School site is good, but the Council should sell off some of the site to developers. The school was such a wonderful place to be educated d want others to experience it. The shortage of send spaces is worrying and this could really help future children have a chance

The sisters who opened the school on 1945 were passionate about education. This inspiration came from the founder of the Religious Community now known as the Congregation of esus, Mary Ward 1585‐1645. She was a Yorkshire woman and a catholic when it was very dangerous to practice the Catholic Faith in England due to the Reformation. She felt called by od to found a new religious order for women which was not like the orders already in existence which were enclosed. She wanted her order to be free to education girls. She saw the need for education for girls. She said women were no different from men and felt in time to come women would do great things. She had to go the the continent in order to found the order and get permission from the Pope. That sadly did not come about in her life time. n fact it took 400 years to get what she wanted t seems totally right for St. Mary's to continue as an educational establishment and especially for disadvantaged girls. You have our total approval and all our best wishes that such a ministry should flourish. The site already has suitable facilities for this. The site has all the facilities needed in one place. The site has an uniue legacy as inspirational educational setting over many decades which has served the community well. There are many in the community that would want to see that special commitment that St Mary's School had to young people and their holistic education, based on a caring ethos, perpetuated in some form. The site has historically worked well as a school with associated sports facilities already existing. The site has worked brilliantly for student use for many years and there should be no reason for why that couldn't continue with an amount of community access for use of the sports facilities and perhaps some commercial use such as serviced managed office use. The most important thing though is local community access to be able to hire the baronial hall and chapel as appropriate in non‐term time and for access and use of the sports facilities including the pool

The site is already euipped for education, although not for SEND pupils however, it makes sense to continue using it in that way. have worked all my life in education, over 20 years of which was spent working with children with severe learning difficulties. My only experience of using St Mary's is being a member of the public swimming club the pool is one of the best have ever used anywhere in the country ( have lived all over and worked in various SEND and boarding schools). believe the opportunities at St Mary's are huge and that creative thought on maximising the use of the campus is needed. t should be open 50‐52 weeks a year in some capacity. The best SEND school worked in was one which was sandwiched between a regular primary and regular secondary school. Controlled mixing of pupils benefited everyone. t would be easy to use St Mary's only as a resource for SEND pupils because of its location, shut away from the rest of the local community. However, best results would be to involve the local community on the campus as much as possible, but in a managed and carefully thought through manner. The site is already euipped for educational use and trust Dorset Council's judgement in assessing its need for additional provision in the County. hope that there will be additional complementary & compatible uses ‐ which is why wanted to participate in this consultation. The site is already established as a school, with facilities already adapted for teaching and for recreation. t makes sense to continue to use these facilities without the need for expensive alterations to suit a different purpose. t also responds to the needs of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, which is a statutory responsibility of Dorset Council. The site is already setup and adaptable and a rare opportunity for a special educational needs site for the county. The site is perfect to continue to use as a school or educational setting, especially SEND.

The site is perfectly set up for educational purposes. t has been a school for 75 years (celebrated the 75th anniversary year in 2019 ‐ 2020) and has everything in place for this purpose. The buildings contain classrooms, boarding rooms (bedrooms ranging from single purpose built to multi bedded dormitories) plus halls of varying sies suitable for meetings, concerts, festivals, whatever is needed to educate people of every age, ability and physical or mental state. We had a very disabled girl a few years ago ( who now works as a reporter for the BBC after graduating from university despite the fact that she was not expected to live beyond school age) and the school was physically changed so that she could access most places in the school (top floor bedrooms were not accessible due to no limited lift use and the fact that the rooms were of varying sies ‐ tiny to large) The sports facilities are also accessible to all ‐ swimming pool and sports hall (though not upstairs in the sports hall) pitches and courts. The music department has individual rooms for practice and teaching and would be ideal for all sorts of things. t is hoped that the school will continue in an educational way since the closure of the school as it was, was very sad for so many of us. worked there for 30 years and then continued after retirement with an involvement in the Old irls association (SOA) since live in Shaftesbury and access was easy for me. The founders of the school are delighted that the purpose will be educational in the future and know that all linked with the school, although devastated by its closure, will be behind Dorset CC in this venture. Any other use of the school would mean that so much of it would have to be destroyed and what a waste of money that would be All the people have communicated with in the last 6 months are with DCC on this. Please don't lose this facility which is important for Shaftesbury and Dorset as a whole to care for children whose needs are not easily covered in the area. The site is perfectly suited to a school The site is set up for education purposes whilst also offering the opportunity for other use. The site is so big would like to see it be used for more than just an SEN school, open gardens, more sports facilities, residential accommodation, need to be multi purpose to generate enough income for it to be sustainable

The site is vast with many buildings and facilities and has the potential to fulfill multiple uses, not just one. welcome the idea that the site could continue to be used as a site for educational purposes, with recent expensive upgrades making the site more efficient, however the term 'education' could be applied to a wide range of uses and interests, beyond that of SEND provision. As a local resident would have concerns with a SEND facility being based 'out‐of‐town', cut‐off from the wider population and therefore making it more difficult to access, reuiring transport and increased carbon footprints for those using it. would also be concerned with such a facility being cut off from society and feel that such facilities should be based in the community, rooted in the communities that use it which would be for the benefit of all. feel that the site could be used for a wider interpretation of the term 'education' and could be the base for a 'Countryside Centre', 'nnovation Centre' (although that term is ridiculous) or 'Living Landscape Centre' for the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which would incorporate the AONB offices, volunteer hub and education centre, which would also house its observatory and celebrate the AONB designation as an nternational Dark Sky Reserve. This has the potential to bring revenue and increased business activity to the area as businesses create Dark Skies revenue streams, hold international conferences etc. As such feel that a wider 'education' remit would suit this site, on a local, regional and international level. The site is well euipped, private and secluded. Brilliant facilities. But would like such grounds and facilities used for the benefit of the local people, with the understanding that public can illustrate life in the outside world, where young people can interact and learn with the support of adults, for their future interaction and inclusion in the community. The site is well set up for the use of education particularly with the added bonus of all the grounds and extra curricular provision eg swimming pool and tennis courts The site lends itself to educational needs. The site seems perfect to remain as an educational facility and then embrace the need for SEND children. The site should be used in a way that maximises the previous investments by private parties. Thus preventing the need for massive overhaul costs to change use. The site shouldn't have been purchased. Provision should have been sought closer to the main Dorset urban areas. The old buildings at St Mary's are likely to need significant investment in due course to maintain or bring back into a good state of repair. The SLD children in Dorset who get the point of needing extra support ( more than can be offered in our current SLD schools ) especially with extreme behaviour and metal health needs The superb facilities at the school should be used to their full potential, allowing other children to get the benefit and opportunities they offer. Also other local groups and sports clubs should be able to use the grounds, pitches, pool and classroom areas The utilisation of existing education and boarding facilities at St. Mary's for the broader community is an excellent idea. Our young people with Special Needs deserve the best and from my experience St. Mary's would provide this. Well done to DCC for this very imaginative idea and for investing in services for this part of county. The whole building and annexes and facilities are set up for this There are alot of children with special needs and not enough school places for them, some of these children need extra help and this would be a massive help having a dedicated school There are facilities on the site that could be used by local state schools There are few choices of special schools available and they are far away, this would make a wonderful facility as a specialist provision and is accessible to SEND children in North Dorset. There are few special educational schools in Dorset. There are great facilities or young people and for the local community particularly the courts swimming pool and pitches

There are lots of children that dont learn the same way as the main stream schools educate today, one shoe fits all program. with a tailored and adapted learning scheme lots of these children whom would be lost to low paid jobs or living on benefits, can be recognised for their uniue skills and go on to be successfully contribute to society. There are many gaps in the SEND provision in the local area and many vulnerable children and young people are missed in rural areas. Most facilities cater for larger towns in the county like Poole and Bournemouth which are difficult for local people to reach. Education and children's well‐being should be a top priority of the council after the effects of the pandemic. There are many specialist education settings in Dorset, but we still have children who need placements, so any extra support and setting for this would be valued. There are not enough options for suitable special needs education in Dorset. t would be good if this site could be used for that, with some opportunities for respite day activities too as these are also in short supply. There are not enough places for children with special educational needs currently and the need is ever growing. Dorset needs more capacity for SEN children and the proposed site will enable local children to benefit relatively uickly as it is already built and will hopefully enable local children to attend without the need for long travelling times. There are not enough places in Dorset to be able to offer Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, especially in a residential setting. Where it is not easy for the parents to let go of their off spring, it is very important for the individual to begin to make choices and to gain as much ndependence as possible, There are not enough school places or provision for children with SEN in Dorset. This site is ready made. There are not enough schools, of that proposed, in Dorset There are not enough SEN provisions n Dorset. The plans look as it will be a very good place for children and adults to attend There are not enough SEND resources for families and the ones that are available are stretched. There are not enough specialist provisions in Dorset with available places for pupils with SEND There are not many SEN facilities locally and as a teacher know how vital local provision is for families There are not sufficient places for SEN children within the county, each year SEN schools are over subscribed so that they can only take the children most in need, or those rejected by their schools for behavioral problems and therefore SEN children with milder difficulties, or those without behavioral difficulties, have to home school or fit into mainstream schools. there is also more need for assistance with the transition to adult life after schooling is complete. There are such wonderful facilities at St Mary's that would not only benefit Special Needs but also the local schools, as well as the community. We are sorely lacking in leisure facilities in Shaftesbury and to have the use of the sports hall, courts and especially the amaing swimming pool, would be a real bonus. hope that these could also be available to clubs, local residents and in school holidays. There are too few good uality schools for children and young people with disabilities in the area. There are no facilities for young people up to 25. The Education, Health and Care Plan goes to 25, but there are no local places available which cater for learning difficulties and support with personal care. There are too few sites used for special educational needs using this site for this purpose would provide a welcome resource for the north of the county. There are very limited SEN placements available in Dorset and think this would be a great opportunity to create more placements. There arent enough educational facilities yet There can never be enough places of learning. Having been a Social Worker in a Dorset Disability team am very aware of the lack of facilities especially any Residential for people needing specific facilities to aid life progression.

There is a definite need for this type of school in this area. As things are at present, there is a lot of extra pressure put on the parents, siblings and the children with special needs, having in some cases to travel an hour to get to the nearest suitable school. The mental, emotional, financial impact on families in this situation is measurable, and in some cases severe, in addition there is an environmental impact, ie carbon emissions from the numerous cars used. The bus services in the Shaftesbury and surrounding areas are not particularly freuent and not necessarily available at convenient/appropriate times, and also in some cases not appropriate for the individual child involved. So in conclusion, having access to a school like St.Marys catering for SEND in the locale, would negate a lot of the pressures families in this situation experience. t would be of immense benefit not only to the familiesand their individual children, but it would be helpful in a community sense, as it could bring the individual families and their children closer, leading to a better support network. t would take the parents/families out of the isolation they often experience , which can only help mental health for all concerned. believe it would helpful to the children in integrating with the wider community, which in general would be beneficial to community itself. feel passionate about this as my own son is on the outer edges of autistic spectrum. There is a demand for special educational needs facilities There is a desperate need for a facility like this and the site is perfect There is a desperate need for a provision of this sort. t would mean children in the north of the county not needing to have to travel to other parts of Dorset for their special schools. Also if the grounds are extensive and there are other possibilities, then this can only mean other activities for our children, perhaps sporting, drama and post 16 provision might be on site too. Such a great opportunity to provide a brilliant base for our children to achieve so much in the future. There is a dire lack of SEN schools within Dorset (as opposed to young adult, 14). As a grandparent/carer of two special needs children (Autististic/ADD/Bevioural and Emotional difficulties) know the shortages of any available specialist schools in both Hampshire and Dorset. The property and surrounding area would offer a superb setting for learning both core academic and outside activity. There is a distinct lack of provision for children with SEN in this area, especially for secondary age. My son will be starting secondary school in 2.5 years and having St Marys so nearby as a place for him to go would mean everything to him and our family, meaning he wouldnt have to spend prolonged periods of time travelling to and from school. There is a great need for a special school in the area. A neighbours son goes by taxi all the way to Weymouth every day to a school that meets his needs. There is a great need for more SEND schools in this area , from experience it took us 3yrs to find a school for our son to go to ,luckily we have found him a brilliant school now. There is a great need for send schools. The location of St Marys seems ideal for this. There is a great need in Dorset for SEND children care and education. The lack of provision has led to children being sent many miles from their families and at great expense to the council. This has been scandalous. There is a huge need for a facility like this in North Dorset

There is a huge need for education for young people with special needs in North Dorset, and this site would be ideal as it is secluded, spacious and already adapted to use by young people and their teachers/carers There is a huge opportunity for The site to be used for SEN and other educational Purposes There is a lack of cohesive provision of SEND for Dorset children within the county and this will help to meet that need. There is a lack of educational facilities in the Shaftesbury area so it would be good for St Mary's to continue to be used for educational purposes.

There is a lack of SEND provision, including a lack of therapeutic SEMH provision and specialist support for children who have suffered early years trauma and have high ACE scores. We desperately more of this kind of provision. My daughter attends Westfield school in Dorset, it is an outstanding school and if the facilities, ethos and wonderful staff could be replicated on the St Mary's site it would be brilliant. Please do consider SEND children with SEMH needs, there is such a lack of this provision within SEND school options. There is a lack of SEND schools in our area with many parents having to to go out of the county to have there children schooled. There is a lack of special needs provision and education for SEN children. They could board or travel into school if living at home. There is a lack of special school provision in Dorset. There is a lack of specialist school provision for a wide range of disability. However there is also a lack of respite care for Adults with disabilities,probably more so than education There is a massive gap in provision for high functioning children with autism, especially at secondary school age...so from 11yrs old onwards. We really need this provision in North Dorset. There is a massive shortage of send facilities in the county and after trying mainstream for our son, know the best thing we did was to get him a place in a send school, other families deserve this, if it can be combined with a respite service it would lighten the load for many parents There is a need for a centre where all children from Dorset could attend day or residential courses in a wide range of activities such as field studies, music, performing arts, sport etc. Dorset Music Service could have a base here , use the concert hall , run workshops with outside organisations for adults as well as children and hold their summer residential course. Plenty of space for adult education like Dillington in Somerset to increase income. ts an awesome opportunity There is a need for additional complex special needs facilities especially 16 plus within county. There is a need for additional SEND provision within Dorset and believe the most cost‐effective option for Dorset Council, and therefore tax payers, is a continuation of use for educational purposes. There is a need for another branch of the Dorset Studio School in the north of the county. Hopefully this could be part of the plan. There is a need for appropriate educational facilities for all. There is a need for more educational provision, especially for SEN in the Dorset area. This site is set up for education already There is a need for more schools especially special need schools There is a need for more SEND children to have the education they deserve in a more local area. There is a need for specialist provision in the area There is a need for such facilities in Dorset. There is a need for this service and empty buildings cost upkeep in maintenance. The alternative of sending pupils out of county when this venue is available would be detrimental to there needs. There is a need to have SEND school as send so many out of Dorset ‐ great opportunity There is a real lack of sen provision in Shaftesbury and it means many sen children going out of borough. The site would be ideal to keep children more local and cut down travel costs and times. There is a real need to provide such provision in the area. As a parent of a child with special needs it was very difficult to find a suitable placement for him near to home whilst he was growing up and now that he is an adult. think the school should cater for both day and residential children/adults and if possible a respite service as well, which can be essential for families who have children/adults with special needs. There is a real shortage of SEND provision available in the area and it would be beneficial to have another SEND provision to avoid the expense of using out of county provision to field the ever growing need of Dorset young people.

There is a rise in SEND children and not as many SEND schools so believe this would be a good option for this site There is a serious lack of provision for children with SEN in the local area, with children travelling as far as Taunton, Dorchester & Shepton mallet daily. There is a serious lack of provision for children with varied and complex needs across the spectrum in Dorset. Our child has to travel to Taunton every day to receive the educational provision that meets his needs as there is no such facility in the county. We need a facility that meets the SEMH needs of children (please see The Spaghetti Bridge https//spaghettibridge.co.uk/our‐approach/ ). There is a growing need for this kind of provision and the situation is only going to get worse, with greater numbers of our children suffering. t would also make better economic sense for the county to have its own provision rather than sending the children out of the area at great expense. There is a shortage of in county Sen provision which means many children are educated out of county. would like to see this as a residential facility as this is lacking in Dorset and so children are being sent away for residential provision and it costs DC a huge amount of money too. There is a shortage of places available at special schools and proving more provision will mean children can get the education they deserve. there is a shortage of places for special needs this would be the perfect place There is a shortage of SEND schools around here that could offer a wide range of services to all. St Mary's is a beautiful site with an environment perfect for those children who need uiet and calm to get through their day. As a mother of an autistic child it would be wonderful to have a facilty close to home that would have the specialised needs to support her through her education which currently secondary schools do not provide the right help for some children. There is a shortage of special provision in Dorset. There is a significant need for additional SEND provision in our county and this school, with it's fabulous facilities offers the perfect opportunity, at an affordable cost, to improve that. provision to children with special needs

There is a significant need for school places particularly for those children with complex educational needs. There is always a need for education. There is always a shortage of local authority facilities and this site starts off as being configured to a high standard for educational purposes There is an overwhelming need for special education for children who find mainstream schools very difficult due to a lack appropriately trained special needs staff. A school that can provide a variety of educational programmes tailored to a childs needs would be amaing and so welcome to parents who have struggled and fought against a brick wall in order to get the best for their children and enable each child to reach a potential that will be life changing. There is avast need for more SEND facilities there our more and more children with specific needs that cannot be catered for in a main stream school setting them up to fail in that environment and instead of wasting more public money building a new school why not use a former school to help the environment and not let it go to ruin or be turned into something that will not be used to its full potential There is currently a severe shortage of spaces for SEND children who need specialist teaching and support that cant be provided in mainstream school. This site would be able to provide a wide range of facilities to enable SEND children to access education in a way that is completely at the right level with the right facilities and opportunities that cant be provided in mainstream education. t would also mean that SEND children in North Dorset wouldnt have to travel long distances to school. There is currently not adeuate local provision that is appropriate for SEND children.

There is little local provision and much need. There are also fabulous facilities that the Town could use as a whole. There is local need for Dorset children, wonderful creative green surroundings will inspire and enthuse children. There is no doubt about it that Dorset needs more SEND educational provisions . nfortunately haven't been on the site . see it's grade 2 listed so does that affect the inside being adapted. My concern would be using a site like this if it's not fit for purpose . Are there adeuate lifts inside , are the bathrooms fully accessible with hoists , large enough for beds Or can they be . What about the new school on Portland sat empty know it's not as larger but even a provision for 14‐19 . My concern comes from working in and old educational setting with SEND students. There is no provision for academically able children who have behaviours/conditions which mean mainstream is not suitable for them. There is not enough provision for children with SEN in north dorset. There is not enough provision for those with SEND and, if Dorset wants to be seen as allowing all children to thrive, then this would be a step towards it. Financially, it seem an astute plan and, for those who are currently placed in provision that is expensive and not local, it would be transformative to their lives. There is not enough sen schools. ts already school so why not much it forward to make it for sen

There is not enough specialist educational places around and especially not when the turn 16. My son would not be able to attend a college as he needs supervision at all times. So if St Marys could be made to offer alternatives when they reach 16. Also to provide for all ages and maybe run school holiday clubs would be a massive help to many local families with children with special needs. think the site has a lot of opportunities like providing maybe residential as well. There is not enough provisions or support for families with Special needs and think this could be a fantastic opportunity to bridge some of these issues. know the site and have used it for private swimming lessons for my child who has special needs so see a range of possibilities. also feel it would be good if or other parents could be involved in the discussions to give a parents point of views at proposed meetings etc. As feel the view from a parent is beneficial.

There is not enough suitable SEND provision in the county of Dorset to accommodate local children in the area with special educational needs and disabilities. There is also difficulty finding suitable education for young autistic people who need a different type of learning environment and offer presently provided by special schools and mai stream as their needs lie in between the two. think it would be really amaing as a school and school be set up as an inclusive educational and community establishment offering a wide range of support from schooling to parent workshops and training for professionals plus OT and speech and language assessments and interventions which our children desperately need locally. This is the best thing that could have happened for local people and the local authority ‐ what a beautiful building and so many will benefit ‐ we can only dream of something similar happening here in BCP. Please use it wisely. believe it will also save both LAs the huge costs of having to send children further afield to independent specialist providers/schools so that the money can be focused locally and help more young people with SEND. Done in the right way this could be the answer to many present issues for lots of different groups � good luck

There is not much provision locally for SEND so children have to travel uite a distance. As St Mary's is already set up for educational purposes it seems sensible to make use of it in this capacity and the grounds would be excellent for outside activities, sensory opportunities and generally space for them to develop. There is not nearly enough SEND provisions within North Dorset. live in Shaftesbury and my son has to travel to Bovington daily to his specialist asd school There is not sufficient specialist provision for young people in Dorset currently.

There is nothing of any uality for 16yrs plus education, these young people need to be prepared for the world in a safe and supervised setting, young people could be encouraged to run ,hairdressers,garden center, cafe, textiles shop mechanic shop small holding and animal care ect taking part in every roll from the ground up. Non profit enterprise fabulous experience for these wonderful young people, you could also have a independent living area as well as basic home skills such as cooking cleaning repairs for clothing ect. This should be accessible to all special needs children of age 16yrs plus in the area WELL DONE DORSET FOR AN ETREMELY SEFL PRCHASE

There is serious lack of sen facilities in the area and nothing local for adult education The local state schools have very limited sports facilities and it would be amaing for these to be shared with Shaftesbury school There is so much space and a great deal of accommodation , if it were to be a school, boarding would be ideal.

There is such a shortage of SEND provision within the county. Dorset Council has a moral responsibility to do more to support these vulnerable young people. have witnessed young people within foster care not be able to to access a learning facility and it is incredibly detrimental, not only to their academic attainment but to their social development. The St Mary's site is a wonderful opportunity to improve upon this situation. There isnt enough provision in the local area especially children with SEMH. There isnt enough specialist provision currently. There needs to be more specialist education catering for children with good academic prospects and abilities in thr local area. All of the specifically specialist educational schools in Dorset are geared up for those with low academic abilities. This means that children who are high functioning are unable to access an education locally and have to travel long distance in order to get the education they are entitled to. There seems to be a growing number of children with SEN and they currently have to travel a considerable distance to access appropriate educational facilities so having additional provision in this area would benefit many such children and their families. Theres a great need for Special Educational Needs and the facilities are already there. Theres a shortage of special school places in Dorset and something urgently needs to be done ‐ this could go a long way to solving the problem Theres always a need for more special schools as there are so few in the area that so many children are missing out its a shame its so far to our nearest available one it makes a long day for a child adding 2 hours travelling to a school day Theres nowhere in Dorset apart from one miles away in Bovington that caters from High functioning Autism. Theres plenty of low functioning schools but if this site could accommodate both then that would be brilliant.

There's no doubting the need for extra educational facilities, and not just young children, but also for all those disabled children who are sent away at considerable cost and certainly not to their families benefit. feel the Council has taken a great initiative in that extra educational facilities will be provided whilst also saving Council Taxpayers around 10 million a year. The opportunities this site offers beyond providing a purpose led facility for diabled children are legion. To begin with, with time and expansion the facility could become an overall income earning benefit. also feel there is an opportunity for the Council to have an old people's home which will provide additional space for a growing Senior population allowing the Council to house the Seniors for whom they are paying in the private sector as well as a foil for the younger disabled children because experience is showing that the older and younger generations interact positively. see this investment as a win, win situation and urge those responsible to think through an expansion plan that could then be floated to the electorate for their observations and suggestions. There's not enough send provision in Dorset and this would make excellent use of those facilities

Think it would be great to have a local school for those that currently have to travel to their current school. Think the area needs more special educational needs facilities This decision, was told by two Councillors, was taken without Councillors, our elected representatives, being allowed a vote. t was an ' executive management' decision, taken uncosted and would appear to be a spontaneous reaction. With the mergers of the regional councils there must be numerous redundant buildings within the merged Council areas to accommodate such a facility. f St Marys went bankrupt as an ndependent fee paying school what makes you think your effort won't go the same way. Oh yes, it will be bailed out by the local tax payer. This investment should be used as a revenue generator. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop an outstanding education facility for children with SEND ‐ and an opportunity to 'spend to save' given the number of children send out of county and the cost to the council ‐ the site facilities could also be developed for local school children to enjoy This is a perfect building for educational purposes and in particular for special needs with the wonderful facilities on offer. This is a prime site for providing versatile education and boarding facilities for those with SEND and/or autism ‐ with this kind of provision being offered by the local authority to in‐county SEND young people and also out of county, the cost would be far lower than using a company (such as Cambian or CareTech) as any surplus can be put back into the school (rather than lining CEOs pockets) this also means rates of pay for staff can be really competitive so there should be no need to spend extortionate agency staff rates as you'll always be able to attract staff. This is already set up as an educational establishment, so if Dorset has a need for a special school.... go for it But please could the locals have access to the superiour sports facilities out of school hours.

This is an absolute MST So many families with SEND children do not have the option of providing their child with the best form of support to meet their child's needs and therefore, the impact of their individual potential is greatly diminished, as well as their mental health. We are in desperate need of more SEND provision to meet, what see, and other SEND families see, as a crisis. cannot begin to express enough how this is needed and the truly life changing positive impacts it will provide to not only SEND children but their families as a whole. am a strong advocate of this. 've witnessed first hand as well as through countless other families, the disastrous effects of not having an educational provision suitable for children with SEND. This also accounts for SOME provisions saying they are euipped and suitable within SEND positive outcomes but in practice, really are not. This is an area which needs more provision and assume the site will have a good suitability having already been used for similar purposes. This is an efficient use of a site previously used for this purpose. This is an excellent site already prepared for an educational setting. ery good grounds and teaching facilities. This is an ideal property to contune it as a school This is needed and is a beautiful setting for children with issues This is so important for special education However, the sports facilities must be made available to local people. This is the reason the site was purchased and this is what it should be used for. The local authority needs to deliver its own SEND and this is how it can be achieved. This offers a fantastic opportunity This offers its self to use as a school as ready to go This provides an excellent opportunity to educate Dorset Children here in Dorset (or at least as close as is possible)

This site is already a learning centre grounds for sport,swimming pool,and a range of other possibilities. This site is already a school so will not reuire costly works to be repurposed as a school. This site would make a perfect alternative provision. t could bring together SEND and outdoor education to improve inclusion. This type of Educational centre is needed to ensure children within Dorset and close areas have the help and support needed This was a fully operational secondary school until 2020. Dorset residents worked there as teachers and ancillary staff. t makes absolute sense for it and its enviable facilities to continue as an educational establishment. ts rural setting is ideal for organised outdoor pursuits and environmental education. This will allow the LA to provide specialist SEND provision.

This would be a great use of the space as this is such a woefully under funded and under represented sector This would be a welcome provision for SEN in Dorset and desperately needed. This would be absolutely amaing for Sen children of Dorset, especially Sen children in north Dorset. This is a much needed project. This would provide support to local families This would support SE N provisioning the County and help keep some pupils more local. Though perhaps a mixed use might be considered. To get the best from the site, think educational purposes would be the obvious. also think the immediate area is screaming out for a leisure facility of sorts. With the swimming pool, fields, courts, and halls available this would be such an amaing asset for the area. To help improve local facilities for an ever expanding local community. To keep children in Dorset. To keep young people local and in the long term, to save money on alternative out of county educational provision. To preserve such a wonderful historical building and let some of Dorsets most disadvantaged children experience such a wonderful building To see this school be made into a school for children with special needs would be so wonderful. ts a huge part of our area and was so sad to see it close. There is not enough out there for children with sen, and it would be wonderful to have it here in a school so close to everyones hearts. To use for SEN children. Facilities for a school already there. Too many children with SEND wait too long for a place in specialist provision. There are not enough spaces available and many are too far away. Trans‐generational education and rehabilitation, including those special needs and disabilities. With an option to offer arts and crafts exhibition space and fairs. Fee earning through conference/seminar bookings. Look to rent and lease accommodation units. ndoubtedly it is already set up with some good educational facilities. t wouldn't make environmental or financial sense to rip these out nless it serves a specific group we already have 2 special school locally so is it really needed rgent need in Dorset for school places providing additional needs resources, and related support services for children and young people with learning difficulties, including behavioural challenges. St Marys School has potential for providing a wide range of facilities for children and young people to aid their development ‐ social, cognitive, emotional, physical etc sing this facility as a SEND facility is a great idea and opportunity. ery important so we dont have any more new houses

itally important that all children can have access to uality education in the right setting. As this building was already a school it would be ideal to be used as a school again. t could also be used as an outdoor education site and adult learning site outside of the school day. Waste of money at a time when the Council is claiming to be struggling with finances. Council taxes shoukd be falling as a result of the savings made by creating the new Dorset Council and money should not be wasted on vanity projects like this at a time of financial constraint. We are in desperate need for local special education placements We are in desperate need of a Special school in the area. t is very difficult finding alternative provision for many of our young people if mainstream school cannot provide for their educational needs. There are often massive costs and transportation issues with the location of existing special schools. This sometimes means that the child ends up having to stay in a mainstream setting and does not fulfil their full potential due to lack of resources etc. We are in desperate need of more specialist provision in the County. We are in dire need of special education needs school in the area and it will bring employment to the area We are past parents of the school and had to leave due to it going into administration m very much like it to be used for educational purposes but as long as the general public to use for sporting facilities as there is a complete lack of sporting facilities in the area. The football Astro, Astro, the lovely large swimming pool, tennis golf etc could all be utilised on this site We are thin on the ground for resources in that area . The grounds here offer a superb chance for SEN students to really make thr most of their education and blossom. We are very interested We currently do not have send provisions locally and we need to create these much needed places. We desperately need more provision locally for those with special educational needs. However, this site could in time offer so much more, helping those to access provision for extra learning to access employment etc. We desperately need SEND facilities in Dorset and the site is ready made for this and other add on uses. Better for the young people and a sensible use of funds to ensure in‐county provision of SEND We have a child with send however not low enough ability for a special school but attends a ccn base. Since him getting his ehcp trying to find suitable provision for his complex needs has been extremely challenging where a full mainstream provision is not suitable and cannot meet his needs however due to his underlying abilities he would also not get the education he needs. As families we need more provision within our local area and feel this is an amaing opportunity. With other provisions that my son ualified for he would be travelling in a taxi for about an hour to attend school and for a child with medical issues as well as anxiety and sensory this would not be manageable for him. We have a great need for special educational provision in Dorset and this would be a great venue. We have a public duty and responsibility to educate all children and a proposed new site for this very purpose is wonderful news. would be very proud of our Council to take up this opportunity for furthering the needs of young people with special educational needs. We have been using this sites pool facility for 3/4 years now ,once a week ,for training and a general meeting point. The club members ,34 in total ,were at a complete loss when the School suddenly closed its doors . m sorry to announce that we have since been unable to secure a suitable local site such as yours . We found it fitted our needs perfectly. We have been waiting for a space in SEND provision for 2 years, we fit needs elsewhere but there is no spaces. This would support so many children and families with SEND. We have limited provision for children with SEND in this area so another site for this purpose would be great.

We have very little choice on the best ways to suport our children or the amedities to do so in dorset .Many of our children are suffering in the wrong settings or long days and bus rides to schools out of county. There is a ineuality of what we offer children in education and care that shouldnt depend on where they live or how much money their parents have. we owe the children of dorset our very best in setting, care, education and mental well being . We majorly lack SEND educational facilities in North dorset and this would be a huge asset to our local community and our children. We need local provision We need more academic specialist provisions available We need more educational establishments, not less. We need more educational provision in Dorset, as the population grows we need more schools

We need more school especially for send children, as the current schools that cater solely for our children are full to bursting point. Main stream schools are also probably at maximum capacity and they also have a certain amount of send children who attend too. This site is already set up and running ( or was running) as a school and the possibility of using the site for the use of children up to the age of 19 could include them using part of the site as a way to learn independent living if they could use the boarding facilities. The bonus is that it could in a very short amount of time be up and running and release the pressure on main stream schools and also cater for many more send children who have every right to be taught and learn in a school were they feel safe and comfortable and enabled to be able to learn . t is definitely more financially beneficial to use these facilities rather than build a site which could offer all of the services that this site could offer. We need more school provision for children with SEND so m in complete favour of the proposal. We need more schools in dorset especially special needs schools We need more spaces for children that need specialist schools and that site it perfect. We need more special education in Dorset We need more specialised provision for children with disabilities within the county ‐ main stream school does not work for many disabled children and even when it can be made to work well, main stream schools need a point of specialism to go to to ask for advise and guidance. f set up properly, this could be a point of specialism for the country. We need more specialist provision in Dorset for students with SEN We need much more provision for children with SEND We need provisions for young people with SEND to prepare for independence and adulthood myself as a parent have no idea what to do with my son once he leaves yewstock as hes not prepared for adulthood and independence We need SEND provision and what an amaing facility to help support this need We suggest that at least a limited part of the school can, with great advantage, be made available for educational, heritage, training and community activities involving the wider community. Please see the final section. We were so upset in the wasteful closure of the school. We would like to see it used educationally for SEND and not‐for‐profit. We would enthusiastically support any initiative where focussed and specialised schooling can be offerd for children with SEND. This would enable focussed and specialised teaching that can only benefit our child and others with SEND in a wholly positive way allowing them to develop as part of a whole school instead of being sidelined and unable to keep up with the pace of the standard curriculum. Wellness Shark is all about whole body health & fitness, so this is great

What a fantastic opportunity. Sometimes feel children with SEND are forgotten. f this site opens it could mean children who attend SEND schools out of their area could come back to Dorset and be closer to their families. What a tremendous waste of millions of pounds There is no need for yet another special needs school. am certainly NOT happy with the 5% council tax increase to fund outlandish initiatives like this one. This site must be a money earner, not a money waster. Whilst it's a noble idea, there is much more need for housing. With an increased and increasing population in Shaftesbury believe this school site should become a regular secondary school to reduce large and increasing class sies at the existing secondary school in Shaftesbury. The swimming pool and gym should be open for public use in the evenings and at weekends / school holidays. With increasing homes being build there is an increased need for schools With St Marys already established as an educational setting feel it would be a sensible option to adapt and expand these facilities (where necessary) in order to become a SEND provision. believe that financially it would also make sense to be able to provide a more local provision. With the expansion of the Shaftesbury township and more building on the outskirts feel it is essential to maintain the amount of school places in the area. would also say the same about medical practices. With the growing number of SEND children across the country and with it becoming increasing difficult to educate these children in mainstream creating another SEND school is a sensible and forward thinking answer to the problem. with the increasing population in and around Shaftesbury and North Dorset as a whole, more educational places are going to be needed. As the St Mary's site is already set up for this why not continue. f developed into a School for Special Educational needs, More specialised teaching could be centralised and therefore better provision for those needing it. Other facilities on the site could also be utilised by other schools in the area, such as the swimming pool and other sports facilities. Without having read any detail (if there is any), m not convinced that purchasing an old building that will take a huge amount of money to maintain and run, is the best way forward. Wonderful faciities. mportant legacy for a longstanding local school Working at a special needs school in Dorset and living in Shaftesbury feel that we need more provision for SEND pupils as many schools are at full capacity with many children on a waiting list tilising St Marys outstanding facilities would be brilliant for this and would be a great asset to Dorset. t would be great if we could use the facilities to extend provision for young adults/adults with SEN as there are limited provisions in Dorset for this. believe in the councils plans for this site Would be a fantastic asset to the area. Would be a real shame to see a purpose built establishment with so many resources not being used. Would benefit local area Would like it to be put to good use, and for facilities to be available to locals Would like the site to be mixed educational use and the grounds open for community use. Similar to pton Country Park in Poole. St Mary's grounds are beautiful and would be a wonderful facility for walking, they would also be ideal for a forest school to be used by local school children and those further afield. t would be good if the swimming pool was available to local groups. Would like to see Early years also Would need to further details about how it can be adapted for all levels of SEND accessibility

Yes as there is very limited provision for SEND children in the North of the County in terms of schooling other than Yewstock School (where work), and many are placed out of County when their needs cannot be met within the County. The same can be said when looking for specialist provision out of school, which is why HippBones is so important to the community it serves across North Dorset and neighbouring counties. Yes because we don't have enough schools. Yes but a broader range of education included as well. This should include a hub for green technology, rewilding some of the unused land and alternative technology. Yes but also for other things, there is so much land and space and believe it should be used wisely to secure its future Yes but only if it could be used by the towns people as well, not closed due to the needs of the people with SEND. An inclusive educational provision who serve all. A forest schools/horse use could also be available for all. Yes but would like to see something for the community use too. Yes but would prefer that some of the large site be used to enhance local community facilities and amenities. Yes education for special needs but also older adults for special needs ie have epilepsy and fibromalger and my daughter is 20 and as autism and cerible palsy BT there is nothing within the area for us to access We do not drive this place is on our door step we have hardly no bus service WE NEED MORE FOR FAMLYS WHO HAE NEEDS, Yes education is invaluable. Yes for children up to 25 with special education needs as have two sons with SEN aged 17 and nearly 19 Who will have travel further a field to stay in education Yes think a SEND school is a good core use but think that Shaftesbury as a town is in desperate need of decent community facilities. Spaces for businesses, sports facilities, concert and performance facilities, art, wildlife and ecosystem benefits from the extensive grounds. find it difficult to attract good staff to work in my Shaftesbury office as the town offers so little for young professional people. This town could thrive if DCC would prioritise community rather than cheap supermarkets and expensive parking in town. Yes think it is a brilliant way to carry on a long the history of the school. Yes think its very important for all children with complex needs and disabilities to have the best education possible my son goes to Yewstock insturminster Newton and its amaing there are so many more children in Dorset who need help and support in education so this would be amaing for so many familys and children if this was so happen you have my total support.

Yes if the building only reuires basic modifications and geographically covers and area not already cover by newer and more cost efficient facilities. f the building is more suited for sale to a business for hospitality or re‐purposing then this should be a consideration older building can carry high refurbishment and running costs and as a result the finance could be best spent on existing more modern facilities. Yes this is much needed facility for this area. The grounds and sports facilities should be open to communities to access to support improved health and well‐being of residents. Cost and lack of facilities are a significant barrier to people living in rural parts of North Dorset. There is a significant lack of formal sport and exercise facilities in Shaftesbury with no leisure centre. The school grounds should be open at evening and weekends for people to access. See Sport England opening school facilities initiative where funding can be accessed to alter access to overcome safeguarding issues. Yes this site functioned as a school and contains all the necessary provisions to remain as a site for education. t must remain a place of education and not be wasted on development or profit as housing. This must benefit the children of dorset

Yes, because it is already set up as a school so could be relatively easily adapted and brought up to date. Yes, but with caveats. The accommodation seems extensive and feel that a good proportion of that should be allocated to teenagers leaving the care system as a sort of halfway house between care and the world outside. Yes, but with community use as well. such as youth, sports. Yes, in the broadest sense of educational as in opportunities for learning and development for the whole community covering academic, vocational, leisure and physical subjects. Yes, the council has some specialist provision sites however, the demand is currently outweighing the spaces available to children and young people in Dorset. Yes, there are not many SEND schools. believe this space would be well used it was used for SEND. Outdoor activities such as horse riding. f possible, could this site also have facilities for DC offices to accommodate for Council staff in the north of the county. Yes. have a child with an EHCP plan. t was a battle to get what my son was already entitled too. The lack of provision for children and adults is terrible in this country. Dorset has been the first time had a positive experience. moved there. There are simply not enough places for children who need specialist provision, not enough funding, abuse of their rights. Too much resistance from Councils who due to lack of funding are not completely honest with parents. Parents should have more schools as a necessity to choose from rather than being at the mercy of funding. Yes. would like to see education for those over 16 beyond maths and English. Also for those more able, beyond basic life skills Yewstock is fit to burst. So this would be excellent.

You are keen to use St Marys for Dorset's SEND population. understand the importance of this and agree. would also like to see the site benefit other groups of the community, in particular for adult education. Shaftesbury currently offers fragmented facilites (pre pandemic) for various interest groups such as photography, 3A, keep fit for the elderly etc. Surely it would make sense (both from a practical and financial perspective) to offer these under one roof. ‐ the current Arts Centre has had historical financing problems not helped by the upkeep of their building. St Mary's has a wonderful period hall complete with stage and plenty of seating space for audiences. Perhaps the Arts Centre could take this part over. ‐ music rooms to be hired by musician groups or those who wish to study music ‐ language centre to be hired by schools whose pupils wish to focus on becoming linguists similarly for adults wishing to learn a language in evening classes ‐ sports facilites ‐ Shaftesbury doesn't have a Leisure centre. Yes there is a small pool in the Royal Chase Hotel and an outdoor pool in the centre of Shaftesbury itself however the community would benefit hugely from using St Mary's swimming pool, tennis courts, pitches and gym. There is so much scope and space to allow Yoga, keep fit, dance, salsa etc etc classes to be provided to various groups on an ad‐hoc basis. ‐ gardens of tranuility for leisure walkers and meditation groups. Accommodation already there could be used (on a limited basis) to provide a welcome break to groups or individuals looking for a sabbatical‐type or retreat weekend. believe that the surroundings would be so conducive to this and that this facility could be opened up to bookings from all over the country as Shaftesbury as a town has a lot to offer. ‐ the grounds needing attention could be tended to in part by volunteer gardeners and those wishing to have hands‐on experience. This could potentially create savings for the Council. am an ex‐pupil of St Mary's and strongly believe that the community of nuns who taught and lived there would wish to see their school benefit as many people, young and old, as possible. think the Council has a golden opportunity to carry this through and use this precious asset primarily for the good of ALL the people in Dorset. can see that properly managed and well‐organised, St Mary's would be able to generate the kind of income reuired to prolong it's upkeep and self‐perpetuate.

You do not have schools that cater for the needs of children with autism and special needs Apparently the secondary school in shaftesbury do but the experience 've had with my 11 year old son is a disgrace t would be great to have a school that actually understands the needs of special needs

You have NOT completed Due Diligence (or there is no evidence), so it is impossible to form any balanced view without sight of ALL information used to come to this decision (which appears a fait accompli). The Minutes or Record of Decisions for the meetings of 8 and 14 December 2020 show NOTHN to let a taxpayer know if all has been done correctly. n particular, there is NO NFORMATON on any reports or documents as part of Due Diligence which informed the meetings and subseuent decision (eg Scoping Studies, Business Case). This whole enterprise could become a white elephant ‐ only time will tell ‐ as residents/taxpayers have been ignored completely. The fact that the project leader has a straight SEND background clearly shows that it is, indeed, a fait accompli ‐ so is the survey a simple smokescreen/waste of time . Your preferred plan sounds eminently sensible Yr option is the best one.

Q13 Could you please explain your answer ‐ to support proposals for opening a SEND school . ... special needs, but not only. Elaborating on my first answer, and to provide background 1. am a Dorset resident, writing in that capacity. However ... 2. am an educator (a professor at Bournemouth niversity Business School, specialised in strategy and governance), and 3. Chair of the trustees of a major adult social care provider with a strong focus on learning disabilities. t is based in Bristol and does not operate in Dorset, though the issues are similar. We should certainly try to avoid limiting a site as rich as this to being a facility that, in effect, locks away children with special needs. First, there are others (adults) with special needs. Second, there are able children who would benefit from contact with those with special needs. Third, and most important, the children with special needs have a lot offer the rest of society. As a strategist, see opportunities for a mixed use facility, with a focus on special needs, but not in isolation. With the nearby Yewstock Schools (Sturminster Newton) and Forum School (Shillingstone), there is already a cluster in the making. What's missing are the elements that integrate the facilities and people into the community, and the community into the schools. That is, the area has expertise, and could develop it further, in two directions. A) Developing expertise and fostering education in the care of people ‐ adults and children ‐ with special needs. As a trustee of a social care provider, see every day the need for people with ualifications in care focused in this direction. For example, would love to see someone develop ualifications that would set carers on the career path to more sophisticated care and into care management. B) Developing ways in which those without special needs, especially talented young people, could develop their talents and use them, in the first instance, to enrich the lives of those with special needs. magine here an arts centre, a live‐work facility for visual and performing arts, for traditional crafts and skills, connected to the community and supporting the special needs educational purposes at the same time. Here think in part of the development in ermany of oDorf (https//kodorf.de), a project initiated by a former student of mine to create both permanent arts capabilities linked to educational and economic development and special summer schools/events to bring creativity into places outside major cities. St. Mary's offers the possibility of adding something like that to the special needs sector, and thus also bring the broader community into the St. Mary's orbit. Even writing out this idea gets me excited. 100% agree A fitting use for a building that has always been a caring environment A huge and growing need in the area A hugely positive opportunity to provide high uality facilities for our SEND children in an environment that is completely uniue. A lack of facilities throughout Dorset A lot of other children would benefit from a school like St Marys A lot of the local children with SEND have to travel out of county particularly if they have many needs A MY PREOS ANSWER...... how many homeless people do we have in Dorset How many newlyweds who can't get on the housing ladder How many homes would this ex.school offer A need has been demonstrated A really caring idea for those that could not make a choice. A school for many children and specialist teachers that know how to teach and support these children. Wonderful A school is needed definitely whether it's adaptable or suitable is the uestion. A send school is the best possible vocation for the site. A total and utter waste of tax payer's money Aa explained above. There is a high need

Absolute amaing if this place was used for Sen children in Dorset, especially north Dorset, as many Sen children have to travel out of area and also long bus journies. Children with Sen have so much potential and this site offering specialised education and training for post 16 Sen kids is fabulous Again believe there is the need for another SEN school in the county. Again, oboe of we can all use the facilities inclusively. Again, the set up to be a school is there and there , a lot of work and expense to make it a secure site. Agree that provision out of county is a waste of resources and the site is appropriate for SEND Agree with the caveat of opening oppurtunities to all alongside SEND Almost all my immediate family work in special need schools and have seen how vital they are to help with a child's life Also silly , what options

Although my highly special needs grandchild lives over in Somerset this would be an amaing facility that could be developed even further and having the benefit of accommodation takes the vision to another level. An increase in Special Education provision will benefit a lot of families now and in the future. And can be used for other training ie computer training Another school is not the answer. The crucial need is for Respite for young people and Supported Living opportunities for young adults. Answer already given. Answer explained on previous space on last uestion. Answered in previous page. Answered in previous uestion. Any educational/community setting will be welcomed/needed Any Proposed Educational establishment that deals with the needs of the local community is a good thing, whether it's for a specific group of pupils or not. f there is need for this particular type of service then yes. Anything that can be done to help, should be done. Anything that helps with travel times and makes things local. Area needs it As a former primary school governor understand that a local facility would be very welcome. As a grandparent of a child with high functioning autism , d like to see provision which meets his needs. His current school is amaing and doing all they can but specialist support would be so advantageous

As a grandparent of a child with SEND, am aware of how much support such children need. t will be such a benefit for such children & their parents to have a resource such as St Mary's within the county. Also, as a social worker (retired) am aware that using private educational establishments & residential facilities makes assessments rather more complicated. Some private resources have a vested financial motivation for keeping children in their facilities even if the children might be better served elsewhere. am very pleased that Dorset county council are thinking of bringing such resources back under council control. As a mother of a child, whom was sent to a school over 2 hours drive/almost 4 hours away by public transport, by which the later was my only option, it weighed on me alot that should an eventhttps//news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/2021/02/04/have‐your‐say‐on‐important‐ site/utmsourceFacebook&utmmediumsocial&utmcampaignOrlo happen where my son needed me, couldnt help. To have the option of a closer school would of been comforting

As a Mum with a child with severe regressive autism, know that a space such as St Marys would transform many young lives due to the beautiful environment that it is set in. The green space & face it is tucked away from sensory over load is priceless for these children. love Dorset and was born & bought up there.

As a parent of a child who needs a specialist school and there arent any spaces for him strongly agree that it needs to be done As a parent of a child with additional needs ( he attends an SEN school) any such facilities supporting children and parents, would be fantastic. We have to travel to other parts of the county, such as poole, Bournemouth to access special facilities which are accessible to our son. As a parent of a child with complex special needs and as an employee of a Dorset special school have witnessed pupils numbers grow year on year which at times compromises the uality of the care and education. As a parent of a SEND child this would a great resource. As a parent of aSEN child know the importance of this type of setting As a resident of illingham would be pleased to see local provision for children with additional needs as local children often have to travel long distances to attend schools and specialist services. The more local SEN places available the better, there are many children in mainsteam schools who would benefit from an increase in local provision As a SENDco completing EHC plans have seen very little support for SEN children in mainstream. think you need to decide what level of need you will support. As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above

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As above ‐ dont support a single use case approach. Furthermore if were to pick one use case it wouldnt be one which is ultimately reliant on government funding which will no doubt be sueeed over the next couple of decades. Furthermore, a residential SEND facility will create massive safeguarding reuirements which will preclude any other uses of the site. Over time it will wain from lack of funding, fall in to disrepair and fail. As above , Children with behaviour that needs out of county provision As above . See previous argument As above a much needed facility As above support the proposal alongside enabling local residents to use the swimming pool and grounds (walled garden) for community allotments/gardens As above though hope residential provision will also be considered as part of the site so as to maximise your offering As above, it is needed As above, it would benefit myself and other familys it will help take the strain of the currently back log of applications for Yewstoke school and also help parents with child who come under SEN but mainstream cant facilitate for some of there pupils As above. As above.

As above. Education for anyone needing it would be fine ie as extension to illingham/Shaftesbury schools

As already noted Not local to the main population areas of Dorset Not even on bus or train routes SEND students yet again put out of sight, out of mind Disability access ‐ hoists lifts disabled toilets Disabled accommodation How will travel training happen How will families access the site without transport How will the students be integrated into their local communities How will students access youth clubs/after school clubs when so so far from home How will students be supported to access a wide variety of work experience and learn the skills that they need to live in their local communities More institutionalisation that we are meant to be getting away from How is this in the best interest of the SEND young people of Dorset Many SEND students are already put into a school at age 5 and stay there until 19. This does not support them to learn to cope with change. Let alone if the Social Care provision for adults also gets sneaked. As an educationalist am aware that there are a number of SEND children who are struggling in mainstream schools. As before

As before ‐ families with children who have disabilities need all the support they can get and this is a wonderful way to offer help not only to the children and young people themselves but to their wider family.

As before, it would be really good to have SEN provision in the north of the county, and not just for those with an EHCP but for those in mainstream who are really struggling and need some kind of alternative provision that is within the area. As before, there is an identified need and it is not been completely met within Dorset As detailed in previous answer ‐ it is a purpose built site, suitable for educational purposes and would be well used in this capacity. As explained above As explained by the council it is a facility reuired for Dorset and help local families with the transport issues they experience now with send children out of the area. As i found it hard to find a semh school in t area. When i was looking and had to travel to see places. his As have said previously it will greatly benefit (SEND) participants as another schools badly needed waiting lists are getting longer. As have said previously, if you were to use this site for send children it would free space in main stream schools and also help both them and our children as the teachers would be able to concentrate more , as we all know that our childs needs (through no fault of their own ) demand more attention and direction than others which impacts on the class. Our special schools are also so very full and sometimes teachers must feel almost overwhelmed by both the childrens need and class sies. As said before, there is not enough provision in Dorset for their needs As understand from press and television reports many children/persons with special needs are sent out of county, due to lack of facilities, virtually isolating them from family and friends, sometimes causing additional mental stress. An in County facility may help to alleviate the problem. As in last answer. There are more urgent alternatives. This country has not replaced the council houses sold in Mrs.Thatchers time as the Right To Buy and that has been a MAOR mistake. As it's euipment of a school and benefit others round local area. As last answer As mentioned before, SEND children are not the only people with needs in the area. We have wider reuirements which could be met using the St Mary's site. As mentioned previously, as a nation, we need to make extra efforts to ensure this section of our society feels included 100% in education and it is only right we should expand our educational facilities nationwide for this purpose. As mentioned previously. As my previous answer ‐ you should be promoting inclusion not segregation As my previous reason. We need these places desperately for all parties....children, parents and schools. As over As per my explanation above. All children and particularly those SEN need the opportunity to thrive and for children and young adults with SEN this often needs to be in a specialist school setting. As per my previous answer am aware of parents who have no choice but to place their children into boarding out of county as their is no suitabl educational provision within county. As per my previous response, can see the business case for using St Mary's as a SEND facility. But see this as a practical, if not very imaginative, use of a site with wider potential. By exclusively using the St Mary's site as a SEND facility, it would limit the potential value and benefit for a much wider number of young people across the county who don't meet the definition of a SEND case. As per previous answer. As previous answer there is not yet enough provision. As previous answer.

As previous comment it id much needed, but must be done properly and not stinted on. You need to take the lead from some of the independent schools, who stand head and shoulders above many special schools. As previous comments.

As previous, there is a shortfall in the number of spaces available and large waiting lists meaning that some children who cannot flourish in a general school environment are missing out educational opportunities.

As previous, we firmly believe that the sense of place, connection with the landscape, a strong local community culture can only offer a wonderful place for young people, perhaps of even greater value to those with SEND needs. We agree with your consultation that it is a fantastic opportunity for the county and provision of services for those who can not otherwise access locally. Having said that, we have limited knowledge of how the transition to SEND educational needs might impact day‐to‐day operations that differed from the routine of St Mary's. So although we support the principle, it would be helpful, in due course, to know what impacts and benefits might be towards local residents. And how we as neigbours and adjoining land owners can support you with the aims of the site. As previous. also believe that there is a Trust involved And as a matter of interest, believe the premises are located in Wiltshire. Does that have implications As previously explained As previously stated there is always a shortage of local authority SEND facilities As previously stated, believe the site could be developed in to a SEND base/hub with a particular focus on SEMH. This could bring together all the latest thinking on mental health and become a centre of excellence for trauma‐informed educational practice.

As previously stated, this school would help towards meeting the needs of this disadvantaged group of children As previously stated. As previously, you have a building which has a number of facilities already suited to educational provision. As someone that struggled to go through the state education system, this is something that is close to me. t is no secret that the supply and demand for such sites and facilities are so unbalanced and as such the need for them is so important. They give invaluable opportunities to children and young adults that otherwise fall through the gaps, not providing them with essential educational and fundamental life skills. This is why feel that a site such as this would be an amaing opportunity for those who need and would benefit from it. After all, the children of today are our tomorrow and so we owe it to them to do them justice and provide them with the essential stepping stones to make it in life and society. As stated above as stated before As stated in the previous answer. As well as a Shaftesbury resident m also a mum to two send children. They are supported extremely well in school and wouldnt benefit from this proposal, however am aware of how the support for special needs children is in very short supply and how far other children have to travel for support. t would be amaing to see the council investing in this area when to often we are hearing of cuts that affect our SEND children to the detriment. As with previous answer , because it is needed, prevents high cost placements out of county and further penalties applied to the HNB at present there is a serious lack of specialist schooling At the moment many of our SEND children are unable to find appropriate provision in Dorset. Out of county provision costs local taxpayers a premium.

Aware of our children having to travel or be placed out of county and the cost ‐ closer provision with good facilities making better use of the dorset Aware there is a need for this Badly needed Badly needed Because so many children sent miles away from families Before even knew of what options were available felt that this would be a very good use better than noisy business use and less traffic to / from the site Better to have all the children under one roof than spread throughout the county But be careful about mixing some vulnerable pupils with learning difficulties and pupils with challenging behaviour as nit can be a toxic mix. to the detriment of the former. Appoint only teachers with specialist ualifications and those who have been checked out. But would be more supportive if also accessible when possible to all young people and children Centralisation of such services is efficient budget wise and for the benefit of the children. Centralising skills, resources and teaching staff to provide a centre of specialism can only be beneficial and allow the children to access the very best care and education. Children and young people often need extended care and support provision well into adulthood. Children of today should have the opportunity to be educated at a reasonable level even it means they have to be away from home during the week.. Children shouldnt have to travel so far to go to school Children who are disadvantaged either physically or psychologically would flourish in the beautiful buildings and grounds. Children with Sen and their parents deserve the best. Too many children with BESD are bit in school and their families deserve more. Children with SEND are most greatly disadvantaged and therefore have the greatest need ‐ and represent the top priority Children with Special Educational Need stand Disabilities have not had that much help in the past. t is good to see their needs being catered for at last. Considering how far some pupils have to go for specialist SEND provision, adding more provision can only be a positive, as long as there is evidence it will be well utilised and reduce pressures elsewhere. Create a state boarding school open to all children

Currently no SEN / SpLD special schools in Dorset despite demand ‐ we have had to look outside the county.

Currently we are spending far too much money on placing children with SEND in the independent sector and in doing so are supporting private businesses rather than investing in the education of our Dorset children. Currently we have to use out of county provision to support our most vulnerable students as Dorset does not have enough spaces within its current educational settings to provide specialist and appropriate care. Fnancially, this must make much more sense than constantly buying in support.

Definitely. feel strongly that the new school needs to cater for a range of SEND though including Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD). feel that SpLD/Dyslexia is particularly under‐supported in this area. As understand it, there are no resource bases catering for SpLD in Dorset any longer ( believe The ryphon School in Sherborne used to have one). nstead, these learners are catered for in the most part within mainstream settings. However, don't believe that there has been enough training and expertise in identifying and supporting these pupils in mainstream schools. t is because of this that embarked on specialist training myself. But my experience is that it for the most part students who have these difficulties are mainly supported in schools by TAs rather than ualified teachers. A SEND school could perhaps act as a hub for extra support and outreach for those with SpLD who are in the mainstream schools in this area, as well as catering for those students who need a full‐time specialist placement. also think that the campus has huge potential for offering practical hands‐on education for vocational educational pathways as well (e.g. landbased, animal care, sports, catering etc). Desperately needed Dont mind either way Don't know enough about the needs in this area Dorset could be a major centre for such education with the right staff of all levels. Dorset Council Education Dept is short of SEN places. See previous page. Dorset Council have little provision in the north of the County for SEND provision this should be addressed. Sending pupils out of County is expensive but can you beat the provision they already have ‐ a lick of paint wont work. What provision in South Wiltshire is there, after all this is in Wiltshire Dorset Council needs to be able to offer a suitable sie facility with enough space to meet multiple needs. Since other provision has closed over the years and children have been sent out of the county this is not acceptable either for the children or the families involved. Dorset desperately needs extra SEN provisions Dorset does need more Special Educational education centres

Dorset does not have enough specialist provision for children to stay in Dorset and continue their education Dorset is in need of more specialist provision locally to avoid children being placed in expensive independent provision out of county. Dorset is short of spaces for SEND children and this could provide a great facility for day school and boarding. Hopefully without too many alterations. Dorset needs more SEND placement capacity and it would be great to have a broader provision in the north of the county

Dorsets current provision is inadeuate. There are not enough places in the current special schools (day pupils) for children or young people. Dorset also lacks residential provision for those with additional needs. Dorsetshire send provision is shocking and needs expanding Due to my association with The Wessex Autistic Society am very aware of the needs of these very special children. Education first Education for all Excellent facilities for special needs Excellent use of the property Explained in my previous answer Explained in previous answer ‐ it would be good to also have a centre for Adults with Learning Difficulties as very underserved at present. Explained in previous uestion.

Facilities need to improve for all students what ever their needs Fantastic use of space Feel there is a considerable need

First of all think these uestions are extremely leading, and imagine you guys have already made up your mind on what you will use it for and this is just a ticking box exercise. think Shaftesbury doesn't have any luxury accomodation for people to come and stay to explore the beautiful surrounding areas. so i think this could be a really good use of this. As well as adjoining gym for hotel goers but also for private memberships.

For all the reasons given on previous uestion. Can only benefit children living in the north of the county meaning there is more schooling time and less travel time for each child. So better use of school hours. Happier children not wasting time travelling to schools in south county. Parents happy because their children are nearby, win win. Would also open up places in existing special schools, previously taken by those from north county, thereby reducing waiting lists. Opportunity to create a truly special place, similar to that shown on T over Christmas of the facility now provided, think i n Essex, where there is s largest special school. What a programme that was, and here is the opportunity for Dorset to have our own multi disciplined professionals in OT, SALT, physio, a swimming pool, sports, the list of skills that would be attracted to the new provision is huge For reasons given cost and ease of access For the reason given in the last answer ‐ it's about protecting the most vulnerable in our society. For the same reasons given before really. f the school has the room and the facilities to support SEN learning, then it would be a wonderful place to learn, and also enrich the lives of children and learners by being such a beautiful site From reading the proposal, it seems already set up for education. There are not enough SEND places in the area so it seems to be the obvious choice to make use of this site in this way. From what have read there is no provision for this in the area. And having a relation with Down syndrome know how hard it is to find places Funding should be focused on enabling children to be educated in their local community. ood to create more provision for SEND randparent of a child with autism have a grandson with special needs and he has to be transported to salisbury at the moment a good school within a mile of his home would be wonderfull

Have not seen any proposals as to how this would be supported and implemented yet. No financial projections yet. No indication of how the estate would be carved up to protect the SEND children while retaining the natural environment. Would need to see much more detail of how, for how long, sources of funding, sources of professional staff,etc. Long term projection of what so far is just a nice idea with no legs. Having been a pupil at the school for several years and been very happy there, think this would be an excellent idea and hope sincerely that Dorset Council can go ahead with the project particularly if it will help SEND children in the area. Help the most vulnerable part of society work in a local Secondary School and some students would be able to fulfil their potential in a place special school to meet their often complex issues. We need to give every child the best we can offer in surroundings, education and support. agree agree as there seems to be a need i agree but what happens after school. we need these type of facilities for adults agree but would like to see complementary uses that link the facility to the Shaftesbury community.

agree if the need is there but do not have enough knowledge to fairly comment. agree in many ways but would like to see more primary schools in Shaftesbury with the rate the houses are being built. agree in principle but this is a good opportunity to provide further facilities on the whole site ie. a farm school and a chance for new learning skills for all children who not academically bright.

am a mother of a child who is seeking alternative provision but sturggling to find a school that meets need.

am a teacher and acknowledge that differentiation is not always met to a satisfactory standard as the class sies grow and needs are often complex. My daughter has austism, adhd and learning difficulties. She has managed well in mainstream up until the last 12 ‐ 24 months and would benefit from finally having constant support from OTs, SALT, ELSA specalists, Educational psychologists, etc. The access to specialist help through the NHS and schools has been sporadic and short term. We have had to run most of this additional therapy ourselves whilst also working. We are tired and would love to know that our daughter is getting what she needs at her setting and being given the best possible start to overcome her difficulties. She is verbal and has a great personality and creativity. She just needs someone to work more closely with her to bring her on in the areas in which she struggles and an amaing outdoor space such as St Mary's can offer would also help maintain a positive mental health. am aware that local children with SEND are struggling to access the necessary education in the area and that Yewstock is over subscribed. am happy for this to take place however there must be a facilitiy for us to use the pool to provide our services to the community. Previously we used the pool one evening a week which not only provided an income for the school but as previously mentioned an invaluable service to the community. for example used to run try dives for people with both physical and mental disabilities. This is done with the support of our national governing body the British Sub Aua Club (www.bsac.com). am not local but it sounds as if it is reuired. t would be a perfect location. am sure that there are other, just as important proposals that should be considered but fear that the decision has already been made and that this survey is, as usual, just lip service am very happy for this extensive facility to be used for this purpose. did once as an instructor for a local club in ent organise a try dive session for people with different disabilities to come and try this fabulous sport in a pool. We welcomed visual impaired, people with physical and mental disabilities. t was an incredible success and would love to have the opportunity to provide this again. assume the council undertook the reuired due diligence given the lack of existing resources. believe it is better for children with SEND to be educated in mainstream schools so they can be close to home and benefit from having as close to normal environment as possible, it also helps the community as a whole to be aware of disabilities and how to accommodate those. believe more SEND provision is needed. believe SEND learners will benefit hugely from having the opportunity to learn in this amaing setting. Not only does it already have all the reuired facilities as a school, but the setting provides huge opportunities to benefit from the sporting and woodland facilities withion the grounds. believe that the school should open its facilities to all young people believe that there are no facilities in the area for children that need extra help at school but are not severely needing help. E for a school for autism or severely disabled. There needs to be something of a middle ground for children that just a bit of extra help. believe the above average superb facilities should benefit those with special educational needs . believe there is a shortage of education provision for adults with special educational needs. believe this is a big enough space to accommodate all children of any need.

believe this would be an excellent use, but that this could be widened to provide opportunities for many local students and schools/education providers belive there is a gap in this provision for young people in Dorset especially in the North of the county do agree with a SEN school, however feel that a respite centre would be more useful. do believe there is potential for more than a special needs school we have a distinct lack of facility's for entertainment for the youth in shaftesbury and surrounding areas. dont know the stats on this topic. However improvements in local education are needed. feel a special school is needed in the area

feel everyone deserves the right to a good education and that everyone, if supported correctly, can achieve. feel its a perfect opportunity for the children who need Specialist provision feel to retain the site for SEND children and young people is a much needed facility. was lucky enough to live close to Sturminster Newton so was able to get my daughter to Yewstock fairly easily but know that there are parents who struggle to these difficult youngsters up early and off to school if they have to travel some distance. So yes do hope it all comes to fruition. have a child with SEN and dont feel any other local provision will meet his needs after primary school. have a daughter who has sen have a grandson & great nephew who could benefit from a school like this in Dorset.

have a grandson with disabilities and know about the lack of places and the difficulties in placing children. have a grandson with SEND and know how important it is to have provision close to home if possible. They need familiarity and little change in their daily routine. have a nephew who attends such a school elsewhere in the country that has provided fantastic support for his educational needs. To also have residential facilities for SEND children is a bonus have a niece and a nephew who would benefit have a SENCO child and know that having time at home creates stability, if this became a boarding school he would suffer from lack of home contact have a son with SEND have a son with SEND and understand the importance of such schools

have already partly answered this uestion on the previous page. t seems a wonderful opportunity and congratulations to Dorset Council for thinking boldly to use St Mary's in this way. One challenge is the location of St Mary's, right on the northern tip of the county. f you lived in Lyme Regis and currently went to school in Exeter, that would be easier than a Lyme Regis pupil needing to attend St Mary's. Most people in Shaftesbury use Salisbury Hospital because it is the nearest ‐ and also a very good hospital ‐ rather than Dorchester or Bournemouth. think Dorset Council needs to look carefully and helping SEND pupils who are geographically closer to St Mary's and able to attend as day pupils but not Dorset Council pupils. Presumably fees from Somerset and Wiltshire Councils for St Mary's taking their pupils would also help with running costs. have an autistic son

have explained in my previous answer that think the St Mary's School site could be converted to a model site for social housing with various amenities. t could be an exemplar with social housing combined with facilities, perhaps nursery, adult education, workshops on life skills etc, as a place where families, currently in need, could feel at ease and increase their life chances. think this would be a far better use of the site. Children with special educational needs, arguably, need to be more integrated into society, rather than isolated. disagree with this proposed use of the site. would prefer to see my vision enacted. have family and friends and know of many people locally who would be abke to apply to use the school.

have family members who would hugely benefit from this have first hand experience of having a child with SEND, but no suitable nearby school place. have given it above. Too large and impersonal, unless there are small units with one to one staffing. have had a very hard time finding a SEND school to take my son which doesnt reuire driving hours away. We are still going through the process now, he currently has a home tutor and hasnt been in a school for some time. have listened to the rationale for the need for such a school and St Mary's does fit the bill, especially as the educational facilities are already in place. ranted there will need to be adjustments made to make the school safe and accessible for all types of disabilities, but it is all possible. have never visited the school but it seems far too large a building to accommodate this number of children. taught special needs children for many years and they need a cosy environment , not vast spaces. don't understand how it will be financially viable either. Why did the previous school fail have no special expertise or knowledge that would ualify me to agree strongly ... or take issue with DC assessment of suitability & need. have worked at Yewstock school as a teaching assistant. The needs of all levels of the SEND spectrum would be well met at St Marys. have worked with Adults that have SEN for 24 years as a Collegd Tutor and would love to work at fabulous building and opportunity like St Mary's in the future just wonder if it is the best location for a SEND school know how hard it is to find places that are safe for send children and in which they feel safe. think St Marys can offer that know it costs a lot for Dorset residents to travel for education etc at present. think perhaps a mixed use might be a good idea. probs of course but not insurmountable. know nothing of the costs but suspect conversion and operation (capital and running) costs would be significant and take a greater proportion of the county's budget. However, the beneficial features bias my opinion to agree. know of children waiting for much needed specialist education. This would open p much need spaces for many. know the school and consider it to be very suitable though some modifications might be needed for certain disabilities. live close and this is a great idea live in illingham (previously Shaftesbury) and found no suitable SEND schools in North Dorset close enough to these areas, allowing less time for my daughter to need to travel to & from school (which can be problematic in itself) refer to my previous answer the utilisation of existing facilities of high uality for our most deserving young people the provision of services in the north of the county. This could make a huge difference to families in our area and has the potential to become a centre of excellence for the education of young people with special needs. refer you to my previous answer. would like to think that the site has sufficient space, is already DDA compliant access to include all internal door openings, access to all floors so it lends itself to be used for its intend use without incurring a significant refurbishment, alteration costs on top of the cost of purchase already incurred. support all and any plans to open a school for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities at St Mary's School, Shaftesbury. We need more SEND support in Dorset. support the principle of expanding the offering of excellent SEND provision in Dorset. am cautious of St Mary's suitability for this provision, however, as it is an older building that would reuire significant adjustments (at significant cost) compared to newly built facilities.

support the proposal for a SEND facility if this can be demonstrated as being a priority above other potential uses, but not exclusively. The site is vast with many buildings and facilities and has the potential to fulfill multiple uses, not just one. don't feel that this expansive site should be given over to one facility alone and has the potential to fulfill multiple purposes. welcome the idea that the site could continue to be used as a site for educational purposes, but beyond that of SEND provision. As a local resident would have concerns with a SEND facility being based 'out‐of‐town', cut‐off from the wider population and therefore making it more difficult to access, reuiring transport and increased carbon footprints for those using it. would also be concerned with such a facility being cut off from society and feel that such facilities should be based in the community, open to all and not hidden away, but rather rooted in the communities that use it which would be for the benefit of all. feel that the site could be used for a wider interpretation of the term 'education' and could be the base for a 'Countryside Centre' or 'Living Landscape Centre' or similar community‐based educational and business base. As such feel that a wider 'education' remit would suit this site, on a local, regional and international level. support this decision. think is should be used for everyone to have access think it important that they have good uality, local care in excellent surroundings think it is a good idea to provide more provision in Dorset, however my concern is the geographical location is in the extreme east of the county over 1 hours journey time from the west of the county where there is already a shortage of access to specialist provision. think it is a lovely idea think it is an amaing idea think it is an ideal environment think it is an ideal opportunity for these children. think it should be looked at in the overall context of need to types of provision including allowing for community activities think it would be a great asset to the area and support children who really need it. There are not enough provisions offering these services in the area. think it would be better suited for a leisure centre as there is nothing around herecandcwill be good for children's mental and physical health think it would be wonderful for children with special needs and its local to do many that would use it. think it would benefit the area and provide an education for people who need the extra boost think so, do not understand a lot of the difficulties there are with resourcing and accomodating SEND needs, except do know that the needs are increasing over time with more people being diagnosed and as they grow into adulthood and need support this may be an excellent way to provide for their needs. do feel strongly however that the community should have access to the site and the facilities, it does not seem fair to use it for just one section of society. think that spending that amount at this time was insensitive. acknowledge the need to expand on SEND Provision but also acknowledge that services reuire additional funding as to business in Dorset. think that the local children of Shaftesbury should benefit and be able to use the school for higher education facilities. As there is only one secondary school in Shaftesbury. think the area needs a place for young adults with disabilities think the right send children should be placed there think the school has great potential for lots of ideas to support children and local families. Having the outside space is amaing and can really enhance the Childs learning ability. think there are several small units which covers this needs and feel that a large institution will be less personal for children with such needs. think there s plenty of room for several facilities including SEN

think this is a brilliant suggestion which would make lives of many families much easier, especially for the children who currently have to travel huge distances to receive the education, care and support they need. thought there was maybe enough facilities covering this in the area Yewstock School Employ my Ability at Thorngrove Marchand Holliday School

understand that SEND needs more provision but also the primary schools are now overflowing into Motcombe, Ludwell, Semley and Hindon. With hundreds of more houses having planning permission then primary education (and possibly secondary education) will need more places in Shaftesbury so that parents and children do not have to travel 20 ‐ 40 miles a day (2 trips to Hindon from Shaftesbury each school day)

understand the Council's argument for a Special Needs Education facility not only for the benefit of the children themselves but also to save the Council money. However do believe the facilities at St Mary's would also benefit the needs of the rest of the Dorset community as mentioned before. For instance Shaftesbury is in real need of a Leisure centre and St Mary's has all the wonderful sports areas that so many could enjoy and take advantage of. t also has the amaing learning facilities that everyone could make use of. understand the desperate and real need for these sorts of facilities in the community work as an Art/SEN teacher in 2 pupil referral units and am acutely aware of the need for a suitable, Residential SEN unit to house young people safely and comfortably in Dorset.

would like to see the school be used for SEND students. t's such a shame that many SEND students need to travel far and wide to access care or education. p to now we have been fortunate that we have found some fantastic people in mainstream schooling that will support our child. My fear is the move from primary school to upper school. This will bring on a whole set of new challeneges and we know our child best in terms of the areas of struggle. Although we don't have an EHCP currently, this is something we are working to obtain to support our child in further education. We fear without this these type of facilities will not be able to have access to such specialised help. Also it would be a fantastic accloade for the local community to have these services locally available.

would like to see the site used for education. would hope that the wonderful facilities on the St Marys site would be maintained and used by all who reside there and possibly offer opportunities for other schools to use them too. would support this if combined with a facility to develop those children talented at sport as in my previous answer would use the site for children without S.E.N.D. in addition to those with them. d would be fantastic to not only continue to utilise the site for education but also for SEND who very much need more local facilities m not sure what community this will address ve listened to the positive arguments for having a School in Dorset for children with special education needs and agree it makes sense to provide that here. 'd have to have more information as to the benefit of the proposals , to agree or disagree 'd like to see the research into whether it was feasible to have it in a more central location. deal location, facilities to continue it as a � dyllic rural surroundings f Dorset has a need for a special facility, then this would be a good use for this site f understand correctly there is a need for these services in the area so, yes, support that plan. f it saves the council money and makes it easier for students, great. Dont forget the local community. f the figures are to be believed, its a more cost effective way of service provision for Dorset children. would like some investigation as to why we are seeing such an increase in demand for this facility, why in Dorset are we producing so many children now who have special educational needs. f the school is developed into a SENDs school, more of the specialised teaching staff will be in one school and therefore a bigger specialised team in one place rather than spread more thinly over several schools as it is now.

f the site of St Mary's School can be used to help SEND children and Dorset Council provides the guidance and support for the project it will make a real difference to many young lives. Dorset Council should strive to make the project best‐in‐class in both the goals it sets for the care of residents and the innovation it allows to take place. t should be facility that the local community supports, respects and takes great pride in. f there are so many children needing placement, then a large facility like this is welcome. f there is a need for provision, better to provide it more locally. f there is a truy desperate need would agree, but believe it should become an international centre for environmental economics studies, training a new generation of young people to be leaders in the vital struggle to protect the natural world and restore what has been lost. f there is truly a beneficial aspect to keep the school running solely for SEN children, understand. just think the sie of the property must lend itself to amaing other opportunities. f you have identified a clear need then it is hard to disagree. am surprised that having spent 10000 you are not uite sure of your plans. 'm a teacher and a former sendco. We desperately need uality provision that allows children to flourish in the right setting where mainstream is not the answer for them mportant for SEND children to have provision within the county n The past have worked with young people with special needs and disabilities, and their parents, and know local support is important and needed. n addition to creating a centre for green technology and education n desperate need

n the last have worked in schools. have seen first hand the need for extra facilities to support pupils with special needs. Whilst mainstream school is the most suitable place of education for some of these pupils, there are those whose needs would be better met by attending a specialist school, or whose needs would be best met by a mixture of the two. My experience within education has been at primary and middle school level, so am not ualified to comment on the provision as pupils move into adulthood, but am concerned about this provision. would hope that on a site such as St. Marys provision could be made to teach those life skills to enable pupils to fulfill every potential in their adult life. For instance notice that there is residential accommodation. That would seem ideal for teaching independent living. nsufficient information has been made available (see above). s the building sounds for this and environmentally sustainable. t appears that provision is needed T COLD BE NCLDED AS PART OF TS SE.

t could work as a superb setting where access to all areas of their care and education can be achieved under one roof like the sen school in wales recently shown in tv documenty a special place. Many of our setting in dorset are now too small to meet all needs of SEN children and catering for children in premisses originally designed for far less children. Euitment for physical needs can not be stored in class room, t depends if the sport facilities remain open to the public t has good facilities on site which saves time and money from having to build or make large alterations before opening t has huge potential to provide much‐needed places for children with SEND. t has the space needed t is a glorious setting‐ taught there for 12 years‐ where imagine children/young adults, their parents/carers and staff would feel safe and able to thrive. t is a great use for the building and school t is a long way from purbeck could you have another Centre in purbeck t is a perfect place t is a poorly thought out proposal. Surely the development of existing assets or creation of new assets more centrally in Dorset would have been a better long term strategy than rushing to buy an old and difficult to maintain building with poor transport links particularly with carbon footprint in mind t is a useful sensible use

t is a wonderful site and think it would benefit these children. Hopefully they could use many of its facilities. t is all set up for this. Please contact me if you would like a art spec that knows the department well t is an area that always seems shielded from public eye and those that need the specialised eduction would thrive in this area. t is an excellent purpose‐built educational setting with many great facilities, so it makes sense to continue to use the site as a school, especially one that would benefit children with special needs. t is better for the property to be used than remain empty. ts unclear what other options there might . would not be happy for the land to be used for housing development though very much suspect this is how it will be paid for. t is desperately needed. t is essential that Dorset have better facilities for children with SEND, which would keep children near to home and ultimately keep the costs down

t is important for every on in the community to be able to use the facilities, agree that the SEND is important but do they need all of the grounds is there a certain area that they could occupy Could the community share 1/2 of the resources There are lots of people that wouldn't be able to use the amaing site if it was only for SEND

t is in a uiet location situated one mile off a main road, the A30. Although it is located in Wiltshire it is within half a mile of the Dorset /Wiltshire boundary. The road entrance is on a stretch of road with a 50mph speed limit, arestriction more observed in the breach. Between the traffic lights at on the A30 at Allen Road and the school entrance the road is closed in with no usable verge, footpath or cycleway. t is not a safe road on which to walk or cycle. There have been a number of collisions at the school entrance with vehicles turning into the drive. There is no bus‐stop within half a mile of the entrance. There is a footpath linking from the middle of the schooldrive to The Maltings development at Mampitts Road. n the first 150m stretch from Mampitts Road through Mampitts Farm there are two 'kissing gates' and three stiles, there are a further two stiles to be crossed before reaching the St Mary's drive. The footpath is very steep in parts, and extremly muddy over much of its length, particularly by the farmyard and down the escarpment which is uite dangerous to walk in the winter. t certainly does not provide an all year usable walking route for able‐bodied people let alone anyone with mobility issues. Effectively the school does not enjoy all year round safe and usable pedestrian access. f it is intended to be of use to the local community proper provision needs to be made for pedestrian and cycling access probably by making adeuate provision alongside the A30. t should also be noted that as the site is within the Cranborne Chase AONB it is subject to the designated Dark Skies' provisions of the AONB management objectives. Any form of 'street lighting' along the drive would not be acceptable.

t is much needed as you say. t would be brilliant for North Dorset to be the Centre for something We are the forgotten part of Dorset and perhaps this will engender a more cohesive policy. t is a lovely site for children and young people to go to school at especially as there could be facilities for outdoor activities including animal care and possibly horse riding. The art and music blocks and the sports facilities are ideal for children with SEND. f it is also economically beneficial it seems to be an ideal plan. do think extending the age group would be beneficial. We are a long way from colleges in North Dorset and many young people with SEND and associated things such as mental health difficulties, particularly anxiety find it difficult to further their education beyond 19. Perhaps it would be possible to extend the provision to 25 for foundation degrees and diploma level ualifications. t is needed and the site would be perfect. t is needed in Dorset. t is needed to support the reuirement within Dorset to save these local young people and their local established support network from having to seek such facilities away from home and the subseuent distribution that would cause.

t is obviously a good choice of venue with many facilities set up and ready to go without need for adaptation.

t is traumatic for many children with a disability to learn in main stream school. For example, the many children with Autism mild or profound find school setting challenging. schools set up with professionally trained teachers make school experience a happier one. nderstanding the complexed needs such as rituals some autistic children have can be managed not mocked by other children. Euipment needed to support movement or progress can be cumbersome. children wont feel so different if they are surrounded by others in the same position and confidence grows instead of extinguished in main stream schools. t is unfair for our children with SEND to have to travel long distances to access education

t is very much needed for our community too many pupils having to travel out of county or out of education

t is very much needed in Dorset t is very much needed in this area

t is very much needed in this area and Dorset generally. Yewstock is an exceptional school but it is full and other options are few and far between. St Mary's comes with all the facilities a school would want, ready made t also can offer a lot more as in our previous answer through respite, long term accommodation, day centre etc. We think the proper exploitation of St Mary's as a venue for special needs will save the county money by reducing the pressure to pay for private special schools at great expense. t will also catapult Dorset into being a leader amongst counties for this provision, provided full use is made of this wonderful opportunity. t makes absolute sense and was delighted that the Council acted so swiftly ‐ despite the current climate during this pandemic. am sure there will be huge local support for this project. t makes financial sense and more importantly means students are closer to their families t needs to be used for education and if it will save money in the long run and mean children are forced to attend out of county then think its a good idea. t seems a huge need t seems very wise and well needed ‐ but 'd like combined use given the sie of the school and grounds. t should always be more financially sound to bring this type of educational establishment within direct council control as opposed to contracting out. However there is a need for putting the best available management in place. t should be used for educational purposed, and mixed use for the general community t should definitely be used to expand SEND provision. The site is ideal as is off a main road so would be safe and already encompasses important facilities such as a swimming pool. This is an amaing idea and the council must act on it t sounds like a good idea but it is difficult to comment without more details. Also, as said previously, would like local state schools to benefit too. t sounds like a good idea to have all the skills, opportunities and resources on one great site. t was very sad to see the school close but this would be a great legacy, a positive new beginning and much needed by local families. t will benefit SEN children and adults, no negatives at all t will benefit the user reuiring access to an SEN school and having to wait years for a suitable placement t will cost even more money to make the facilities suitable for disabled children. Why should only two groups have the use of this What about providing facilities for the elderly to meet or higher out for wedding receptions, concerts or use as a community asset so that everyone can benefit t would be a a Fantastic Site for Children who need specialist support t would be a good use of some of the premises, however am aware of past issues surrounding residential schools for those in need, which are more like ictorian institutions. We definitely do not want to recreate one of those in 21st century Dorset. What is needed is something integrated bringing all abilities together, that is creative and innovative and a first of its kind. The kind of thing that has been going on at Holton Lee is a good example of healthy intergration. t would be a wonderful new chapter in the ongoing life of a very special place to become a school for children with a range of needs. n keeping with its original educational purpose, as an SEND school it can help transform the lives of those in need of such a facility. Young residents of Dorset, for whom traditional educational settings may not be appropriate, should be able to attend schools in their own county area, rather than being sent further afield, causing more dislocation from their families and community. On a practical level, the cost of sending students out of county is a financial drain that can be negated by establishing an SEND school in Dorset for them to attend. t would be an ideal setting and an amaing legacy from the original school

t would be beneficial financially and emotionally to keep children closer to home t would be good if it could also be used for adults with special needs t would be good to have a hub of excellence and perhaps absorb satellite sites to Shaftesbury for running cost efficiencys. t would be good to keep Dorset children in Dorset rather than having to travel outside of county t would be much appreciated by the pupils and has the space to be imaginative and fun. i am sure all previous staff would be delighted to know their work is being continued. t would be nice to include a pre school for special needs as they are also in very short supply t would help so many people in the local area t would provide a local facility and should reduce current council expenditure, as know that a number of children and yound people are in placements out of county. My hesitancy is that Shaftesbury is not central to the county. t would provide a wonderful environment for all children and adults, but to have this sort of facility for local SEN provision would be so good for them and their families. t would provide local support to Dorset families that is currently lacking t would save Dorset money ts a great site for education ts a huge site ‐ could be used for an SEND school as well as other ideas (outdoor education, DofE ...) ts a nice big space which should make more availability ts badly needed ts important not only for the children but the community as well ts much needed ts needed as everywhere seems to be the south of Dorset. ts needed there are so many children with disabilities that need help and better education. ts so badly needed in the county b ts very much needed for the local community ts within the Dorset wards which is great for those with SEN as this will limit out of county travel and education t's a fantastic idea t's a lot of money to spend from the council tax if the people living here cannot make use of it as well, better to have it for the use of the community than have a hotel there just for the rich people. ts a very nice campus with lots of grassland and woods. ample opportunity for recreation t's important to have a centre that similar children can feel happy & safe. t's much needed these children deserve an education and support t's needed t's really needed. Not just SEN though, please consider mental health too. t's very much needed with the growing number of people coming to live in this area, with kids needing to be in a special needs school. eeping these students in local schools is better economics and better community care. eeps provision close to home. Lack of appropriate education settings closely Lack of places currently mean many children have to stay on mainstream which may not allow them to reach their potential Lack of sen schools Lack of SEND available in the North of the county

Lack of SEND schools, as a result not enough school places. ‐ ends up with children being in inappropriate education settings or at home not receiving an education. every child deserves and education. Local authorities have spent years closing schools and facilities for vulnerable children/adults. f this plan goes ahead it must have long term sustainability and have a wider benefit for the Shaftesbury community Local need Long term savings look very positive lt sounds a good use of the excellent potential and facilities Make this a place that is fully inclusive to all vulnerable groups in society. Makes a lot sense and seems very practical Makes good use of existing site and its location would provide a safe environment Many children need to be taxied to specialist placements, long journeys to and back from school. Some children need escorts to enable them to travel safely and calmly. Many children wait a long time to access a specialist place, there are just not enough to meet the needs of the local communities in north Dorset. A large north Dorset specialist school would be amaing for families, children and professionals who support children with SEND. Many have to travel a significant distance. Please do not undertake any housing development on this site More establishments like this are reuired in the More is needed for special educational needs More local provision needed. More options are needed for many SEND children who are already impacted unfairly More provision in Dorset reuired More provision is needed in the North of the county, location is great for that. More provisions for children with SEMH More send provision needed in Dorset More special needs schools are needed in dorset More support for SEND children within Dorset is needed Much need facility for this area Much needed Much needed local provision for children with SEND and the building and grounds would be perfect. Much needed, evidence is there ‐ surely thats why you brought it Must surely be better for SEND children and their parents/carers to be as close to home as possible, and hopefully a lower cost to local tax payers. My answer applies to a school that offers education beyond 16 and can be accessed by disabled of any age if they want to study. My concern is the location. fully support the dire need we have for this facility but it's a difficult place to get to from all parts of Dorset

My daughter is autistic and have had to home school her due to the secondary school not being able to support her difficulties in school on a daily basis but her behaviour is exemplary which limits the help she can get. We really need a SEN school around Shaftesbury as know many otehr parents who would welcome this. My daughter needing more specialist help. My friend's child had to travel to Andover daily. My granddaughter is autistic, she has just been accepted into the Sturminster facility, to have something a little nearer (illingham) would very helpful. My knowledge of the premises leads me to agree it would be well suited. My previous point re. all kids too.

My SEND child was off rolled from school a SEND school to meet all needs is desperately needed My son currently attends school outside of county as there is no suitable secondary provision. My son currently goes to a really good one out of area but would consider this place as its literally 2 minutes away. My son has Autism My son has Autism and currently attends Yewstock School. He is very lucky to attend this amaing setting. t has highlighted to me the lack of educational facilities for educational needs and disabilities in Dorset. St Mary's can provide this with its sports facilities, land and sie. My son suffers with learning difficulties so this could really help Need is the most dominant part of this answer. The original buildings are beautiful and spacious which will give dignity and hope to children and young people with SEND. Need more provision in Dorset Need more schools Need to cater for all children not just special needs Needed Needed and beautiful Needed for Dorset and good position Needed for local children No no No deaf provision in Dorset No would say that a purpose built site would be a better option for this than use this site. North Dorset does not have any good leisure / sports facilities. Do what you want with the buildings.... but it wouls seem unfair if the locals can not use the rather goodv sports courts, field & pool. North Dorset needs this facility Not enough facilities for SEN children l Not enough facilities locally for this group of people Not enough information Not enough local provision currently. Not enough local provision in Dorsey Not enough sen Not enough SEN opportunities for children who need them Not enough SEND school places in the local area Not enough SEND specialist schools available. rgently need a new SEND school ‐ would be good to have something similar to Westfield Not in a position to assess the need Nothing at all with the scope you have here in the area to create a safe and supervised space to assist these wonderful young people in the transition from school to college and eventually the wide world Nothing local to this area. My son has to travel 45/50 mins each way to a school in shepton mallet Only on condition that the facilities are also available to public

Other than Yewstock there is no other local public SEND provision local to Shaftesbury. t would be fabulous to offer more local spaces for children who need more specialised schooling as currently this is sometimes an issue. Alongside this it would open up plenty of local jobs which would be fantastic for the community.

Our schools are failing to adeuately support children with additional needs at present. Many friends and colleagues admit to children failing to get extra help due to lack of resources and funding. We need to adapt to the needs of our young people by offering a wider range of educational establishments instead of expecting one approach to fit all. We are not all the same, we don't all learn in the same way.

Our son had to travel over an hour each way to school by minibus as there are no suitable facilities in this area. Per my previous answer, on account of the convenience for students and families, together with the cost benefits for the council and those who pay council tax. t also seems like a rare opportunity in terms of being a site that fulfils all the reuirements. Perfect set up as a school Please read answer to previous uestion Please read comments above. Please refer to my previous answer. Please see above Please see above response Please see above response. Please see above. There are so many children in Dorset with SEN Please see my answer in full above but it is desperately needed Please see previous answer. Please see previous answer. f planned and developed properly Dorset could be held up as an example of outstanding practice for people with a Learning Disability. Please see previous comment. Please see previous reply Please see previous response. For far too long, those with SEND have been pushed aside in Dorset and the SEN support at county level has been inadeuate . This is the beginning of rectifying this situation. Please see previous. Previous experience in LA setting of children and carers having to travel a long way out of county for education and support Proper facilities to deliver a full and rounded education without making our young people travel a long distance or stay away from home Provided it is not a burden on the rate payers. Provision for children living in Dorset who cannot be accommodated in one of the Dorset Special Schools has historically cost millions and, year on year, overspent its budget. Having worked in the special school sector for many years my mantra was always Dorset needs to invest to save Provision for specialist education is lacking. As an educator, would strongly support more opportunities for SEN pupils to be given a first class education. Provision is lacking in Dorset and provided for at great cost and with less scrutiny by the private sector Provision is needed. Provision of this nature is a priority in Dorset. Provisions currently available are struggling to accommodate due to the amount of places reuired, we are currently not providing enough spaces or alternative provisions for SEND children/adults Pupils with SEND should be able to stay in Dorset for their education. Long out of county journeys are difficult and stressful for both child and parents/carers. A residential school would be a welcome addition to Dorsets provision. Putting provisions in one place is an excellent idea and very much needed Real lack of specialist provision

Real need for this in dorset. Would also save county money in long term as less reliance on expensive out of county placements Reason already given in last response Reasons above Reduce costs of sending children out of county Respite v Education unsure what is most lacking Same answer as previous Same as above Same as above answer

Same as my previous answer There is a serious lack of provision for children with varied and complex needs across the spectrum in Dorset. Our child has to travel to Taunton every day to receive the educational provision that meets his needs as there is no such facility in the county. We need a facility that meets the SEMH needs of children (please see The Spaghetti Bridge https//spaghettibridge.co.uk/our‐approach/ ). There is a growing need for this kind of provision and the situation is only going to get worse, with greater numbers of our children suffering. t would also make better economic sense for the county to have its own provision rather than sending the children out of the area at great expense. t is important we work with bodies such as Trauma nformed Schools ( https//www.traumainformedschools.co.uk/ ) Save shipping the children around to different counties Schooling for children with special needs and disabilities is important. would support this if the demand is there. SEE my previous response. See a need full a need see above See above See above See above See above See above See above See above See above See above See above See above See above See above See above See above See above answer See above BT only if the grounds can be used for the general public See above explanation See above See above. ood use at an economic price See above. Site is remote and outside of Dorset See above. There is a greater need for a standard secondary school.

See before. We have catered for students with disabilities ‐ wheelchairs etc. The medical centre and St Catherine's is perfect for any care. See explanation on previous answer See my previous answer See my previous answer. See my previous answer. See my previous answer. also have a nephew who lives in Weymouth who has severe special educational needs and may benefit from such a facility See my previous explanation. See previous See previous comment. See previous answer See previous answer See previous answer See previous answer See previous answer ‐ great facilities, excellent grounds. Could be a centre of excellence in South West. See previous answer and am lead to believe there is an urgent need for such facilities within Dorset Council area. See previous answer.

See previous answer. All disabilities reuire different solutions and some reuire specially ualified teachers/ medical support/ communication support staff. Rooms need to be designed with a specific group in mind e.g. deaf children/ hearing aid users should have their backs to windows to allow lip‐reading, be taught in acoustically treated rooms with appropriate radio hearing aids/ assistive listening devices etc. corridors should be wider to allow lipreading when two deaf children are walking alongside each other. Blind/ visually impaired children need different building reuirements as do wheelchair users and other physically disabled learners. See previous answer. agree, subject to there being a full needs analysis showing that this is the right option within a long term economically‐sound detailed plan. And a response to the location within the county issue ‐ could a SEND student from Swanage feasibly make a twice daily trip to Shaftesbury See previous answer. don't know enough about local provision but trust that Dorset Council are using their knowledge and expertise to put forward this proposal see previous answer. Not just SEN and Disabilities. it is an extremely large site so could have multiple uses. See previous answers See previous comments See previous comments although these are based on not having any idea of the local needs just know generally that this government does not invest sufficiently in services for struggling families. See previous comments. These schools are a valued facility and give the pupils the support and preparation for adult life which they need. They also support the family unit. See previous explaination See previous. See response above... Self evident need. SEN children are so often sidelined into less than adeuate facilities to scratch and education. cannot think of a group more deserving. SEN help after school age would be extremely helpful to those who would continue to need help that local community centres aren't euipped to deal with SEN students shouldn't have to get on the bus for long journeys to educational settings.

SEND provision is reuired, the site is euipped for an educational setting with lots of potential. SEND children can't be 'forgotten' about. Shaftesbury and surrounding area is lacking in this facility. But it should only be a part of the development. Shaftesbury currently does not have one. Shaftesbury lacks leisure facilities and Higher education options Shaftesbury needs it. Shaftesbury would be ideal for families in North Dorset. Travel time and distance could be reduced. This would benefit both students and the environment. Shortage of alternative provision resulting in students attending mainstream schools even when they are unable to access the curriculum, leaving them vulnerable to mental health problems and/or exclusion Shortage of sen facilities Shortages of suitable school places for SEN children in area should never have been acuired So long as the cost is self funding So long as the facilities are available dont mind. So many children are either in mainstream school but cannot access their learning and severely struggle ‐ they go to panel and panel rules that they need SEND provision but there are no places. This is not fair on the children as they are not receiving the education they need, it is also unfair on the schools who want the best for the children and can put as much differentiation and SEND provision in place as possible but cannot replicate a SEND school, which is what some children need. Something that is very necessary in Dorset. Spaces for SEND children in Dorset are very limited and many parents struggle to find a place at a specialist school. St Marys existing layout and facilities within that are ideal for adaptation for SEND students. Stop using expensive private providers Such a facility is desperately neede in this corner of Wilts and Dorset Such a needed facility Such a school is needed in Dorset and its proximity to Wiltshire and Somerset will mean children from other areas can attend and perhaps help to pay for the facility.

Such facilities are lacking in the , and such a use for this site will provide a wide range of different stable jobs. Swap sites so expansion possible Thank you for providing a consultation period to allow comment on the future use of St Marys School in Shaftesbury however members would have welcomed an opportunity to comment prior to such a significant purchase. Whilst we are supportive of a much needed county based educational support provision of this kind which will benefit disadvantaged young people we have concerns over the suitability of the building. t is an old building and will inevitably have high running & maintenance costs. The area needs more local opportunities for local children and young people with SEN. The children would get the support, education and understanding they need. The cost benefit is ECEPTONAL vs private provision as you have stated ‐ 22,000 per place s 60,000 a year. The opportunities to purchase such ideal premises are very rare. f you do not do it the Special Needs fund will continue to fall short of providing the necessary facilities. The Council's information pack outlines the need for additional SEND facilities and this site is ideally suited to this purpose. The county needs this provision and this is an excellent opportunity. The ethos of the school ie Catholic would have embraced this usage The facilities & environment would lend themselves brilliantly to this use

The facilities should be available to all the community. The facilities that are already on the site will be great for SEND provision. The need is huge. The places in special schools are extremely limited and any possibility of expanding the number of places would be wonderful. When my son was at pre‐school we knew he was likely to need a place at a special schoo eventually but due to the lack of places we felt forced into going straight for one from Reception age..as it turned out, it was exactly what he needed but had he been borderline the decision would have been incredibly difficult and led mainly by fear of lack of spaces. The private schooling sector could not make this site pay, this will cost the county of dorset obscene amounts of money just in upkeep. The provision for send isnt very high in local schools in Dorset. work in a secondary school in the send department and although we can cater for so many different needs and different students there is only so much we can do on such a small budget. There are many students who could benefit from this service.

The provision is reuired, and will reduce reliance on third parties and allow for better county budget control. The provision of a SEND facility would allow the young people of the local area the opportunities to gain the education they reuire to go on and make their way in the world. To educate people with special educational needs in mainstream schools is very hit and miss depending on the support that the individual school is able to offer. By collating all the special reuirements in a single place will ensure the pupils are able to be educated at a pace that best suits their individual reuirements without feeling they have to keep up with mainstream pupils. The school could be used for the wider community as well as SEN needs The school needs to be used and SEN provision needs to be better catered for in the county. The school should be converted into housing. The school was roman catholic boarding school for many years and Christian religious teaching was at the core of the schooling. The nuns always wanted to help those in society that had special needs, disability or needed extra help. t was wonderful to hear that the council had purchased the school with the intention of providing care for SEND in the community. benefited hugely from attending the school as we were given opportunity for sport, art , drama and all round academic education. The setting and facilities are ideal The setting is perfect and would cater for all children with additional needs including residential. The site is much less likely to be available for community use if it is a closed school for children who are either vulnerable or who have special education needs and disabilities. f both can be properly accommodated, then fine.

The site is perfect for a residential setting for SEND, this area lacks this provision and to be able to provide it from 2‐19 would be fantastic and also to offer a college provision for 19‐25 would also be amaing. The transition of looked after children going into adult services is lacking and to have a college local would benefit. Their time at St Mary's will set them up for their lives. Once adults they are unlikely to ever have that level of individual input again There appears to be a reuirement for the North of the county (Dorset) and also for neighbouring Wiltshire to buy any surplus places for their SEND pupils. There are a lack of this type of facility in the area and it would benefit many families who otherwise have to travel alot further and that's if they can even get a placement.

There are already provisions for children with special educational needs. What is more needed is a local college There are do few SEN schools in this area.

There are few facilities at all for SEN children, but from our view espeically those who struggle with a mainstream school e.g. ASD but are high functioning and able to continue education in secondary and post‐16 There are few places available in the local area for sen

There are few SEN schools in north Dorset so using a pre existing school for SEN would take the pressure off

There are limited places currently available for Dorset students with EHCP's this will only continue to get worse. There are more children with needs than current places available. There are no options for North Dorset children at present and it costs the county too much to send them elsewhere. Then, they are forced back into mainstream schools because it is easier /cheaper and then both sides fail miserably. There are no schools that could offer this the nearest one is fairmead in yeovil There are not enough of these establishments There are not enough provisions There are not enough schools for special needs children There are not enough sen places in dorset There are not enough spaces in current schools to take the children There are not even specialist schools around so this is ideal. Esp if it is specific for asd. There are not many SEN schools/provisions in North Dorset and many pupils that live in North Dorset are being sent elsewhere There are several schools similar nearby. Why only allow one group of society. Let the community use it a social enterprise run by the community for the community. There are simply not enough places for these individuals. work for the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust at a care farm and have seen what this sort of environment can provide to children with special educational needs. The site would allow for a forest school and opportunities to build their confidence, social skills and give them opportunities to become independent. There are so few spaces available to SEN children in this area, particularly those aged 9‐16. There are so little facilities around here There are so many houses and new residents, but not enough facilities in the area to accommodate, Shaftesbury needs more things which will be useful to the community. There are too many unanswered uestions before would know how feel. s it planned to be residential Daily commuting by children What sort of cohort of problems/disabilities f a day school, some children would have a very long commute. There arent enough locally There arent enough settings There arent many in this area There aren't enough special schools in Dorset there can never be too many SEN provisions, especially one that goes to 19 with the ability to provide respite. There currently isnt enough schools within the area There is a need. There is a clear need for such facilities and it appears less expensive than private provision. My only reservation is whether the full cost of maintenance and upkeep have been taken into account. There is a definite need There is a definite need for a facility like this for the provision of education for children with SEND.

There is a definite need for this type of school in this area. As things are at present, there is a lot of extra pressure put on the parents, siblings and the children with special needs, having in some cases to travel an hour to get to the nearest suitable school. The mental, emotional, financial impact on families in this situation is measurable, and in some cases severe, in addition there is an environmental impact, ie carbon emissions from the numerous cars used. The bus services in the Shaftesbury and surrounding areas are not particularly freuent and not necessarily available at convenient/appropriate times, and also in some cases not appropriate for the individual child involved. So in conclusion, having access to a school like St.Marys catering for SEND in the locale, would negate a lot of the pressures families in this situation experience. t would be of immense benefit not only to the familiesand their individual children, but it would be helpful in a community sense, as it could bring the individual families and their children closer, leading to a better support network. t would take the parents/families out of the isolation they often experience , which can only help mental health for all concerned. believe it would helpful to the children in integrating with the wider community, which in general would be beneficial to community itself. feel passionate about this as my own son is on the outer edges of autistic spectrum. There is a desperate shortage of SEN places across the county. There is a distinct lack of SEN education provision in North Dorset. There is a gap of service provision for SEND students in the area, and using the St Mary's site for this purpose would be a good method of filling it and giving local parents the comfort of having their children attend school closer than what current options provide. There is a great and urgent need for more specialist provision within Dorset for children with SEND. These children must be given access to such provision inside their own county and as their needs demand. They should not have to wait for a place to become available, often waiting to their detriment. There is a great need for special school provision in this part of Dorset. There is a growing need for alternative approaches to education‐ not a one sie fits all. We need to accept that mainstream school and the structures within it do not suit many children who have emotional difficulties due to trauma and neglect. Any provision commissioned needs to have access to therapists to work alongside the academic staff as having to wait for CAMHS, or indeed meeting their criteria is often a stumbling block. This will not be cheap but will save money in the longer term if it is got right. There is a growing population of children with special educational needs There is a high need for SEND facilities and there are more children than spaces available There is a huge percentage of children that dont have discuss needs that also need educating , our current schools are not big enough to cope with the ever growing town There is a lack of facilities in this area so it would be good to open a school for children with SEN and disabilities in Shaftesbury. There is a lack of provision and this is desperately needed There is a lack of provision in Dorset and this is a site which has excellent facilities to build on and customise for SEND provision. There is a lack of suitable provision in the county. There is a massive lack of places, this would be amaing There is a need for more provision in the county and the school could provide a centre of excellence.... There is a need for uality local provision for children with special needs There is a need for SEND learning however we need to be careful as not to divide special earning groups away from normal day to day integration to a normal working and learning environment as this can lead to greater issues in their adult life. ntegration is important for both SEND individuals but also other children to fully understand the variety of reuirements as well as their own. There is a need for this type of provision in the nOrth Dorset area. There is a need to increase the level of provision across the County and reduce the HNB deficit budget.

There is a reuirement for this in the county There is a severe lack of SEND in the north Dorset area There is a severe shortage of SEND provision in Dorset, and using St Marys facilities for this purpose will be addressing an urgent need. There is a shortage of provision in the area for SEND children especially at reception age. There is a shortage of school places for children with SEND There is a shortage of SEN and Disabilities schools in the area. t would be great to have one my local. There is a shortage of special needs schools. There is a shortage of special school places in Dorsey and Somerset There is a shortage of support for young people with SEND and behaviour issues in Dorset. There is a strong need for local facilities for this. children and young adults are being sent miles away from home . There is an ever growing need and a chronic shortage of paces for SEND children. There is an need for school premises for SEN and SEMH NEEDS There is an urgent need for a local school for special needs children to enable families to visit without travelling miles There is clearly a need for this, if children are being sent out of county, and having been involved in education, recognise what an amaing opportunity this is. There is currently not sufficient provision for children with SEND in Dorset resulting in children losing out on an appropriate education. There is great need within Dorset which would be better delivered by accommodation within Dorset There is huge need for send schools. My own son needs a specialist school. There is lots of need for sens provisiion

There is no current facilities for secondary education of older children with special needs in the North Dorset area. This facility could provide a single location for both primary and secondary education to the towns of illingham, Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton as well as all the villages and hamlets in this catchment area. There is no facilities for secondary education for children with special needs in North Dorset There is no local provision There is no local provision There is no provision in our area and what is available further afield is incredibly limited. There is not enough help/respite for families with severely disabled children

There is not enough SEND provision in the county and the site providers an excellent opportunity to expand SEND provision for Dorset as well as potentially supporting Wiltshire Council with local placements. There is not enough settings for SEND children at the moment. have watched numerous friends struggle to get their kids into the schools they need. We need more available. There is not enough special needs schools

There is one aspect standing against this idea... THE STE S N WLTSHRE (which seems to be uietly ignored in most communications. t could be interpreted that we are deporting less able children over the border. There is only one SEND school in North/Mid Dorset, all other SEND schools are in the southern part of the county. While do not know the full need of SEND school places in the northern part of Dorset, presume that an additional school is needed. As St Mary's school is on/near the Wiltshire Border it would mean that children/families nearby and over the county border can benefit. There is room for a facility here alongside other public amenities There is so little provision within county

There is The Forum School and Yewstock School already in North Dorset with The Harbour School and Beaucroft Schools also in the area. There isnt enough facilities for children with SEND There isn't enough educational sites that are solely this purpose There needs to be more schools available for SEN children, because so many children are being turned away and made to go to mainstream when it's not suitable for them There purely isn't enough support for SEND children in the area. There seems to be a need and it will save the county money in the long term There simply aren't enough schools dedicated to the special needs of these children. Some children are having to face long taxi journeys, to travel out of their area. t makes a very long day for them There simply isnt enough provision of this nature across the whole county, Theres a serious lack of support for families in local areas Theres a shortage of special school places in Dorset and something urgently needs to be done ‐ this could go a long way to solving the problem There's a shortage of facilities in this area. Theres nowhere like this in Dorset There's uite a few SEND setting's around therefore the children that do have additional needs will be branched out in their local areas. feel that there will not be enough children to fill this big school. also feel that children with additional needs should have the chance to experience settings with children with no SEND difficulties. There's such a big need for this type of school in Dorset, but hardly any available These are the very important children who need as much help as possible. These school are needed to ensure that bright skilled individuals are not lost in the system. These schools are few and far between and far to small at lease the ones 've visited are in Dorset that is. This could be a good use of the facilities though it may need work to make it suitable This could be a leader in the fields of SEND education enabling children to access local support. This department needs more support now than ever due to the increase of SEND diagnosiss. This gives opportunity for children to access care and support locally. Also where St Mary's had boarding options it could support families to have respite from their home life. This is a pragmatic and effective use of the site that will improve educational provision and reduce Council spending over the longer term. This is a reuirement in Dorset This is a very worthwhile plan, but would hope it might be possible to extend the site to wider usage too. At EC, for instance, their swimming pool was open to other users. This is an area that needs more focus and appropriate facilities, for which the St Mary's site offers ample opportunity. This is definitely needed This is far from the main Dorset population centres & is not easily accessible to them. A complete cost assessment for conversion is needed‐‐children who are physically disabled have very specific reuirements & it is probably better to have a purpose‐built facility. This is not forward thinking a focus should be on generating revenue and some of this can be diverted to special needs This is too much of a good chance to miss adding a much needed provision. This is wrong provision for this site. This seems to be a very good use of the site. This should cater for children within Dorset and Wilts

This sounds like a wonderful initiative. This will undoubtedly cut SEND costs for the Council but consider children in care and then the potential for any young person to use the site. The far SE part of the property (open ground at the moment viewed on an aerial map) could be developed to provide a great base/facility that would not need students to access the main buildings. t has fantastic potential to develop as a site within the main site for basic outdoor ed, field studies, DofE camping for any student, health and wellbeing support. The woods to the NE could also be a powerful educational resource. This would be a good idea but the building has a lot of potential to be many different things. This would be a great use of the school, there are limited specialised schools for these children This would be an excellent site for tori vision for children with SEND This would help widen the provision for children wit SEN Those in main stream struggling to get needs met

Though St Mary's is nominally in Wiltshire, it is very close to the Dorset county boundary. t is an opportunity to locate SEND provision within, or as near to Dorset as makes no matter. would imagine that parents would prefer residential education for their children to be close to home. Children from North Dorset should be able to be day pupils. One presumes that using St Mary's will cost ratepayers less than buying places out of county. To be able to keep these children in‐county would be hugely beneficial for them, and the site would be very suitable, with its various facilities, pool etc. To continue using the site for educational purposes. To fill a gap in educational provision. To help children with extra needs to meet the need for SEND in that area To provide reasonable state costs as opposed to ndependen provision Too much money is wasted on sending students out of county when the authority should be euipped to deliver itself. Too specialised, risks non‐inclusion labelling of young people. nknown proposal. understand our representatives, councillors were not allowed a vote and certainly one spoke to did not know any details, AFTER the purchase. rgently needed to keep SEND children closer to home in their own County/near by setting. Reduce costs, and benefit from economy of scale ery deserving ery much needed. ery short of such site and specialist facilities within the county ital to have such a facility in Dorset Want this but other things as well as said in previous statement. Waste of money Waste of money as previously explained above. Waste of money to benefit such a small percentage.

We agree but feel that the school also needs to serve a wider function and to involve the wider community. One link can be provided by the small facility that we have suggested for Windrose's Dorset film archive, training and community projects and for a north Dorset heritage centre. Please see the final section. We already have yewstock

We are in desperate need of a Special school in the area. t is very difficult finding alternative provision for many of our young people if mainstream school cannot provide for their educational needs. There are often massive costs and transportation issues with the location of existing special schools. This sometimes means that the child ends up having to stay in a mainstream setting and does not fulfil their full potential due to lack of resources etc. We are wasting money sending students out of county, and it's not good for their mental well‐being. We desperately need a SEND school in the area so that children who live in the North of the county dont have to travel miles. We desperately need such sites for our SEN children We have a grandchild who would definitely benefit from having such a facility for her to get a good education meeting her needs. We need facilities like this in the area. Many people have to travel a long way to get the sort of care they need for their children. you are putting Dorset on the map by buying something like this which will bring so much to Shaftesbury and Doset. We need more schools / facilities for children with SEND We need more schools like this to support families of children like this We need more schools to provide support for our kids with sen We need more SEND provision and this site is perfect. We need more special education schools in Dorset WE NEED MORE SPECAL NEEDS CEAR We need more special schools We need more special schools n Dorset We need SEND provision and ready built suitable sites dont come up very often. We need this. t is something that is lacking in this area We pay through the nose for private provision. Often substandard

We recognise the rising demand for special school places nationally and that all authorities are working to create capacity to meet this demand, and to avoid the necessity for costly independent sector placements. We are supportive of Dorsets proposals to use this site to generate additional capacity within the system to meet the needs of these learners, and recognise that there may be opportunities for Wiltshire and Dorset to work together given the location of the St Marys Site, and our own work in partnership with the DfE to open a new Free School for learners with ASD / SEMH in Salisbury in September 2022. We shouldn't be paying another authority for these services

We would enthusiastically support any initiative where focussed and specialised schooling can be offerd for children with SEND. This would enable focussed and specialised teaching that can only benefit our child and others with SEND in a wholly positive way allowing them to develop as part of a whole school instead of being sidelined and unable to keep up with the pace of the standard curriculum. n addition the current location is already suitable, provides a lovely learning environment and is within a commutable distance of most in the general Dorset area. A school that could provide for our childs educational needs right through to CSE level and beyond may even encourage us to move closer to the local area of Shaftsbury.

Well it's pretty obvious that is far better if we can look after our own than farm them out to others, This is a neglected group of individuals who deserve the very best that can be given, and a home on their own doorstep is the fiirst of these. t will take some pretty callow individuals to disagree with the Council's plans and guess the corridors of the Council's offices are ringing with positive ideas as to how the facility will be used to the benfit of al that might use it and enlarge the Council's coffers at the same time. see this acuisition as top of the Council's tree in every respect, educational, cultural and economical. Please just be sure the best brains in the Council manage this business, for that is what it should be, and maximise its usefulness. What a potential wonderful resource to have so close to Sherborne What an amaing opportunity Where possible children with SEND should be integrated into mainstream education. Care needs to be taken that the proposed school fully integrates it's pupils into society. Proper professional management needs to be employed to properly manage the school both educationally and financially. While the aim of new facilities for SEND is laudable, is this in the right place Seems a long way from centres of population. Why cant see where the demand comes from Already have a school like this in Sturminster Newton. Will provide local education and support for local children With an 8 Yr old son with complex sen, worry when he becomes of an age to start high school. feel the local comprehensive schools will be to much for him to deal with. Wondeful opportunity for children who need support Wont personally affect me Working in education am aware of the urgent need for this to happen. Would the children in this category come from the immediate area or would they be having to travel long distances to access this facility Would this be the best use of the sports facilities Yes as an experienced SEN 1‐1 support originally from Berkshire feel the area really does need a better local provision with specialised staff in place as so many families have to allow children to travel too far to get their needs met or settle for a setting close by which tries is best but it isnt enough. Yes as lack of this for local children however don't think it should be the sole use of the site Yes because would be interested in working there as currently at the Forum School in Shillingstone Yes but facilities for use of all local state schools. Yes but not sole used. Other organisations could use the building and/or grounds Yes but with community facilities as above. Yes agree to it being in SEN setting having children of my own knowing there is nothing local for young adults in education Yes think this is an excellent idea Yes total agree as it would beneficial parents like myself that have children with special needs and knowing that the the place will be able to support their there needs x Yes this school is ideal got that purpose to provide sen care and teaching Yes Yes, but this is a big site and maybe does not need to be solely for this use. Yes, facilities in North Dorset for children who need specialist provision are very limited, often meaning long car journeys for young people. Yes, if there is a need, if the premises are suitable for the students and if the site/buildings represent good value for money over the longer term. Maintenance of historic buildings is expensive and there should be an exercise undertaken to explore if a modern new built premises would be more efficient and better value over the longer term.

Yes, if they have a strong outreach and inreach offer to support inclusion in mainstream schools Yes, there is a severe need for more places for children and young people with SEND in Dorset. You can have openings for either end if the spectrum

You have made the case for another Dorset SEND facility with which agree ‐ despite the facility actually being in Wiltshire But feel there is a case for part of the open air site to be used more widely by the local community, perhaps for sports activities and events, and would like to feel that the site is as 'permeable' as possible, ie that the wider local community is included in many of the uses of the facility so that there is minimum separation between the SEND users and the rest of the community. There could, for example, be better pedestrian and cycle links between St Mary's and the nearest town of Shaftesbury subject to absolute safeguards, not least for wildlife and environmental protection. Above all, the whole enterprise must be 'climate proofed'. You need to think of other children living in the area as well

Q15 Could you please explain your answer ‐ to support for a campus for vulnerable children, young people and adults 100% . . ... but not just. Elaborating on the previous answers, the cluster approach involved economic development, not just educational, and not just for those with special needs. As can say from personal experience, the care sector is moving decidedly in the direction of experimentation with assistive technologies to help those with physical limitations and special educational needs to lead fuller lies. What's missing in Dorset is the link between technology development and the grounds in which it can develop into products and services for use far beyond the county's border. Bournemouth niversity is constantly looking for ways to take ideas from the labs into the field. The charity whose board chair has strong links with the robotics lab at the niversity of the West of England to try out new technologies in real life setting of care. But the connection can be much wider than with universities. Clusters work by connecting ideas and their end‐users with the facilities to build, test, inspect, evaluate and commercialise ideas. Dorset ‐ and north Dorset in particular ‐ need an injection of just such development to create future‐oriented employment. Think of aspects of the St. Mary's site as being either the test ground for technology development or the training centre for the engineering to support it, or both. Seeding such development in the site can lead to growth in illingham, Sturminster Newton, Blandford, as well as Shaftesbury, and possibly wider in the county. ...as long as the primary preferred use is not compromised A campus for people with disabilities is a huge step backwards. What happened to inclusion and community t was only a decade ago that the Council was committed to closing campus‐based services in favour of community inclusion. See the Alderney in Sherborne for an example. A bespoke site that encompasses the education and the wider needs of children with special educational needs will benefit them, their families and the wider community A campus like this would enable these sectors to work together to make the transition smoother as the child grows up and becomes an adult. A campus of positive outcomes and transitions, not just a place to go because there is no where else. t needs the support of local communities and by opening to others North Dorset has very few facilities and it would be a shame to loose St Marys A campus that sie is expensive to maintain. Makes sense to use it to the best advantage provided the various uses are compatible. A lot of the present premises can be adapted fairly easily to provide a wide array of the facilities needed for various needs A one off opportunity to save money and provide a much needed facility. A one site stop would be ideal A site is needed. However if they are also using this site, am not sure other outside groups would be compatible. t depends on the structure of the facilities. Would the vulnerable feel more vulnerable A total and utter waste of taxpayer's money Absolutely agree such a appropriate proposal Absolutely, read my previous points, can only be for benefit. Lets have largest special school in the south, right here in Dorset Adults are often forgotten in proposals like this, so am happy about that After all these lockdowns would not be surprised to find more children and adults with special needs. Again ‐ completely the wrong environment. Community inclusion Read the government policy Again a badly needed resource in Dorsert

Again any expansion to this provision is very welcome and actually essential if more vulnerable people are to be supported in the best ways possible. Again for positive outcomes, the surroundings and appeal of the site might help encourage positive changes, and for vulnerable people, has the advantage of looking uniue to any other place/hostel/hospital so might encourage new changes and behaviours more easily than a place that looks familiar (often painfully) to a previous place. Again feel this is another area where services are lacking and additional provision is reuired. t would also perhaps give the opportunity for students of the school to remain on site post 16 providing continuity and familiarity. Again it is a service that is lacking Again much needed to provide care for all segments of society and the community. think this is the perfect site and good to see investment in north Dorset. Again need more schools Again not sole use Again nothing available locally Again seems sensible and practical Again shaftesbury lacks so much in vital services such as leisure, business and higher education Again something that can support vulnerable families, children, young adults and adults would be so beneficial. The site has so much to offer to a group of society that is often overlooked and always lacking funding. This would be fabulous for the community.

Again St Marys has the capacity to become a facility to accommodate more vulnerable groups alongside SEND. Again the facilities should be for all the community including but not exclusively for the vulnerable. There is a lot of land that could be put to several uses the could benefit the whole community. Again there are currently not enough facilities to meet demand Again there is a shortage of this support in the area. Again there is very limited facilities available in Dorset and many services users have to travel far in order to access these facilities being proposed. Again there needs to be more support/provision for these groups within Dorset Again this is a desperate need for this forgotten area Again this is a much need for this area. At the moment everything seems to be in Dorchester/Weymouth way or further and local facilities are very much need Again this is much needed provision. Developing the site for extended provision will mean effective use of specialist resources including the professionals reuired. Again this is needed to provide support for those who need it. Again this needs more provision and the site seems suitable. Again this would be a much needed addition to our local area Again, these grounds in a part of the County which has little provision is a great move . Again, a lack of facilities so this would be a brilliant use for the sight and ensure children in Dorset are safeguarded. Again, a lovely, peaceful environment which would give vulnerable people a good space. Only uestion is around sensible separation/supervision of adults and children from a safeguarding perspective. Again, a much needed provision. Again, huge local need.

Again, moving vulnerable children, young people and adults to locations out in the sticks, away from transport links and their communities is not the answer and is a short sighted. For example, how many looked after young teens from some of the main areas of Dorset would choose to live this far away from their peers and community support networks with no train station or bus routes Shame on Dorset for even thinking it is O. guess you will call it an institution which is exactly what it will become. enuinely disappointed the the views, hopes, aspirations are not listened to and uick fixes purchased on a whim are expected to be welcomed. Turn it into a hotel. Offer cheap accommodation there for the needy to have a holiday. Not to stay their for years and become institutionalised. Turn it into a therapeutic homeless/ drug and alcohol rehabilitation hostel. Or better still, sell it on and spend the money on local community SEND provisions to really support young people to realise their potential and make successful transitions where they have local connections. Again, much needed support for a vital part of the community. And inclusiveness within society. Again, not enough of this type of help for families with SEN children Again, pay extortionate rates to poor outside providers who do not improve outcomes. Again, the need is present and the site would be suitable. Again, the therapeutic value is great. think keeping the main hall as a public theatre and the chapel as a Catholic/ecumenical chapel would be beneficial and as many facilities open to the general public as is possible. The beautiful grounds would be soothing and inspiring to those struggling to look after people with disabilities as well as to the vulnerable. Again, there are precious few facilities for such individuals, particularly of the standard the St Marys campus could offer. Again, they are services that are badly needed in the county. Again, this should not be a priority with finances so stretched. Council Tax should be kept under control and spending kept to a minimum to help Dorset Council area residents to overcome the great financial hurdles presented to household budgets by the Covid pandemic. ital service spending only. This is not a vital service and will benefit only a very small minority of Dorset citiens and tax payers.

Again, with that amount of money a purpose built site could have been made for the use. t seems like the option came to purchase the site came up and rather than look at any other option. The money has been spent, Agree for children but could think of more suitable proposals as the town is stuggling with schools, doctors and supermarkets All groups of people in society need help and the chance to reshape their lives as fully functioning individuals. Again, we all have a responsibility to help others fulfill their potential. All of the above are needed in this area All this campus would mean big impact on the natural environment by buildings, tarmac roads, huge amount of additional lighting, right on edge of AONB Already answered previously. Also important. Also needed. Alternative education/provision is vital. There are many ways to learn and sitting in a room behind a desk all day does not suit everyone. Always positive towards helping young people but is this really needed as much as something else which would be a greater benefit Like for young and old, a leisure centre would help keep people entertained and young perhaps off the streets causing disruption because they have nothing to do Am neutral on this An excellent use of this countryside facility, plenty of space indoors and outdoors and considerable space for residential activities.

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And why not extend to the non vulnerable, certainly if there are surplus places that would benefit socially or economically poor families. Any use like this would be beneficial to not only the younger people of our generation but the people who need it, not only would this help people who need it, it would make them feel supported etc. Anything that increases these facilities would be a valuable addition to the somewhat limited facilities at present Anything that will support vulnerable children, young people and adults beneficial for society as a whole. Apart from a sports instructor am also a registered and insured holistic therapist and on my last year of training as a Person Centred Counsellor. have worked with disabled people, vulnerable children young people and adults all my life and feel they deserve the same uality of life as everyone else.

Apart from being on the staff, l used the gym, but FAR more important to me was the swimming pool which l used 6 days a week AND the use of the astro and hard courts for tennis. Shafteabury Community Tennis Club,of which l was a regular member and part of committee, used the courts every day of the week. Apart from pre‐existing challenges for children, young people and adults, the covid pandemic has escalated challenges faced by this vulnerable group. Current services for this sector are overstretched in the extreme, making additional needs for the aforementioned service inclusion essential As a county we have a need for specialist provision for students with Autism, those who find atte As a family it would be of support As a parent of a SEN child in mainstream education, would really welcome a site nearer to where we live, which could offer training, parent groups, additional support. often feel in north west Dorset that service are far away. As a restbite carer and speaking with parents of young people look after this is a facility that is needed in our area As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above As above ‐ there is already a swimming pool and gym. As above, Dorset does not currently have enough facilities for this disadvantaged sector in our community As above, would really like the facilities to be made accessible for local residents to use. Holiday clubs for children would also be something would consider using in the future. As above. As above. As above. However you should consider how to utilise the leisure facilities for the community. The pool is an asset to the community and it would generate income if operated properly. t should be considered to become part of the future Dorset Leisure portfolio. t could serve a mixture of the community and the school intentions. t needs a mixture of commercial vision too as its not best placed for community use. But it was opened to the public previously and there is a call for premium swim lessons in the community too. A country club could be considered. Rental of the sports pitches could generate income. As above. 'm not against making a space for those mentioned but why the need all of a sudden

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As above. To see our children be able to go to school close to home would be so amaing. They already have challenges and face more and more on a day to day basis including having to travel considerable distances therefore making there school day 2 hrs longer than the average child. They deserve to have more options There appears to be more and more children being born with autism and other disabilities, they deserve the same education options as all other children. As above. All children need somewhere suited for them. SEND needs to be prioritised and spaces and environments which are focused just for them is important and don't believe there are enough suitable locations for children with specific needs, currently. As above. Council spending large amount on sending children for specialist care education As above. Everyone needs opportunities for life long education, health and well being As above. f cleverly and progressively thought out what a wonderful opportunity for our community and Dorset. as already stated‐ the new provision should work with existing providers to broaden the range of things on offer, for example the use of animals for therapy for both adults and children. As before ‐ this is about holistic education and care ‐ the premises cry out for this use to be made of what is there already and for that to be built on. As before, this group of people are not catered for enough in our society and this would be the perfect location. As understand from press and television reports many children/persons with special needs are sent out of county, due to lack of facilities, virtually isolating them from family and friends, sometimes causing additional mental stress. An in County facility may help to alleviate the problem. As worked there for 15 years and know how peaceful and tranuil it is there it would be ideal for them As long as it is additional. Being proactive rather than reactive is something that Dorset should be striving to achieve. By allowing early help for those deemed as vulnerable, it may be cost effective and certainly effect change in the young person's life in a timely manner. As long as it remains a safe place for children and they would not be at risk. As long as Shaftesbury gets its badley needed ym and Community Centre. As long as the facilities are complimentary

As long as the space will allow it, it would again make total sense to maximise the use of the facilities for the largest number of service users, be they children with SEND, vulnerable children, young people or adults. believe all the categories mentioned would benefit from the location with its peace and tranuility. As long as there is no negative conseuences for local residents such as antisocial behaviour As long as theres provisions for high functioning children/adults. As long as these vulnerable persons are suitably supervised at all times. as per my last answer As per my previous answers, yes complementary facilities but not restricted to one 'group' of people. believe the site has the potential to have a wider appeal to a wider section of our communities, as a multi‐use site based around education, health and well‐being. As previous As previous answer As previous answer. As previous answer. As previous comment and proposal in the final section. As previous comments. As previous response

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As previously said education for all children is important and adding these extra facilities for vulnerable young people gives everyone an opportunity for their future. As previously stated. As stated in the previous answer. As the eneral Manager off Riversmeet sports facility a community owned and managed sports facility in illingham and a Trustee of the illingham Youth Foundation any facility for the young and the old that compliments what do is a welcome choice to the local people. As we come out of the current situation, there will inevitably be an increased need for support particularly for the already vulnerable and those with mental health issues. However, the facility will not be enough without an increase in capacity for referrals. As well as the old buildings of St Marys it is important that we are constantly striving for the new and progressive to keep ideas and approaches fresh. As with previous answers there is a need, as there is to also invest in all localities of Dorset for theses services at a more local level At the moment there is nothing really like that in this area. To access that kind of support with facilities people have to travel away from the area and sometimes for hire a long time. Badly needed Because of the need in the north of the area to be given provision and opportunity for young children and adults Because there is a severe lack of facilities/care/activities for these special children and young people. Also their carers need more help, support and respite. am particularly concerned for child carers. This is a situation find deplorable in a country such as ours. That young children are reuired to provide personal care for a parent, or other family member, is totally unacceptable. Whilst this continues they at least need respite, a time to be children. Being able to access facilities locally which will empower children and adults to develop and build on social and independence skills locally is much needed. Best use should be made of this site, not just for Dorset's residents but for others nearby, including community and voluntary organisations and others helping to support the delivery of the outcomes in the Dorset Council Plan. Better facilities improve and support the wider society Beware of over‐diversification, but in principle complementary to primary purpose brilliant idea Building a wider community would be a great use of the plentiful space. But also would be great to allow local people access to the facilities which are sadly lacking locally But see previous answers But the adults part needs to be away from the children due to safeguarding issues By allowing our club to use the pool facility we could possibly offer try dives and taster sessions to students wishing to experience something different.

By lumping in together mental health problems and learning disabilities you completely disrespect that people with Learning Disabilities can have very good mental health. You are perpetuating the misconception that people with Learning Disabilities have poor mental health by continually mixing the two. Can't agree as haven't seen the proposals Centralising facilities would allow sharing of some duties, such as caretaking, and thus reduce costs.

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Children with SEMH reuire greater care, the development and building of relationships, as well as nurture and therapies to ensure we are caring for the whole child and providing them with a future an not just ualifications. t is about creating the right environment for them to flourish as people and not just statistics. Children with SEND should have the same access to extra curricular activities with additional support that main stream children have to help them achieve thier physical, intellectual, social, cultural, emotional and spiritual needs. Children with special needs are generally more difficult to bring up. But any child or vunerable adult need a safe place for respite. Clear need Complementary facilities will benefit the childrens needs Couldn't think of a better use for it. Covid has created a current impending tidal wave of vulnerable children and adults who would benefit from the support and facilities offered at this site. Creating a safe and secure facility for the young people of Dorset Creating additional use to help care leavers and young adults with SEN‐related independence difficulties is very important to me and think St Mary's is the ideal site to provide such facilities alongside specialist SEN schooling Definitely, there is a severe lack of opportunities for the older age range, what there is is mixed in with all ages and older young people are reluctant to join in. Depends if the services are going to only be for the school or open to public Depends on the definition of vulnerability‐ it would be good to maximise the use of the space to allow public sports ( maybe at certain times) and enable community groups to host events such as training. We are an international health education Community interest company and operate without office space to save costs ‐ given the adjustments to virtual office space and the opportunity to offer space to expand the attraction of Shaftesbury to organisations such as ours would encourage mixed use. reat if rental for training, meeting or hot desking is on a sliding scale and lower rates for local organisations. Desperately needed Do what you want ..... but we REALLY DO NEED access to the sports facilities Dont mind. don't forget the local community Don't know enough about the need for this. Dorset Council needs to meet the needs of its own population and this site is ideal to do this for SEN and vulnerable children. Educating children with SEND is very specialist and to have these skilled members of staff on site to provide complimentary facilities and services seems an obvious use of this expertise Education should be holistic and these children often have many hurdles to overcome. Every person should be able to feel safe and valued and if the creation of such a campus will provide this then am in full support of it. Everyone should be able to use it Everyone should have access who needs it Excellent idea Excellent idea ‐ again, very little is offered in N Dorset for these groups. t would be really good if it could be offered not just to those with an EHCP but wider than this. Extra facilities for vulnerable children, young people and adults are in desperate needs in particular facilities for the age group 18‐15 with special educational needs and disabilities all year round Facilities best all one safe place for children

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Facilities for all age groups are needed. Facilities to support young people who have 'Aged out' the children's support. There is almost nothing for the 18‐25 bracket. They are not adults are educationally and socially very young and cannot access adult services in Dorset as they are just unsuitable. Facilities to support children in care and foster carers in Dorset. Somewhere for them to meet and be supported. Many children in care have additional needs such as Attachment which are very overlooked. For children and young people only. For reasons already given for reasons already stated For the same reasons as the last uestion. The site offers an ideal environment, near enough to the town of Shaftesbury to offer independence when needed and also within reasonable distance of Salisbury. From experience we could not get respite for our son when we were at crisis point, this would have been hugely beneficial to our son & family. Also giving children the chance to meet with children with similar needs to them is hugely beneficial to there self esteem, especially in if still in mainstream they often feel like they don't fit in.

Front line workers with a positive attitude who currently work in these fields need to be taken to St Mary's to see the campus and consider the possibilities. Too often the people actually delivering front line services, particularly with SEND and other vulnerable pupils, are not consulted early enough in the planning process. They freuently spot practical challenges that higher‐level managers, architects etc do not see. However, they must be front‐line staff who see opportunities and possibilities not just challenges. Further education/training facilities or life skill learning would be very useful. Further LA provision is reuired in order to keep young people in the local community. ap is service provision needs filling iven the sie of the site believe there could be many uses ood use of current facilities. ood use of the site. reat use of the land.You could charge a small amount to the groups to keep the grounds clean ect... Have lived in area for most of my life. Brought up my children, an now seeing them bring up there own children. The area is sadly lacking for are little people an older, most other towns i visit have leisure centres with swimming pool, and parks for youngsters to play in, a place they can walk with there familys or ride bikes round ect. There is nothing like that here, only small area's. Would be great for a little part of st marys to fill that gap � Having a place where all professionals can work together and support the children and young adults that we need is a great idea. Having all the services on one site makes perfect sense. Educational needs and complementary services can work hand in hand. having as one education site would not complicate the situation and would allow to focus on primary need Having it available for more vulnerable children and young people would be amaing as the site has a lot to offer and could be use not just for education but as a home for people struggling for people to get back on there feet after COD or a homeless shelter. Healthy place to live Here feel dont know enough to comment more. Hitherto paucity of provision in the north of Dorset. agree but would also like to see use by all adults and young people in the local community. Shaftesbury has grown markedly on the eastern side and these facilities could benefit the whole town alongside the specialist use.

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agree if this does not involve selling off any of this valuable site to private developers ie. housing etc. agree provided that the provision for SEND is in no way compromised or the capacity for this reduced agree that it should be used for this purpose however would want more information on how it would be able to cover both children and adults. already have said how feel earlier . am a member of illingham netball club and would definitely be interested in hiring out netball courts if this was an option am a trained childrens counsellor and have stepped down from my SENCo position to work with children with social, emotional and mental health needs. am aware there is a need for this type of facility in the area. am not familiar with the existing arrangements for vulnerable people. am not familiar with the school, but believe it to have good facilities including a swimming pool, which could be fully utilised 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year by also having complimentary facilities, such as, HippBones running at the site. am not paying for this nonsense. am not sure what this means, but think it sounds okay. am sure there is a need for additional services am taking vulnerable to mean sen. Huge lack of services for adults

beleive the site is big enough to accommodate special needs school aswell as most stated within the proposal believe it should be for all children. Sports clubs when children are off school. believe that speech and language, OT, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and some form of pastoral care needs to be available. believe the facilities should be used for SEN school age children. Max age limit 18. believe the site of St Mary's would be able to offer safety and security to vulnerable young people. believe there is a lack of 18 years residential college in Dorset, and a lack of placements for adults with special needs in Dorset. nstead of aiming the school at children, a college would be better suited for Dorset There is such a need for post 16 support for young adults.

believe there is also a lack of provision for LAC to be homed in Dorset could part the building be residential can see the sense in adding in complementary facilities to support those in need, however would advocate that development of a site like this should focus on building cross‐generational community links wherever possible, rather than just focussing on a specific age range. There is a great deal to be gained for a more integrated community approach that provides specific support and facilities for those who need them whilst maintaining a sense of full community living, as opposed to a site that operates in isolation from other sectors of society which can create an insular outlook on broader societal living. do as get the impression that they are a slightly neglected sector in society and these facilities would be excellent. t would be good to involve the community in some way and allow them access to some facilitie when available though.

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dont know enough about the site, but should there be enough room then provision should be made for older disabled people ‐ so many seem to fall off a cliff once they leave school with little chance of employment and not enough facilities to persue disability sports etc. Many disabled adults feel isolated and bored. dont know who would be identified as vulnerable but young people in the Shaftesbury certainly need a place to go that offers positive role models & positive activities. dont think there is enough out there for our children... plus its a beautiful site and could offer a lot to these children and adults. don't know enough about it don't really know enough about these needs to be able to reply. dont think you should have young people and adults in an environment where children are. ulnerable children agree with but not older people don't yet know enough about the proposal, but in principle support the idea. feel that the proposed facility is greatly needed in the area feel that this is a real opportunity for the whole community to benefit from the facilities, especially the sports pitches and swimming pool which at present Shaftesbury itself sadly lacks. feel that vulnerable children need a safe and secure facility and Saint Marys would be ideal for this feel the more support avaialble the better. Having two children with SEND reuirements the respite facilities may well be something could take advantage of. have a young boy with special needs have already explained in my previous answers

have already explained my thoughts. The campus is huge surely some of it can used by the local community. have no experience of what would be reuired but the site does not offer easy access to Shaftesbury on foot if freedom to mix in the community is desirable. have not a clear picture of what this would look like/consist of. have spent years fighting for a suitable education for my SEND child , m so happy to see Dorset council taking this approach and supporting SEND. This is a fantastic proposal for SEND children & adults , also struggle with respite and hope to see this ncluded in the plans ,

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imagine that the site is big enough to accommodate varied uses. t is relatively isolated so that there should be few safeguarding concerns arising from external 'threats'. just think the more we can get to help vulnerable kids the better know many people who would benefit from these facilities being more local love the idea of vulnerable children having access to the beautiful grounds and extensive facilities potentially agree but it would need to ensure older children or adults with issues dont make it worse for the younger ones. support such additional use for children and young people but would not add adults to that mix. Mixing vulnerable adults with vulnerable children may create additional risks to those children. Providing that this additional use does not interfere with the main purpose (SEND education) , it will further address the community need for facilities for vulnerable people. support the proposals to create a centre not just for vulnerable children, young people and adults but for everyone. take it that this proposal would be exclusively for young people with disabilities. A far better use would be to integrate all young people think a campus for SEND and vulnerable children would be a great addition to an all inclusive secondary school. think a mixture of individuals on the site would benefit all. think the range of facilities at the site will be of use to a range of different individuals who access multiple services. The school could really encompass a sense of community. think children should be the main focus group.

think having adults on site would not be appropriate if the school included provision for younger children. think have said it all in my last two answers. This is the trouble with On Line surveys one is not sure what is coming up next but here is a Council Tax Payer who has nothing but positive thoughts about what the DCC has done and it's now just a matter of good planning and management with a osund budget to ensure that Dorset capitalies to the maximum the opportunities the purchase of St Mary's offers. think it depends on circumstances as it may clash with the SEND. think it is a great use for the space. think it would be a great use of the facility and a great opportunity to support residents who fall into this criteria which they struggle to get due to travelling far to get it. think it would be great to have a campus that caters fir special needs from young and beyond also think that having a special needs college would be a great idea i think it would be ideal if some of the facilities could be used for community use eg the swimming pool for use for the outside population as before think it's really important to provide support for vulnerable children by professionals who are skilled at working with SEND children too. And integration is important

think safeguarding would obviously need to be carefully managed (securing of areas) but in addition to term times there is the potential to offer respite care through a One to one Playscheme for two weeks in the summer manned by a professional team and students supporting one to one children, young people with Special Needs. have done this before‐ both as a student volunteer and as a Co‐ordinator‐ helping to organise activities. This ran in Croydon at Whitgift and Trinity School for many years. t gave parents valuable respite time. think it would be a great to encourage the local community to be involved and to share some facilities to offer support financially‐ the chapel (retreats, ), the art, music, drama blocks (evening classes, performances, artist in residence) t is a big site with a lot of potential.

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think somewhere that can offer weekend respite facilities for children with complex needs should be strongly considered. There are hardly any of these places in Dorset and thoughs there are have waiting lists a mile long was awarded funding for my daughter 3 years ago to access this type of facility, but it hasn't been used as there us nowhere suitable for her to go. think support for vulnerable young adults is in short supply and much needed. This sort of investment is so much more worthy than more housing/retirement flats etc think that an opportunity to further arts and sports should be taken as well. think that perhaps mixing adults with vulnerable children and children with SEND could be an issue. This proposal cant try to do everything ‐ focus on one educational plan, ie children and stick to it. One could not have adults there at the same time think that the local children of Shaftesbury should benefit and be able to use the St Marys school site for higher education facilities. As there is only one secondary school in Shaftesbury.

think that the site is large enough, and flexible enough, to provide a wide range of facilities for young people. think that there are risks in mixing vulnerable children with those with challenging behaviours, and adults would need to be kept apart from the children. There would probably need separate areas . think that this is a very good way for the whole community to benefit from the facilities. think that this would really benefit the local community.

think the combination of children and adults would need to be very carefully thought through. Anything that might detract attention from the needs of children should be uestioned. Also families will feel more secure in the knowledge that this is a safe, child centred environment without the possibility of risk from adults. think the environment would be ideal think the more people that can benefit from the site, then the better. Adults and young people that want to continue their education and opportunities have to travel to Yeovil, Salisbury or Poole/Bournemouth, all are 30‐45 minutes away and there is limited public transport to those areas. Public transport to St Mary's should be increased ‐ from Shaftesbury, illingham, Sturminster Newton and surrounding villages ‐ to make this new opportunity run successfully. think the site also needs to support the community. Fir example for locals to have access to the swimming pool, tennis and football courts. think the site is ideally suited to this think the swimming pool should be open to the whole community as it's vastly superior to the one in bell Street and can be used all year round think the use of some of the resources for young people to gain skills in living independently would be good ‐ if the appropriate support is given. think their needs to be more thought and less biased views to this proposal think there should be facilities for children (in particular with SEND) who are at risk of exclusion in Dorset, as this is another massive issue in the County. think this could make St Marys a uniue and innovative centre of excellence that is desperately needed. t could also have Community links to benefit the people of Shaftesbury. think this might be challenging to manage but might be a good solution. think this would be a valuable resource to Dorset vulnerable people esp with Covid making them more vulnerable think this would be good so that families don't have to chase round all over the place to get the services that their child needs. Like a one stop shop Life is tricky enough for these families with a child with additional needs and it would be great to ensure that they can access facilities easily.

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would like to see provision offered 24 hours a day, all year round, to become something really uite special. would like to see the sports facilities being open to the wider community would like to see this site also available for the local community and provide much needed facilities for Shaftesbury and surrounding villages would like to see vulnerable people supported. would love the site to have access for the local community generally, the pool has been a fantastic local resource and the community tenniscentrewas relocated there with great success would need further information on this before making a decision. would need more information on this proposal before would be able to offer a sound answer. My one fear would be maintaining a safe environment for the proposed school for children with a wide range of disabilities. There may be a problem with Safeguarding if the two groups were to operate side by side. would prefer it to be for vulnerable children and young adults. would prefer your children, rather than young adults. would uestion whether the excellent sports facilities would be best used by this group would rather see it as a school for educating special needs children and adults. would support this as beleive there is a need for facilities to give young people respite care. m not sure how this would fit with the education of disabled children, YP and adults m not sure which community this will address deal but would hope that the local community will be able to use the sports facilities especially the swimming pool deal place. deal tranuil setting for this purpose f children and young people can not be placed with family or Foster carers then it's better that there are good uality local facilities for them. f it can be explained what this would mean, and if some of the site can be for other local residents to enjoy walks in the grounds, use of pool at certain times and some community spaces, use of offices for community groups and local start ups. f it's possible to do so safely ‐ probably in the evenings when the children have gone home. f the facilities are all largely there already, and don't reuire having to find another site, build the reuired facilities etc...... seems an easy win. f the feasibility study looks to the long term use of the site and its suitability then this seems to be a sensible approach. f there is sufficient space this is a good idea.

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f this is staffed adeuately this would be an inspirational environment f we could create a college type area for the older children that would help educate them and give them confidence going further on through their lives and hopefully on to employment. Respite care places are also badly needed for parents and carers who do just need time out for themselves and also for the children to be with other children who they can connect with and feel safe and welcome . 'm not entirely sure what exactly this would provide n addition to a lack of SEND education there is also a huge lack of post 18 services for disabled young adults in our area, think it is important for all councillors (such as those in weymouth...) to remember that all of dorsets disabled and special needs residents DO NOT only live in BCP, weymoith and dorchester. For a long time our children with SEND have been forgotten in North dorset and this is such a vital service that will have a real impact on so many of our lives. n my first answer, multi generational n theory agree, but would like reassurance that this would enhance a SEND provision. The two should work together. s this particular school and its facilities suitable for the people and children you are thinking about t depends upon what short of facilities the campus was going to be used for as to whether it would be suitable to mix ages and different needs on the same site. t has an environment which allows you to feel safe and cared for when vulnerable t is a beautiful site and it would be wonderful if it could be used by those who might benefit most t is a big site and could offer other facilities and become a hub for SENd t is a large site so could benefit these groups too t is a large site so it makes sense to get the maximum benefit from it. Also, some continuity after school age can be of huge benefit to some. t is a perfect venue to offer complementary facilities to any children who need them. We will live to be very proud of this decision. t is absolutely needed. t is important to proved support for parents too t is in such a delightful surroundings that would surely be a balm for the vulnerable. t is much needed t makes good sense to fully use the site to be of most benefit to young people. t needs to be available for everyone to make great use of the site t seems a sensible addition t shouldnt need explanation. These young people need support and heres the opportunity. t sounds as though it's needed within Dorset Borough . t time to prioritise special needs it will be a lifeline to so many children and families. there's needs to be much more provision for these young people and adults... i would especially express the need for a hydrotherapy pool and life skills opportunities like a cafe/shop/skills environments that would mean these young people have a chance at gaining meaningful employment when they leave. As well as on site therapeutic interventions to work through social and emotional issues. t will be good to have more facilities for children and young people in this part of the county t will bring more facilities into one area t will provide different opportunities and other type of facilties for those in that group to use. t would be a great site to be able to provide this. t would be amaing to have such a facility on the doorstep as there is nothing local to me and my 28 year old son with special needs.

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t would be an ideal location, given the sie of the facilities on site for a much needed multi level facility in this area. t would be fantastic to have additional support for complementary facilities to enable the SEND community and support children/vulnerable adults and their parents/carers t would be good to provide facilities for kids and young adults with sens or other vulnerabilities t would be good to use some of the facilities for the extended community. t would be good to use the establishment to its fullest with all the facilities which are available. t would be great to have multiple resources on one site all centered around the same thing. t would be great to use it for SEND, but would also like it to be developed for the wider community, with the sports facilities, pool, gym, tennis courts being accessed through four the day/year t would be ideal if the site could be used by a wide variety of groups, not just those with extra needs. t would be lovely if there were facilities that young people could have a week away with their piers t would be lovely to have a space dedicated for vulnerable people and adults. Support forums online are all well and good but a physical space to go would make such a difference. t would be of comfort for families not to worry about future transistion t would be very positive for vulnerable children, young people and adults to have access to resources and facilities purpose made and readily available on one site.

t would depend on the facilities but we are all very aware that provision for vulnerable young people in communities is at an all time low. t would be great to see Dorset buck the trend here and put services in place. t would encompass many needs of the most vulnerable group. Children who grow up in this school would be able as adults continue to access support in a environment that they already know. ts a large site, so should be put to best use for as many people who need it as possible. ts is already a school site with amaing grounds and facilities. ts uiet but not too far from a town. Lots Of opportunity for outdoor learning ts needed in Dorset and facilities are already there ts to offer respite care for parents with SEN and having a school with excellent grounds and a fully euip provision is a must t's a huge site and should be used for the benefit of all t's an absolutely stunning site . Which can accommodate so many young people with SEND , meaning they don't have to travel so far for their education. t's important that there are hubs for this available when needed. ts needed t's something the area could do with. t's the perfect place/setting to help people who are vulnerable. t's very much needed in Dorset eep it as an excellent affordable school for all children

eeps the children that benefit most from forming close local friendships within the area and have easy access to localised support from professionals. This kind of support cannot be done in bits, spread across the county. Lack of local provision Life is a constant pressure cooker where we expect so much from not only our children but everyone is now suffering from stress or related conditions. A facility to support the community and help for all ages would be extremely welcome. Like mentioned above, need facility where young children with hidden disabilities can go and get support too. They did not choose to be ill but yet they not ualify as vulnerable so they can't get any help. Link CS community groups in with this extended offer

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Lots of public sites tend to be too noisy or crowded for young people to access. Facilities that have a better understanding of sensory needs would be greatly appreciated. Lovely safe location Mainstream schools do an amaing job but neither have the facilties or funding that is necessary for a wide range of additional needs particularly SEMH Make it easier for those with needs to access education and older ones have the option of residential, also give parents respite Makes best use of site. Many of these children, are miss‐ understood, and act out as they dont get the understanding and support they need. Maximising usage of the site must be made to help justify the investment to Council Tax payers.

Maybe a portion could be made available for the vulnerable. Or it could be multifunctional. Some accommodation made into flats for rental where the Council would get a portion of their spend back. A portion for the vulnerable and a portion for children with special needs. Make much better use of this huge site. More faciities are badly needed parents and adults struggling to find help More help is needed for disabled children/adults and there families More is needed for anyone with disabilities. More local send provision Most definitely support this especially for adults. Much more detail would be needed before being able to make an observation on this section. would expect Dorset Council to prepare a strategy for full public consultation. My child turns 18 next month and when his placement finishes he has very limited choices to where he will attend next. There is very little provisions for adults in this area. My children come from a domestic abuse background. One of the three has been left in very poor mental health. She suffers from OCD and ASD

My daughter works as an OT with these young purple as her client base. She is passionate about her job and, having had many conversations with her about her client group am delighted at the prospect of extra prividion My granddaughter is autistic, she has just been accepted into the Sturminster facility, to have something a little nearer (illingham) would very helpful. Never enough facilities. No no No absolutely the wrong approach....small group homes of 4‐6 adults is the most beneficial for everyone....10 million would have been much better used this way....the 10 mil is ST the start of this expensive mistaken approach....that will end in closure and regret No knowledge of the need for this nor the appropriate Ness of mixing with SEND No objection to the site being a special needs school, but think that part of the site should be used to offer facilities and amenities to the local community in general, ie, everyone. Not at the expense of inclusion of all. Not enough infirmation Not entirely sure what complementary facilities means/comprises Not in a position to assess the need Not overly happy mixing young children and adults but if properly managed it may work having such differing age groups. However, from a professional perspective (Police Detective), have experience of problems putting adults with young children, all/some of whom may have issues that are hard to control.

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Not particularly sure what 'complementary facilities include Not sure about putting ulnerable Adults in same complex as Children with SEN. uess there would be some segregation. Building is large enough as would not want SEN Children to see how affected some vulnerable adults are. Not sure about this one Would be good if you could just focus on the children with SEN needs Not sure about vulnerable adults, would prefer children with a high need who cannot be looked after at home to use the premises Not sure of ht e 2 are mutually compatible, but would like to see the campus especially sports facilities open to the local community generally Not sure to be honest. Agree that the accommodation would provide sensible needs to School attendees for whom daily travel is simply not an option but believe this should be its sole purpose. Not sure vulnerable adults and special needs children is a good mix, unless the adults section could be separate but using facilities not in use at that time.

On the condition that the provision for SEN kids is separate, not just in accommodation but also in terms of keeping the SEN area uiet, and not too busy which can cause problems for those on the autism spectrum Once leaving education my son will not be able to live independently and then we will face a placement out of county placing him at considerable distance from us. Working in education am aware of the lack of provision for children and young adults with additional needs or reuiring support. Only if it doesnt dilute the intention to make it a school for special needs children Only if the other facilities were truly complementary and it were not used for the medium to long term accommodation of families, relatives etc. The security should be fairly high. Only when SEND needs are met could the site be used for complementary facilities. Opens up the offer but stop putting people in pigeon holes, no label reuired Particularly for young people/younger adults who need transition support into adult life. Providing this on‐site with SEN should facilitate smoother transition planning and familiarity for those who have had SEN on‐site and need either to move on or to have more support for their needs outside of education. Particularly in recent years, provision for vulnerable adults and children is poor. Per my previous answer (no additional reasons). Please make the best use of the former living areas to protect the vulnerable in a secured private way Please open the swimming pool, gym, Astro and tennis courts for the use of the public because if we think about it there isnt these types of facilities in Shaftesbury. Please see comments above. Please see previous answer. Meaningful work placements and supported work placements are needed for adults and young people with SEND. Please see previous. Prefer the SEND option but this would be a reasonable alternative Provided it is not a burden on the ratepayers. Provided the additional use does not reuire additional buildings. think we need to get as much use as we can out of the site building a sense of community. Provided these vulnerable people are well supervised and do not have sufficient freedom to pose any risk to themselves or the public by unacceptable behaviour. Sadly this can be the case for some. Provision on Dorset for young adults with autism and challenging behaviours is appalling. My family member with autism has been placed as far as Lincoln and Cornwall and is currently being cared for at home as the provision in Dorset is so poor. Therefore we are in desperate need for something like this and this site is ideal for such a conversion

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Reasons above n theory this is great for children with SeN but the location males it less practical and costly for travel Residential opportunities possibly Respite and activities offering specific therapeutic input is needed in Dorset. This setting is perfectly able to offer this. respited needed for sen children Safe places for any vulnerable child is of paramount importance . Same answer as before as this is basically the same uestion Same answer as previous. Same argument as before Same reason as last uestion See above See above see above See above BT only if the grounds can be used for the general public See above. See above. See above. See above. Tennis and swimming coaching invaluable to local kids See above. This feels like an outdated model of provision in that it is delivering care and support on a large scale rather than a more individualised approach promoting integration in the community See answer above but again desperately needed and to have facilities and support on one site would be amaing in terms of provision and saving money. See comment before. See my previous comment t might help the family to cope. See previous answer see previous answer See previous answer See previous answer See previous answer See previous answer. Centralisation of such services offered to the community can only benefit budgets and customers. See previous answers. Would only agree if a leisure centre was built which was large enough to accommodate the general public (perhaps with a hydrotherapy pool for the school children) t would have to be open to the public on a generous all‐year scale. See previous input . ital that something amaing can be done to help children who, with appropriate help, have so much to offer society. See previous. Seelast statement Seems a sensible plan as there is a shortage of such. Seems like a good idea too Self evident need. Sell the site, find somewhere more practical and less expensive to maintain. SEN does not end when a young adult leaves school and local facilities to support adults would be wonderful. Many of our vulnerable children with SEN will reuire ongoing support to help them to live happy and fulfilled lives.

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SEN don't disappear when children become adults. t would provide a hub of specialist care providers. Sen would be more beneficial Send is needed more SEND isn't something that goes away or they grow out of its with them for life. This building could give them the independence but support they will need to succeed. m not sure on statistics but my daughter is behind her peers. t takes her longer to learn and her understanding isn't the same as a nurotypical child. We are fortunate enough to have support from our school. But lots of children are in settings not suitable for their needs Sensible co location Should be a priority Should be kept for SEN children firstly then expand to those SEN transferring to adulthood upto 25ish, plenty of help elsewhere for main stream vulnerable children should be open to all people with disabilities. no discrimination Similar comment applies, s it the Council's intention to remodel the site to what ever intended purpose or is it fit to inhabit without incurring significant costs. This is important as Dorset Council is currently in the process of cutting services and employment due to the Economic Crisis and if they then went out a bought a school, which will become a money pit. This demonstrates a poor use of the Tax payers money, which should of be used in other areas of the Council. So the children have a safe place to go to and learn Sounds a good idea but would need to know more. Sounds great but in practice with such a large age span may prove difficult. Special educational needs do not stop just because someone reaches 19 years of age. ts an excellent plan offering support facilities and a sense of community to adults and vulnerable people,

St Mary's has been an educational site for many years and is an ideal place for specialised learning to continue. St Mary's has very good facilities to help people improve life skills and vocational activities St Mary's school is a big campus and can be used for both. And having an area where things, all located in the one place will help.

St. Marys school site offers the opportunity to improve provision for vulnerable children, young people and adults. This will be preferable to these individuals attending other sites that do not offer suitable provision. STRONLY BELEE WE NEED MORE EDCATON AS THE COLLEES ARE OER 25 MLES AWAY ALSO THNS FOR ACTTES YO HAE ACTTES FOR ABLE BODY CHLDREN AND ADLTS BT NOTHN FOR DSABLED PEOPLE WEYMOTH CONCL DORCHESTER CONCL HAE LOTS WE HAE NOTHN Such a lack of it in the area. Something the students in the area could really do with access to who cannot access mainstream settings for a variety of reasons. Such poor performance in keeping our children in Dorset. As long as this doesnt become like an institution and upkeep costs are not horrendous. That could be a license for too much. SEND students need the security to be themselves and to develop independence. t also might diminish the resources. That is a big ask How will you staff such a huge campus , can Dorset afford such a facility , it is out in the middle of nowhere The 2 ideas seem to compliment each other well,. The campus is massive with many useful amenities. se it to its full potential The council absolutely must retain the sporting facilities for wider community use. The devil is always in the detail. would need more information before commenting.

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The facilities available at St Mary's makes it ideal for a variety of uses around special needs and vulnerable people. t would be a great pity to have these benefits and not to make them available to a wide range of users within this category, thus getting the most out of them. For instance, if flats were available with carers' accommodated for long term vulnerable adults, these people could make use of the grounds, swimming pool and educational services also provided. The facilities could support with the mental health CAMHS, in the local community. The facilities will enrich the lives of these young people and their families. The facility should also cater to the larger community, not just those in need of SEND The facility would be an excellent base for this type of education and it is much needed. Lack of resources in the area The further provision would allow for stronger solidarity throughout the community. The grounds are vast, and with many buildings there is plenty of space to allow this. also think it should be widened to children from regular households, and provide much needed sports facilities. The grounds the school is in is secure, safe and perfect for special needs The idea of a Campus is out dated and has bad connotations The location and type of premises would seem ideal given the large space for outdoor as well as indoor learning and recreation in a safe space away from roads. Recent COD experience has underlined the benefits of exercise and connecting with nature. The location would be ideal for vulnerable people. The more facilities the better in my opinion. My child will need guidance beyond schooling and complementary facilities could offer this. The more people that can benefit the better The more the better The need is enormous and great imaginative and creative uses could be explored. The opportunity to gather specialist support on one site is very valuable if the services see themselves as part of the broader team rather than individual, stand alone groups. magine it would look a bit like locality working. All children, young people and adults accessing the responsibility of the whole team. Chance for exceptional support into adulthood. Must link with North Locality the purchase money should have been used to benefit all not a minority The uestions are one trackf9cyseedvon senco other education options are eually viable such as outlined above.. see proper budinesd guidance before hatching this idea. The same as my last answer. f the site is closed access and is for the exclusive use as described above and obviously this makes it difficult for community use of the sports and other facilities The school site is appropriate without having to change too much. The schools use would add to the feeling of inclusion for this area of vulnerable. The sit is vast and is well able to accommodate additional complementary facilities for vulnerable folk of all ages The site will be subject to under use if additional facilities are not fully utilised. the site and facilities for such a campus are there already and it would enhance local provision greatly the site could be used for overnight residential provision, the campus could offer so many different dimensions and opportunities such as farming, outdoor pursuits, residential, horticulture, arts and drama studios..

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The site has a range of facilities and if these services can be co‐located with the SEND school then that seems appropriate. do have some concerns as below 1. Access to/from Shaftesbury. The site is clearly a part of the Shaftesbury settlement whilst also being at 'arms‐length'. The public right of way that enables walkers to reach the school crosses a farm and is unusable because of thick mud or nettles & brambles at some times of year. Walking and cycling along the A30 is haardous. As we aim to reduce car use for such local journeys, and people working or living at St Mary's will hopefully use local community facilities, access is an issue DC will need to address ‐ perhaps extending the cycle path and having the euivalent of an electric minibus service 2. Security The 'arms‐length' relationship to Shaftesbury might help where there are people on site who need secure facilities for their own safety. hope that this can be achieved in a way that doesn't involve any 'hostile barriers' encroaching on the site. 3. Community ses hope that these proposed uses would not preclude community use of some of the sports/leisure/arts amenities on the site. 4. The rounds The extensive grounds are a natural asset that could be managed for nature and wildlife as well as therapeutic gardening etc. Not sure how this is affected by your proposals so far. The site has a vast majority of sport facilties and open grounds. The site is extensive and could cater for a diverse range of needs which are probably often connected. The site is extremely well positioned to offer respite and wellbeing care to children and young people in need and in vulnerable situations. The site is huge and many additional provisions can be planned to incorporate many facilities within this site including respite care maybe, and the creation of many jobs for local people in these difficult times. Maybe a school with boarding provision to support vulnerable children or complex needs. The site is large and can easily house multiple facilities. The site is large enough to have many suitable facilities which could be difficult to locate elsewhere. The site is perfect for such provision. The site is so large it would be good for a range of purposes to support children and young people.

The site is vast, and should be used to its full potential to attain maximum return on investment for the council. The site is very large and there is considerable scope for appropriate development. The site should be used to increase wellbeing of Dorset residents of all ages. The site should have plenty of room for many different campus style uses. The site will need to serve the users and will need to provide many complementary services. Dry cleaning, cafes, activity organisers, swimming lessons, primary school residential options etc

The St Mary's site has so much potential, with outstanding facilities for sport, creative arts, outdoor learning and other nurturing experiences. congratulate Dorset Council on its successful purchase of the site. The St Mary's site would be perfect for this as it already has many of the facilities that would be reuired in place. The surrounding grounds and gardens will provide enormous mental well‐being The traditional school system doesn't suit all pupils being able to offer alternative curriculum options for pupils would enable more pupils to remain within county schools Ther is nothing like this around and this would be something my son would benefit from when he becomes an adult There are enough facilities for adults. Also wouldnt be happy mixing vulnerable adults and vulnerable children as a dual purpose site There are few leisure and sporting facilities in North Dorset, so please could you factor in access for us locals to the swimming pool, outdoor playing fields & tennis courts etc. have no problem with sharing these facilities with a school community (provided H&S and safeguarding has been sorted out). There are great facilities on site that SEND children often cannot access in other settings.

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There are hardly any facilities like this currently There are no facilities local in any capacity for young vulnerable or specalist needs. This is desperately needed in the area. There are not enough facilities for holiday and respite care in Dorset. t would be good to have more opportunities for adults in the county too. t would be good to know that when my boy grows up he would have options for education and activities like his peers. There are not enough facilities for vulnerable children and adults. There are so few young adult facilities in this country let alone West Country and or county There are too few good uality schools for children and young people with disabilities in the area. There are no facilities for young people up to 25. The Education, Health and Care Plan goes to 25, but there are no local places available which cater for learning difficulties and support with personal care. There are too many kids in the system is not getting enough support especially in Rural Dorset. Having a facility like this on our doorstep could be life changing for so many people and take the pressure off of so many overused services. There is a big acreage here which is safe, easy to secure and has room for manbdifferent activities There is a danger that the site is exploited for every Dorset social care project that needs a home. A facility with a purity of intent, or mission, would perhaps have far greater chance of success and of meeting high aspirational goals. There is a demonstrable need and would be an efficient use of the facilities.

There is a desperate shortage of facilities for children/families to access that can help/enrich/support them. There is a huge gap at present, particularly for young adults with additional needs with nowhere for them to go post 16/18. There is a lack of provision for these children currently There is a lack of such educational sites for children with educational needs There is a limited amount of further education available at present, this could be beneficial to be used as a independent living training as well as schooling There is a massive lack of provisions so this would be invaluable There is a shortage of such facilities and an increasing need.

There is alot more support out there from charities etc think it should be used for children with disabilities There is always a demand for complementary facilities for vulnerable children, young people and adults and this provision is greatly needed. There is always the concern that given the range of children and adults that will access the facility that the wider community may identify the facilities for a certain range of need and somehow a perceived prejudice/stigma developments. t will also be important that access to and from the facility to the local town and employment opportunities in the case of young adults is set up appropriately so that the institution is seen as an integral part of the local Shaftesbury community. There is an aging population in this area, and growing all the time ‐ it is shortsighted to aim the possibilities of this valuable asset solely at children and young adults. There is room to help all in the area. There is bot enough provision for vulnerable children and SEND children in the area any extra provision that can be granted would benefit do many families and their children. There is currently not enough places for children ‐ through to young adults. There is never enough support, this would help greatly There is nothing else like this in the area. There is nothing like this around the area and is so desperately needed and would provide so much for children and parents

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There is nowhere locally for young adults with disabilities ‐ a residential place is needed where they can learn to live independently and if unable to live independently to make a home with friends with care and support staff to help. There is plenty of space, great facilities and so think it would be ideal. The building has many wonderful internal features which should be retained and maintained. There is still an issue over the transitional arrangements for young people with SEND (and other issues) moving from childrens' to adult services ‐ the national work done on this ten years ago apparently moved the cliff face merely from 18 to 24. This would help deal with that issue There isnt enough of these places within Dorset There needs to be more help available for people who need it There needs to be more support for their type of provision. believe it would be positively linonderont for the county to be leading the way in this. There will be a lot facilities there that would be good to share with a wider variety of people, especially those in need. These are facilities that would be a great asset to the community for vulnerable people. The site is large enough to have multi uses and this seems a sensible option. These are people who need care provided in this manner. These categories need a safe and discreet environment but is this too remote believe that wider community access should be granted and that might conflict with this provision unless there are areas that can be kept separate. These children need what at Marys can offer. There is so much space there for almost any kind of activity you might think of. n the war American Service men recovered there ‐ in the lower school boot room there used to be the messages they scrawled on the walls behind the locker. ts meant to be a place of sanctuary for everyone. thesse perole need all the lelp possible They need somewhere where that can be accepted for being different They too have special needs Think it should be for the whole community to use the sports and education facilities

This could be amaing, so many families are struggling and this could be a lifeline. Education is so important. This could be challenging and present risks to SEND children. This could be hub for many supporting childrens and young adult services making it a central part of the education and mental health community. This could be part of the facilities on offer alongside SEND This could be the way to achieve what would like This could provide great restbite for students to go and can have access to other school as well as st Marys facilities This depends on how much extra traffic it might attract This depends on what the complimentary facilities are and who is providing the support This is a brilliant idea. This is a great site to support this group of people. Will enable a large group of skilled support staff and great facilities in one place. This is a large site that can easily accommodate mixed use and should provide for the most vulnerable in our County This is a really positive use of the space. This is a sensible, integrated, holistic use of the site. This is definitely needed in this area.

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This is much needed in Dorset This is not forward thinking a focus should be on generating revenue and some of this can be diverted to vulnerable children young people and adults This is something desperately needed locally to stop people in need having to stay far away from their hometowns and loved ones due to there being to suitable facilities nearby. Those further away are full or hard to get a place at so having. Local place where locals are a priority would be amaing. This is the wrong site for SEN provision. This looks like a massive site for such a group ‐ do you really have that many people in need of residential or day care This makes absolute sense in conjunction with the proposed SEND school. like the idea of extending to adult support. This might work but think it should not be exclusively for vulnerable people. There should be a mix. Too often in the past, such people have been shut away as though from the public gae. The conseuences have been that there has been abuse at some of these residential places due to lax accountability and too few people actually caring. This proposal is closer to my proposal of social housing on a site with complementary facilities and amenities, together with broad‐based education based on life skills and generally up‐skilling people in need, especially families. f my vision cannot be enacted would be more in favour of this proposal. This should be an asset to be utilised and enjoyed by the whole community. This usage would maximise the available facilities This while challenging would extend the services currently provided. This will change peoples lives and protect the children of the future. This will dilute the provision of SEND facilities and will lead to competing objectives and indecisive management. This would also be a useful provision for the site as there are not many other options locally This would be a great community place to help people of all back grounds. This would be am admirable aim, but feel that the thrust of planning should be to support those with special educational needs through to adulthood. Should the site capacity be such that it is felt that the needs of all who need such support can be accommodated and there is enough space, budget and staffing support then would support the additional planning of a further campus for other groups. My concern is that if there is too much planned at the initial stage there is a danger that the opportunity to provide a first class facility will become diluted. This would be invaluable as it not only helps those who need this facility and support but brings the community together. This would benefit all children individually and give the support they desperately need This would benefit all our society and we have a morale imperative to support vulnerable individuals. t could function as a school catering for SEND and provide alternative provision for students who would benefit from a part time timetable in mainstream school. This would help so many other children parents and carers around shaftesbury. There's not any where close by with facilities like that. t would be amaing to have something like that near us. This would help to meet the needs of this disadvantaged group of people This would help with possible life skills and socialising This would make a great new nurturing and safe space for vulnerable children and for children who reuire residential care.

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This would provide local support where at present is somewhat fragmented. Yet again this would be beneficial in not only helping the individuals in need, but also their families, as so far as am aware these type of facilities in the locale are scarce, so at present the same situation exists where families have to travel, and may not be able to do so freuently, because of distance, time and cost. Which is not helpful. To be able develop a site that supports education as well as development for life for students of a school, as well as local, vulnerable groups would be ideal. t would promote an inclusive community in a way that very few areas have. To support families for rest bite care Too far away needed to be more central for travel Too far from Dorsets population centres Too many people fall through the cracks when vulnerable. To have things to offer and somewhere to go would be helping them and improving all our futures. Our children of today is down to the parents and teachers of today. Help them to help our childrens future ntil some 6 years ago when funding became a major problem, there was a Young People's nformation and Advice Centre in Shaftesbury called Toby's which founded and chaired. know how very important it is for all young people in the town and especially those who are vulnerable to have space and time allowed to develop and mature. The site would lend itself admirably to that purpose. se of the land makes sense. ery important that young people and adults dont feel they are ignored or left behind. have worked with children and adults with special needs so know how important these centres are for the young peoples family too. ery peaceful and private site ulnerable adults often have little facilities / support as this often stops at adulthood ulnerable children might feel that they have been painted with the same brush as the SEN children by being associated with such an educational setting. This would affect self‐esteem. f they are vulnerable due to a safeguarding issue at home then that is a separate issue to their educational needs. However, if there is space and facilities available and the need is great then of course one would hope such an arrangement could work alongside, but separate to an SEND school. ulnerable people all all ages again, in my opinion are reaching crisis point. This is very evident from CAMHS and almost all other organisations that support vulnerable people, whom have dealt with and spoken to. There is not enough services to reach demand and again, these facilities can HELY provide far better future outcomes for the vulnerable, to the point am certain will even save lives.

ulnerable people do not suddenly stop needing extra help & care once they leave school. They & their carers are very likely to need continued support for many years. t will be inspirational for the younger children to see what they can achieve when they are older & that their support won't be suddenly cut off at a specific age. ulnerable young people deserve the best possible support available. They will then return the investment by being fully integrated adults, contributing to the community themselves We can never have enough facilities around here. We are limited to RiversMeet essentially for most community activities and that facility isnt necessarily great for everyone. We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past by casting out into such places those who do not fit anywhere else. Facilities for all ages need to be created in an accessible and open way. We definitely would benefit from being able to offer these wonderful facilities to all children. We drastically lack services such as this in the area. We have many more young people needing SEN support in education. There are not enough spaces in our schools and demand is high for places.

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We have reasonable levels of LAC children that could all benefit from complementary facilities. ulnerable children deserve all the additional support they can receive. fully support. We lack such facilities in North Dorset, so support this. We live in Somerset however my parents live in shaftesbury and we attend a special needs group there so it would be wonderful to have another option for my child as he grows up. We need more facilities for people and children in need of care in Dorset so many are sent out if county. We need more of this education in this area. We need more resources for our vulnerable children, we must consider Post 16 options within this, as this area of SEND is in my opinion the weakest. We need provisions for young people with SEND to prepare for independence and adulthood We need this facility in North Dorset We need to increase in county facilities We want an environment that is attractive and provides easy access for these children Pkus saves the council money rather than sending them elsewhere. t will also provide jobs for Shaftesbury citiens. What about the taxpayers who fund all of this We deserve some facilities too

What is the difference between your proposal and an expensive posh boarding school Again why should these two groups have the advantage of the setting and facilities to the exclusion of other community groups What sort of campus, what would be its main purpose What will this look like This is such a big investment of tax payers money ....would be interested in who will head up this project and that the process is transparent and benefits all of the community Whilst recognise the value of such provision would not wish to see it impact on the uality or uantity of SEN capacity available

Whilst this is a good idea strongly feel that the site should be used to benefit all of Shaftesbury's population. Why not open the site to everyone Offering facilities for outstanding sporting achievements for example Scholarship Sports sponsorships Training camps facilities for young inspiring people. Dorset is one of only a few countries that does not offer a 50m swimming pool for example. Why wouldnt we all want to provide anything that helps the most vulnerable in our community With a range of facilities already in place, and its residential properties on campus, it would also seem very logical to employ the site to help those who are vulnerable. n this way, St Mary's can continue to be used as a force for good in the lives of vulnerable and in need. With Mary Ward, former 6th form boarding house, there is space and provision for young people/adults to have semi independent life whilst boarding facilities in the main building can accommodate groups of younger children. Aside from accommodation there are discreetly separate buildings which could be used for adult learning. The extensive grounds can be purposed for life skills ‐ craft, animal husbandry, gardening in addition to leisure facilities. With this level of Council Tax funding it must be made available to a wide cross section of the local community including, but not exclusively, for education. m aware, as m an employee of an organisation with a Pre School m that this presents potential safe guarding issues but these are surmountable. Without investment such people become increasingly marginalised and life‐chances reduce only increasing the burden on society in the long‐term. Wonderful facilities‐great to share within one community space.

Would be good for the local community snd school to have access to the sports facilities and swimming pool

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Would be great as know a lot of special needs students have to travel to Poole or Salisbury. Would also be a great place as big enough for those who are older to have classes to help them assimilate into society and classes to help with everyday activities Would be great to have such facilities in the area as there is already a big need for somewhere that provides this in this locality. Would be valuable facilities for the vulnerable people in the area. Would like to be able to bring my children who do not have special education needs to some facilities like swimming, sports, clubs, holiday clubs Would need to see how safeguards would be put in place to separate vulnerable adults from vulnerable children Would this be instead of a school fro children with SEND or instead of f as well as then great but if instead of, then although it still sound great we would rather it became a school for children with SEND. Yes , there are so many children in need that are being given the wrong treatment / therapy / options especially by CAMHS. Most children do not need to get to that point but it is the catalogue of failures that brings it to the lowest point. Early and correct intervention (by trained professionals) is key. nfortunately too many people, social workers and teachers trying their best but do not have the skills. A dreadful waste of DCC funds. Would be much more cost effective if they got it right first time. Yes a possibility Yes agree, all children from all backgrounds should be given a chance especially Sen children and vulnerable children. Yes alongside enabling local residents to use the swimming pool and grounds for community allotments/gardens.

Yes although do feel that every child should have access to complimentary facilities as uite often children will be underprivileged without anyone really knowing. That way it reaches out to more children that might benefit Yes as lack of this type of facility locally however don't think it should be the sole use of the site Yes but not to alter the main building or original buildings Yes extend provision to 18 even 25 they have to be in education until 18 but no help or support to do so Yes believe this should be focused on largely. t would be an excellent campus. Yes do, but think careful considerations would be needed around safeguarding issues as the site is uite open and would be difficult to 'chop up' into discrete areas. Yes think a SEND school is a good core use but think that Shaftesbury as a town is in desperate need of decent community facilities. Spaces for businesses, sports facilities, concert and performance facilities, art, wildlife and ecosystem benefits from the extensive grounds. find it difficult to attract good staff to work in my Shaftesbury office as the town offers so little for young professional people. This town could thrive if DCC would prioritise community rather than cheap supermarkets and expensive parking in town. Yes in combination with other educational needs, could envisage a facility where more vulnerable and SEND children could have some engagement with talented children. This could be beneficial for both Yes its so needed to benefit these families and children so many kids with disabilities struggle in a main steam school because they dont have the right recourses or training to cope with there needs but they dont have a choice as theres no spaces in other special needs school witch is sad we need to make more awareness of these schools because there highly needed to help these children and familys. Yes with suitable safeguards Yes, again centralising facilities makes complete sense. Yes, as long as this does not jeopardise the ability for the wider community to have access to the sporting and other facilities

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Yes, but wouldn't limit it to 'vulnerable' people. would like to see St Mary's become somewhere that is relevant and of benefit to all young people across the county. f its focus was framed around developing character and resilience in a non‐academic setting (i.e. outside of school) for achieving this through innovative activities. Yes, feel the more this site can be used to create supportive space for a variety of families the better. We have met many families who struggle either due to lack of support or even lack of space/provision in the current SEN schools. Yes, it would be good to have a venue for Alternative Provision linked to outdoor education and also access for land for camping with Duke of Edinburgh's Award participants Yes, often this kind of provision means long journeys for children to access services. As a foster carer for a child with additional needs often have to travel to access services. Yes, the use of the site for short breaks and respite care would be most beneficial to families in Dorset. Yes, yes,yes These facilities are desperately needed, worked in this area for 3 years using a bus to teach from on occasion. Young vulnerable disadvantaged people need much more support and a central place that can be reached within the top of our county. Yes. People will get a chance at rehabilitation and benefit from the healing nature of the countryside. There is creative and resilient energy in the school surroundings that will benefit vulnerable people. Young adults could could prove to be a problem in the community if not probably supervised

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Q17 Could you please explain your answer- to agreement with other uses for the site . . Through knowledge and experience of the facilities and site, feel it lends itself to and should remain an educational seeing in some way shape manner of form 1) Really don't know 2) That would work well but could a company make it pay t costs a lot to run that place. 3) f St Marys could not make it pay, would another school 4) This might make the premises affordable but in some ways a fair amount might be wasted. 1. There is enough care providers A huge amount in comparison to special needs and education for these children and many local options. 2. Waste of a a huge building for not a lot really. Can be fine anywhere. 3. Dont need anymore mainstream schools, compare the amount of main stream and special needs 4. Again plenty of these, My vote most definitely goes to special educational needs A centre for respite care can be part of a Special Needs educational establishment , since they would be able to use some of its facilities. A centre for respite care could be very valuable, but do prefer the option to provide a school for children with SEND. t would be a great shame to use it for the other options as they could all raise funds to use or build other facilities. can see the other options could provide an income for the council, but with the facilities already on offer at the St Mary's site, it would be so wonderful that children with SEND would have the benefit of them. A centre for respite care would be my next choose after a special educational needs school. A centre for respite care would be useful if it were to be alongside a school for children with SEND. A centre for respite is something that is also lacking in Dorset and would be beneficial. A centre of respite would help the community, especially SEND families. And area for training could be used by all sorts of companies and 'm sure this would benefit companies locally. don't really understand the terms of leasing to an independent school How would that work don't really know enough about STEM startup businesses. A centre offering respite care for chlidren with additional needs would be a fantastic service for local families A mixed use of the site would ultimately lead to the SEND provision being discontinued for something more profitable to the county. A much better idea that has the potential for outside commercial investment and longevity. There is no way a local council can afford and afford to justify its spend on such an impractical site. nless they split it up into sections for different purposes ‐ how about that A place to offer STEM start up business' should be if the education and training can be provided for local young people, and could be a great benefit to the local community and economy of the surrounding area, and employment. A recreation centre for Shaftesbury area is needed including football pitches etc A respite centre could be run alongside an educational facility. The other options are too fragmented and reliant on a third party making it successful...... they could also over time exclude any local use and change their business focus. A respite centre could dovetail with the idea of supporting people with needs, which support wholeheartedly. Training and conference centre and innovation centre are ideas which could envisage working alongside, but not instead of, a school and could potentially bring an income stream to it, which would be useful. do not want to see another private school ‐ there are plenty in the area, and would far rather see money spent directly on state education. A school is needed urgently in this area.

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A SEN school and respite centre is vastly important plus areas for training staff is essesntial A SEND school is needed in the area and this is the ideal opportunity to do it. A site this scale could provide deterimental provision for children who struggle within a main stream setting. This could be so valuable to many children and young people, parents, families and education. A total and utter waste of taxpayer's money A training and conference suite could be a useful additional part of the overall provision on site (income stream). A very foolish purchase....done behind the taxpayers back without any transparency....were there any other buyers interested in this property than the farcical proposal by David Beckham/ uy Richie Absolutely not in favour of using Council funds to buy a resource, and then leasing it out to private enterprise. t's a bit remote for some of these functions, which might be better located on a business park. None of these would surely make use of all the facilities available on site. Access to all these things locally will enable more children and adults with SEN to achieve more. Again a great need for this‐ especially for young adults Again for children with SEN issues that can continue to learn even in respite care. Again lack of provisions generally for adults with additional needs which means the few services there are can name their price Again make a decision on what you want this place to be and stick with that plan... do not try to do too much or only try to make as much money by doing it all... focus on the SEND provision which is so needed Again there is a pressing and urgent need for send provision withing Dorsg, especially within North and West Dorset. Again, dont know the site at all, but it should become a centre of excellence for disability. Again, there is woeful provision for respite care in Dorset. would hope that this could be flexible enough to include daytime sessions, overnight stays and also parent/carer accompanied activities as reuired by the SEN child/adult. Agree to most initial ideas but consultation with other users/ businesses may be a prudent move. agree with all of the above, there is plenty of space if planned correctly and is vital for the future All are worthy All great suggestions, but guess you couldn't accommodate them all No suggestion of opening up the sport facilities to the public All of the above All of the above are great, am merely here to promote weddings All of the above would allow the site to be used for Community se with access to the sports facilities and pool All of the above would be a worthwhile use.of the site. All of these are valid uses of the property. know the property uite well and the facilities there are excellent. s there any way these can be made available to the general public All of these options could have benefit but do not feel it would be easy to run these alongside a SEND school, which would have huge benefits for all. All of these other uses are already covered locally by other facilities. There are respite centres and extensive range of conference facilities locally. There is already a very extensive local provision of independent schools. And this would be a completely wrong location for STEM start‐ups as the campus is in the middle of nowhere with no other infrastructure for them. All of these seem reasonable in addition to the core purpose of SEND and other related uses as in prvious page ‐ vulnerable adults and children but they should be secondary to the needs of local residents. Shaftesbury is an area with poor provision in many other respects which i will address in the next uestion All rate payers contribute to its purchase and so all should benefit

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All seem good uses. Leasing cold also be a means of providing extra funds to support school All the above are great ideas as there is a lot of space. However having a training and conferencing suite takes away the fact that it is an education establishment. You are there to protect and nurture children and if these children are SEND children then you are putting them more at risk by inviting others in from outside the setting. All these provisions would only benefit dorset and presumably the local Wiltshire areas All these uses already have venues and if not then they have budgets to resource them. All those agreed with will help Shaftesbury & surrounding area Along with SEN schools there is a lack of local respite centres for disabled children and adults Along with the other SEND uses if theres boarding facilities you could use it for this Alongside the other options hope the extensive facilities can also have a direct benefit for local residents particularly the swimming pool and the grounds for community allotments/gardening projects Although respite provision is a good idea not sure if it would fit in a special education needs setting. Also do not think its appropriate for a training and conference suite to be open to all and sundry on a for young people. Although it is feasible to lease the site to an independent school provider i feel this is going against what needs to be achieved as i would be concerned if they would want to charge placement fees. Although the main proposal would be my first choice, would not have objections to the respite care centre or STEM centre as believe both could benefit the local area. Having worked in the independent education sector in Dorset for over 20 years know that we do not need more independent schools in the area. ndeed some of those here are struggling to survive and St Marys didnt. There is simply not enough demand as fewer people can afford private education. Both this and a conference centre would be a waste of the facility as far as Dorset residents are concerned. An establishment for special needs is essential in this area of Dorset An ndependant school failed here before. The SEND school plan would bring Dorset up to date with SEN provision, matching and perhaps exceeding those of other counties such as Sussex whom already have similar facilities. Rooms could provide training to SEND staff and carers and families and perhaps therapy provision for all county children and young people who need it. An independent school provider could be an SEND company so this is a vague uestion An innovation centre sounds great but can it be broader than STEM and include other start ups, non profits And run alongside the school plan given how large St Marys is Another respite care facility is greatly needed, especially overnight and daycare/holiday club provision Another school is already needed in the area, see this as the best fit for the site. Any education provider especially higher education will benefit our community if jobs are forthcoming in that sector locally Any leading to third parties would need to ensure at least parts of the site remain available to local people Any of the above would be suitable. Any one of these would probably be fine but the Council is in a better position to decide what the county needs most and what would give best value for money. As a Dorset rate payer, would like this facility to be of benefit to people who live in Dorset f you rent it out to an independent school, whilst the county coffers may benefit, it would do us ratepayers no good at all We need local sporting facilities for local people f you want to develope the site as start ups etc... fine..... but do not remove the sports facilities As a firm supporter of the provision of facility for those with special educational needs find it difficult to consider other options. t would seem to be a missed opportunity to peruse alternative uses. However if the site is such that there is excess capacity would agree with consideration of a site for respite care.

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As a revenue stream think the college could be utilised during the school holidays and weekends for training etc. and run courses for start up businesses. Regarding respite‐ this could be a good use of the space. think it could also be used for intensive family therapy on a residential basis. As a teacher who regularly visited St Marys. would like to,see it continue to help educate children and young people. As above As above As above As above As above believe that Dorset is in desperate need of another facility to offer placement for children with SEND. At my sons school (Yewstock) there are a number of students who have to travel considerable distance for their placement. t would provide more option and more support for children with SEND As above send provisions in all aspects are severely lacking right from reception age all the way upto college age. Parents face a huge challenge of dealing with the conseuences of a send child being made to stay in a mainstream school environment due to lack of spaces or budget that doesn't not nuture the needs they have. From experience this causes huge issues for the child, the school & pupils around them and the family. etting our son into an amaing Sen school had absolutely changed both his life and ours for the better. wish more families could get the same outcome that we have. As above, believe offering residential care for those that cannot live permanently at home would be a better use of the site. And if the site diversifies too much you risk affecting the uality of the entire provision As above, services lack in North dorset including those of respite. This service would be amaing to have locally. An STEM base would also be amaing, our family would personally hugely benefit from this as our son with autism has some very high functioning interest areas within STEM, but we have not managed to access any LOCAL services offering this. as above. as before would like to see it open to the community for sport, education and leisure As before this beautiful site could well benefit those in need of respite care and their families. think there are already uite a few training and conferencing facilities in the area and many independent schools so am not sure these uses are viable ones. An innovation centre sounds interesting but again would there be enough demand As before. t is very rare to find purpose‐built premises for the provision of SEND education ‐ innovation centres & conference suites are two a penny round the country... Though mixing and matching to enable the site to be self‐funding could be helpful. As explained before. Need to provide respite care for families As said previously its important that the site is not left empty and can be of use to the community and generate employment. ts possible that more than one of the above options could be undertaken. Theres no mention of the use of the pool ‐ a very good facility. As it is a school, it is ideally suited to continue as one. Part of it could be rented out in the holidays to generate more income, from conferences, weddings, sporting opportunities, summer school for international students. As long as the main (converted) building is surrounded by homes to RENT from the council. As long as the school isn't going to be knocked down for yet MORE housing the area can't support, support all uses

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As long as the sites core aim is to deliver effective education to children with SEND then some of these other uses could be beneficial. For example would there be opportunities for the students with SEND to get involved in the nnovation Centre believe it would be beneficial to focus on your core aim first before thinking of other ways to use the site, there is a huge need for a SEND school that has the provision for all students not just those who fall within a couple of boxes think you'll need all of the site to achieve your aim effectively. As mentioned before think the accommodation is more in keeping with schooling children As mentioned previously an education/community setting would be preferable in my opinion and more beneficial to all in the area As outlined in previous responses, think the site has the potential to integrate various uses, using the county's central direction of special needs as the glue that holds it together. have disagreed with your independent school option not because disagree with private providers. Not at all. But the excitement see coming from this facility is not from another traditional independent school, but rather from the possibility of creating the opportunity to help those with special needs and help those without special needs to realise their potential at the same time, through the same activities. As per previously, we do not want it as a profit site or for non‐educational site. As previously think it should be a centre, in addition to SEND pupils to allow green technology, rewilding, forest schools, low carbon technology, micro generation utilising solar panels, etc As previously stated ‐ an education facility should be, in my opinion the only option for this site As St. Marys was a school previously would like to see that vacillity to continue that usage. t has Always been run with concern and respect for the neighbourhood , remaining peaceful ,as a near neighbour would like that to continue. would not like St Marys to become a commercial hub, or any other purpose that would Cause more traffic and noise. As the school is so big it would be great to have mixed use of the pool and access to the grounds for re‐ wilding, community nature projects and a centre for local non profits and start ups would be fantastic. don't know if respite care would work well with that, but as much use a possible would be great. But don't agree with using the buildings for another private school, given that only 7% of the population go to private school and this perpetuates huge in‐euities in the for example the proportion of current Cabinet Ministers and udges. prefer other ways of making income as needed ‐ such as charging for using the pool, or community spaces. As there are parents who need restbite that don't get it being closer is better for them As with the last response, this is a massive site for respite care unless you have very large numbers. At Marys could benefit everyone. t would be amaing if the town had access to decent tennis Courts, the swimming pool, further sports centre type activities and space. At Marys would be best used as an educational establishment and diversity is badly needed in education. A centre for SEN or a STEM school seems to be the best option. Because of the past history of an excellent provider for the education of girls. Because the need for SEND facilities is greater. The sie of the location offers the ability for children to stay at one school throughout their education and to have facilities to cater for the range of ages and disabilities in one place ‐ accessible as needed. Respite care and conferencing suites can be in smaller locations, there is not such a need to pool resources. An independent school provider probably means its less accessible for the SEND children / young adults in the county that need such a school. That would be short term gain. Best idea would be to sell the complex ‐ research what is needed for SEN & then build / buy premises suitable to meet the need in a geographically logical location Best run by county, not paying someone else. Best use is as stated to cover the needs of children needing special care

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Both 1 and 4 are good alternatives Both agreed with would be good use of the facility But please use this to other forms of education mane build new units offering training for a career (likes college) for young adults Children in Dorset need more positive opportunities especially special needs and vulnerable children to ensure they are safe and have the best possible opportunities in life Children with send need the provision more Children's education comes first. The other options are too vague for me to comment. Training for what ndependent school of what sort nnovation centre for children or a business Concentrate on SEND needs please instead of watering SEND needs down. Conferencing and training facilities for education staff are non‐existent in the north of the county. All training takes place in the Dorchester area which disadvantages north Dorset professionals. would consider this would prove cost‐effective in the longer term. Could a centre for respite be included in the development feel strongly that this is an opportunity to address the need for support with SEN challenges within the county. Could be good for respite care, but not solely for that. How about weekend/temporary respite care for teenagers whose parents aren't coping with them se hotels for conferences and training. Need the site for our own children, especially the disadvantaged. Start up businesses can go on an industrial site. Could it be multi use, meeting a variety of needs within the building as school, but land around to improve other community options Currently no SEN / SpLD special schools in Dorset despite demand ‐ we have had to look outside the county. This is badly needed as other (neighbouring) counties better offering and have more availability. n our search for support we've been told it's a postcode lottery and Dorsets specialist provision is poor / not available. We have been unable to secure the reuired support for our child. DCC does not have enough respite or schooling option as it stands.

Definitely not a conference centre Even based in old buildings they are very soulless There are plenty of purpose‐built conference centres of football/rugby clubs etc. that can be used for that. While the site has science labs etc. there is/was large arts, drama and music offerings, therefore STEM instead of STEAM doesn't seem right. Also business opportunities/start‐up centres don't seem a stable option, particularly in the current Covid climate. Respite care sounds like a good option, however some of the staircases/boarding house corridors can be a little like rabbit warrens, so depends on the levels of care needed (euipment wise etc) from a safety perspective. Otherwise, a good idea. Regarding leasing to an independent school provider... while keeping it an education establishment is very good, it depends on what it is, the description is a bit vague. Also would there be good oversight to maintanance of the fabric of the buildings Shared responsibilities often lead to elements falling between the cracks of contracts. Depends on the financial agreements. Despite centre seems the better option to help people in the community. Disagree with the last ‐ just because couldn't imagine a load of lathes and mills inside that beautiful building . The smell of coolant constantly coming from the machines. How you would even get machines through the doors don't know . Sorry working in FE and seeing the sie of the machines coming through workshop doors . Where would they go A centre for respite care could work Again it would depend on the service user needs you would be taking n regards to access and the rooms being able to fit euipment needed to meet their daily needs . Do not think private providers are suitable. There motive is profit over care (see how bad academy schools are) A conference center is a good way to make income that can be reinvested into social care. Stem business is also good use. Dont over complicate what is currently needed for children in Dorset.

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Dont think that a conference suit would be the best use of space DONT lease to independent provider t becomes profit over provision. Please. There are sufficient locations from training and onferences, plus the future of these are likely to change following the pandemic and everyone useing oom etc. STEM is highly valuable but NO Help people for goodness sake Don't need training centre. Don't think we need another independent school No need for an innovation centre of that sie dorset council needs to bring services for disabled people of all ages under one roof for north dorset. too many facilities based in south dorset .postcode discrimation is a problem. plus attract clients from neighbouring counties such as wiltshire and somerset Dorset has a plethora of ndependent Schools, we need more options for state funded education. Dorset need more SEND places at schools. Dorset needs local SEND provision for their complex pupils. Dorset needs more provision to support SEN children, especially as they transition into adulthood. Would like to see provision made for adults too like the centre in erwood. Dorsets SEN schools are overstretch and most are at capacity, it took over a year for my nephew to get a place in an SEN school which is too long and he missed out on his schooling as the state school he was in couldnt or wouldnt meet his complex needs. Having another SEN school will benefit service users and parents who are desperately fighting and advocating for their children for a good inclusive educational setting that meets their childrens needs. Doubt the site will be attractive for professional use and would therefore go to waste. ust not enough workforce in the area not adeuate infrastructure to the site. Natural continuance as a secondary school / college is the obvious need locally. During the summer we could create a summer school, or summer camp. EDCATON CENTRE CNEMA MORE FOR ADLTS WTH SPECAL NEEDS TO HELP THEM ET BAC TO WOR AND BENEFT ADCE OB CENTRE NEER HAD THE OPPORTNTY TO O TO SCHOOL WOLD LOE A EDCATON BT HAE NEER BEEN EN THE CHANCE WTH MY EPLEPSY DON'T FLL ERY CONFDENT SO WOLD LOE TO LEARN TO ET A LTTLE OB N THE FTRE FOR MY FAMLY Education needs in this area is a top priority There are nowhere near enough schools that have capabilities of caring for sen children and it is very concerning. Education not businesses ‐ in a few years it will just make a profit for shareholders not the community Education please Education would be the best place considering it was a school. Training and conferencing would potentially be useful ‐ but not at the expense of other purposes. Leasing the site to another provider would probably be a waste of the investment in the site. The site is too large for STEM use ‐ that is better suited to industrial units etc, even if the units were all together to form the site. sn't the Winfrith site supposedly for that purpose and that is not a full site as understand it Educational provision for children 0‐18 years only. We cant afford to loose appropriate space for these children. Educational uses are a good idea but not a boarding school for the rich Either would be good for the area , but if it was leased to an ndependant school it must be with the proviso that its facilities would be open for locals to use either for free or on a reasonable payment plan Enough other places in the county provided for that type of provisions. Ensuring that the site has a multi‐functional approach supports a better cross community culture. Some of the above services can also support or collaborate with the young people attending school on site and create learning, volunteering and work opportunities for them. For all

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For children in care to have a nice break when carers go away rather than bejng dumped with other carers at short notice. Could work as a temporary measure for placement breakdowns until in county placement is found. For once, given how vulnerable these children and even more so in a Pandemic they are by far the most vulnerable and underfunded category. For the children not businesses Free education to kids with specials needs. et as much use out of the site as possible ‐ if extra revenue can be created by hiring out as a training/conferencing site alongside SEND educational facilities, then go for it. Don't know enough about leasing to an ndependent School provider to comment ‐ presumably that would be instead of being run by Dorset Council Education Surely it can be done in‐house iven there isn't any local SEN provision, think the site would be very suitable for this. t also needs to benefit the local community as there is nothing for local children/families and its really letting Shaftesbury down. ood for local jobs and bringing innovation tot he region. Hard to argue against repute care but this iS a big site better suited to education. There are enough independent schools in the county who already might struggle for numbers of pupils and there is no need for another. ood uses but not as good as special needs ym and leisure facilities. Concert facilities. A Resturant something to keep Shaftesbury alive please. Having multiple provision and diverse services and enterprises on the campus will help to integrate and glue together better all the the elements of the infrastructure needed to support disadvantaged learners and members of society, including widening the knowledge base. ndependent special school only with the necessary provisos beyond the existing SEND legislation on this to enable proper accountability to Dorset residents. HOSN Huge need for respite care in Dorset but other suggested uses are already well catered for. agree with all of the above according to what is needed in the area. agree with STEM but only if the upper school are involved as they have been involved and innovative in STEM work over the last couple of years.

agree with the first 2 if they can sit alongside the idea of building a whole community for people with SEND. AS part of this training in all aspects SEND would support the development. The training suite would give young people with SEND an opportunity to practice hospitality skills and catering to provide lunches, drinks and snacks. The respite care would fit in well as there would be the opportunity for young people to stay overnight for an assessed amount of time to support the capacity of their own families. don't know about the innovation centre but again if it could sit alongside the SEND community idea and develop small businesses for people with SEND that would be good. The reason am hesitant with this is that would ideally like to have opportunities for meaningful inclusion. agree with the first three options but would imagine if an independent school had been interested, they would have come forward when the site was up for sale. Training and conferencing facilities could run alongside the educational use as could the respite care centre. also think it would be great as a leisure/sports centre for local people

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always used to 'joke' with the previous headmaster that SMS would make a great nursing home/respite home. There is a demand in SW for such....but am more in favour of repurposing the facilities for children/young people. have friends with SEN children who sadly live a great geographical distance from them. Providing a localised service/nurturing environment for young people/adults should be a major priority for Dorset/Wilts. The other proposals are sound, but the campus is best utilised all year round to optimise operational costs ‐ a training/conf centre may take time to generate interest/funds long term. The independent sch provider has an uncertain future.... perceive too many parents are looking for 'historic' proven 'success' of a school to invest in their child's education. am currently in a situation where just cant find a suitable place for respite for my son.. respite is life changing for the whole family of challenging children.. it can make the difference between children going into full time care and giving families a well deserved break. am happy with these providing we also get the use of the pool for one evening a week. feel that our services could provide extra interest for the above groups should they be of interest to them. am not discounting any of my answers for disagreements as the geounds are vast but i believe the ground are better suited to educational needs. am not uite sure of what each of these would entail fully enough to comment a reason, but all ideas are worth considering. am not sure about any of these and what the benefits would be. am not sure of the implication for each of these. am not sure what you mean by respite care s that for adults or children Why on earth would we need another conferencing suite We have ingston Maurward in the centre of the county. Surely Covid has taught us that we can conference in ways other than meeting physically so we don't need more conferencing facilities, we need fewer... f an independent school wanted the site am sure they would have bought it..... n terms of an innovation centre am not sure that this kind of site is easily adaptable ‐ seems a waste of a facility to use this site for that. f you want an innovation centre there must be many vacant premises on industrial sites that could be rented cheaply. am rather wary of leasing the site to an independent school provider. am reluctant to promote an alternative use of this site if it is detrimental to the needs of special educational needs. am strongly opposed to leasing the site to an independent school provider. think the Council should be giving its attention and resources to those in need. This is important. am deeply and strongly opposed to this suggestion. am sure that there are empty facilities at sites such as Winfrith and Southwell at Portland that can cater for training , conferencing and nnovation in STEM.. Although respite care is necessary, would it reuire the amount of land that goes with this site What would be done with that land More housing To the best of my knowledge many independent schools are struggling to survive or closing at the moment and so this does not seem a feasible proposition. am sure training, and particularly conference suites, are available elsewhere in Dorset. am unsure present facilities lend themselves to a centre for respite care. Will there be such demand for training or conference centre going forward as we are all changing the way we work. Leasing the site could generate income to support education in other ways. STEM innovation centre would be best delivered by private sector. am very confused that a respite care facility is being proposed in light of the farcical use of the former Beeches site in Blandford, the very expensive new build of Phoenix House which was then sold to a private provider. Dec giving the reason understand that a respite care facility was a outdated provision. Further Education facilities are much needed in the county

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attended schools rather like St Marys. These types of buildings and locations tent to lean towards the private sector. t would therefore be refusing and inspiring to see it benefitting those children who might not otherwise be given the opportunity to go to such a wonderful place. beleive it would be more benefit to have something that will help struggling familynwith children with special educational needs believe a SEND school is the most badly needed and would be the most laudable use for the site. believe its best use would be as explained earlier ‐ hence my agreement to the training and conference suite. However an innovation centre would also be an excellent use in my view ‐ and could be combined with my proposal since green tech development and environmental studies are closely related subjects and could be mutually beneficial believe the school should be safe place for parents and children believe the site which is a leave one can be used collaboratively with the right leadership. There are excellent accommodation and residential facilities to create an interconnected plan. t is important that the site is not leased to ndependent schools all of which have considerable facilities if their own already. This is an opportunity to lead change, to interconnect society and to make change for the benefit of all. As a Christian, believe this facility must be used for the benefit of those most in need. Well done Dorset Council if you can make it work for this purpose. believe the sole purpose of the expanding of this site, should be for the vulnerable and SEND provision only. Training and conference suites would be fantastic if it is designed on training surrounding the various knowledge that is needed to be given, surrounding SEND and vulnerability. believe there are facilities within dorset for the items above. There is a need to help children that just need extra help from a main stream school. But are not completely disabled. My son is visually impaired but needs a little extra help. feel we are in limbo where he needs some help but not that much of a special school. So think there should be something for children in that category. Here in north dorset we really do not have any facilities for children like this and vulnerable children. t will also create a massive employment opportunity in the area. North Dorset needs some attention within the education sector. believe there are plenty of conference facilities already belive it should continue as education but need something for the community to use as well possibly sports centre, gym and swimming pool for the public to use cannot comment on respite care as have experience in this area. don't believe the site should be leased to an independent school provider as feel the site lends itself to a wider range of uses. The area could really benefit from having some form of education‐based centre, and areas of the campus could be leased to multiple agencies, not just one. cannot see the advantage of these uses in respect of recouping the vast sum of money spent on the building. cannot see the point of leasing the site back to the independent sector unless they are going to provide for children in the public sector. disagree re training or independent school as there are plentiful alternative spaces for these. m sure more respite places are needed and maybe these could be incorporated with SEN facility if for children and families. The country needs to increase STEM and if the site proved in suitable for SEN that would be my second choice disagree with leasing the site to an independent school provider. There is much expertise in the fields of special needs within the education system in Dorset and this asset should remain one that is controlled by the Education Department of Dorset Council. do feel the three have checked are needed. However would like to see it as a school for children and adults with profound and complexed needs.

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do not feel that having bought the site it should be passed on to another organisation. A Dorset centre of excellence should be the aim. do not know enough about the facilities to comment on all these proposals.

do not want the site to only be used for SEND provision. The site of 55 acres, in Wiltshire, is far too big to only be used for SEND provision. Looking at the plans for the site you are probably going to loose 30000sm for access, trees, sewage. expect you will need to demolish several temporary buildings and have you made provision for converting the small accommodation rooms into something suitable You will need approximately 3million and 18 months to convert the site appropriately to the following Public Cafe around the walled garden (Pupils to help plant veg and herbs used in the garden) Public Access to Sports facilities, Swimming Pool, Sports Hall, Tennis Courts, Field. Convert some accommodation to Outdoor Pursuits such as Carey Camp ‐ lease the lower meadow Demolish some of the old blocks. Repurpose the ground floor classrooms and first floor classrooms into appropriate education spaces. New Tarmac Heating The Nursery could stay but spend some money on the accomodation. f you think that opening a school this year is the right thing to do i believe you are wrong. How are you going to carryout of the work that is needed to make the property, safe, compliant and a fun welcoming place to be schooled if at the same time you have to carry out works. Don't rush it ‐ get it Right. do not want this provision leased to another private school in the area. They have enough facilities and already with their charity status are failing to supply and honour any provision for locals. n fact would go on to say that should the council decide to do this with this site for one will be campaigning and protesting against this. This was bought using council funds and should be used for the benefit of local people and children. dont have any strong feelings on how the site as used, as long as it is a good investment for the council and people/communities have access to the fantastic facilities to support their well‐being. dont think a training/conference centre would be as worthwhile/profitable as there arent the businesses locally to use this and there are hotels etc which can be used. dont think any of the alternative options would fully utilise the site all of the time, where a school would. don't agree with any of these as this place could u be used more beneficial things don't have enough knowledge to answer these uestions properly. There may be enough room to use my old school for other educational needs as well as for vulnerable people. don't know enough about the availability of respite care facilities, but this would certainly be a valuable local asset that we could be proud of. An independent school suggests to me that money would be the main aim rather than welfare. The other two options could be done anywhere and using an existing school for these seems a waste of a resource. don't know what a STEM centre would be like ‐ seems a huge site for that. Respite care ‐ maybe t should be a school in some format. Also the pool should be accessible to community. don't think some of these things will help the children with special needs don't think we need a training and conferencing suite as there are already other venues in the area suitable for this. Anything to encourage new businesses to the area would be great. feel a respite centre is priority feel education is something that is so important and instead of sending our children to Southampton, Andover, Frome to board this could provide an amaing setting for so many children who are struggling to find suitable education. Particularly those with emotional problems and challenging behaviour who are often isolated and forgotten about. feel it is important to improve education facilities for vulnerable and SEND students who are accessing mainstream school and shouldn't be. This will be a much more suitable conversation and use of the site. feel our community needs something valuable and both education for SEND children or respite care is very valuable and needed.

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feel that offering respite care facilities and a space for training tie in with the vision for the SEND school, provided they are linked to that purpose. When working with vulnerable young people, staff have a duty to be up to date with the latest training protocols. The site would be an excellent place to advance and enhance the training of staff associated with looking after young people and adults. feel that the need for a new special school is the most important. My son who is 3.5 and due to start school in September is autistic and has global delay and his EHCP clearly shows that he needs to go to a special school‐ however he has no place at any school as there isnt any space, and we are having to go through the appeal‐tribunal process just so he can have somewhere to go that can meet his needs outlined in the EHCP. f there was already another special school in Dorset, this would help avoid children being left behind. This is even more important than the other uses listed above. feel the area already offers outstanding schooling and as the previous school failed. You need to move with the times and offer something different Spa hotel facilities for day or overnight stays Sports camp training facilities for elite sports people hired out to football clubs swimming clubs England camps feel the local economy needs both these things. Leasing to an independent school or as a training and conference suite brings income but the council will still need to provide services for SEND and STEM. f the income is sufficient feel it would be better to provide bespoke facilities for both SEND and STEM in accommodation suited the their specific needs. feel the more services that can be provided by the council, the better. feel the priority is for a SEND school above all else. feel the site could offer a great deal for children and families with SEN feel the site would be best aimed at young adults within the age group of 18‐35 feel the South West has become known for its elderly end of life/respite focused care and offers, and something that invests in the future lives of other demographics (particularly those in socially deprived areas) would make a huge difference and maybe tackle the flood of young working age people moving elsewhere for jobs/opportunities/pay. feel there is a great need for additional support for the SEND students in Dorset. feel there is need for a respite centre. Perfect if the child already goes to, and is familiar with, the school. have agreed with the first option only as feel the site should be used for SEN children and vulnerable young people/ adults. Would like to see a much needed leisure facility/ indoor pool for Shaftesbury residents have detailed my views above. am surprised in the current climate that the Council has spend 10 million pounds of council tax money on a site suggesting it delivers an old fashioned care model for disabled children and adults. That sum of money could have been used to set up a number of smaller scale initiatives in local communities keeping all residents disabled or not within their communities. The running costs alone must be astronomical for such a site have no experience of these uses. have no idea of the need for a STEM centre. feel leasing to an independent school is unnecessary due to there already being 2 private schools in the immediate area. Respite and training are always valuable everywhere. have no idea of the needs of the population within the councils area. However, would be much happier to support a facility that know is needed generallly, i.e. more respite care and more education and innovation in the STEM subjects than would a private enterprise.

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have only agreed to the childrens education ones. feel educating parents, caregivers and teaching staff will improve so many lives, that mainly of the child. But so many can gain from better understanding of the issues children face without having a disability of any kind. Respite care is sadly missing to those who are in great need of it, its not easy being a parent at the best of times let alone with child/children with issues or disabilities. To get respite and education regarding how to cope, best ways forward or just another to talk to will make so much difference have read about the planned special school and it seems to be a facility that is much needed locally. Plus this building seems ideally suited to such a use. imagine that the site could be used for all sorts of good projects. The facilities already lend themselves well to children and boarding so SEND facilities are desperately needed and the site provides a great environment for these children just want this site to be used by as many people as possible in our area. like the idea of it being dedicated to SEND children ‐ preferably ones that are close to their families ‐ but appreciate that it means a lot of money needs to be raised. One of my school friends from St Mary's Convent has a grandchild who has special needs. A Respite Care centre also sounds like good option. like the idea of using the site to benefit vulnerable residents the most, (SEND, outdoor education, respite care). However the innovation centre also sounds interesting as there isn't anything like it in the Swanage area and could bring young business people to the area. like the SEND idea over and above the other ideas love all of these options as they are a very good use of the site.

mean think a Sens school is needed so much more there would be a lot more benefit from the building if you do there theres more kids and families needing help then the other stuff you have listed to use it for. prefer the idea for special needs children see additional SEND support a higher priority. A flagship SEND school site can inspire pupils and due to the complex needs of all SEND pupils it can really be tailored to be state of the art in relation to facilities that can support pupil wellbeing. strongly believe a setting with the space and facilities this place have should be for education, residential and care purpose for children, young people and even young adults to help work towards independence. strongly believe the best use for this site is for special educational needs. This area is growing at an exponential rate and therefore services need to meet this growth.

strongly disagree with leasing the site to an ndependent School provider. The area has plenty enough independent schools as it is and their business models are currently looking very shaky. The only ones managing to survive at present are those with sieable endowments, which would be unlikely for a new independent school leasee. n line with my comments to previous uestions, can see a respite centre for young carers being very complementary to a wider range of other uses focused on building character and resilience in young people. They would just be a sub‐set of users for the site. can see commercial uses as a training and conference suite, though would be concerned how this provision might negatively affect other state schools in the area trying to generate commercial income in the school holidays (e.g. The ryphon School, Shaftesbury School ‐ both now part of SAST). n any event, commercial use should be secondary to primary use as a facility for developing and supporting young people. can see an innovation centre for start‐ups being complementary to a wider purpose of developing character & resilience in young people, possibly as a living lab, or source of internships/work experience for young people in an area lacking employment opportunities for them. Again, would see this as a secondary use, complementary to its primary use. would suggest exploring a partnership with The Prince's Trust to operate this. There may also be local High Net Worths and professional investors willing to partner on creation of a startup incubator can certainly think of a few.

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strongly support the concept of St Marys as a school, being kept for the children of Dorset support multiple use cases and therefore not any one which precludes others. would love to see some positive use cases eg the STEM idea which would bring some dynamism rather than just use cases focused on the vulnerable and needy. We need a balance. support your main proposal suppose an independent sector could run the provision for you as long as the vision for SEND is upheld. eep the vision simple and focussed on uality SEND provision although self generated funding through courses and renting to businesses shouldnt be dismissed if thats whats needed to maintain the site. think a multi purpose site, would be beneficial andmaintainable. think a school would struggle in the current climate. Not sure if Shaftesbury is on the map for STEM. think a use which is beneficial for local residents would be best ‐ respite care, SEND school or start up businesses would benefit the local youth / young adult community. think all of the above would be beneficial to the community but it would be hard to co‐ordinate using it for all of the above. think it would be good to keep opportunities and employment local so that Shaftesbury residents would be less likely to be travelling a distance for work/training/respite care. think an educational purpose, would be beneficial as it would add to the educational purpose to people who need it the most think both respite care and innovation centre would be suitable uses for the site, although it would mean that not all facilities could be used effectively. think that it would be wasteful to create a training and conferencing site or leasing to an independent school as the opportunity to support SEND and reduce the councils SEND spend to reinvest is the most important. think concentrating on special educational needs care of the vulnerable and extended education in the same setting provided for the county by the county makes the most sense. think continuing using the facility for education is a much more sensible idea. Children are our future after all. think covid has greatly reduced the need for conference centres and whilst occasional use for this acceptable to make this mainly offices and conference centres would be a waste and would not think shine favourably on the council . Theres do much to benefit disadvantaged children and the local community An independant school lease would again be a waste of the potential for wider use Stem could be incorporated on an educational level rather than to businesses but interaction with businesses could be innovative think elite education on this site has had its day t may be difficult to get another school to take it on in any case as numbers are not good in other private schools and a lot have been in financial hard times recently. Noe that the council has bought it, feel it could be better used for the purposes you have outlined, but there could be potential for at least day conferences in the Rookwood building, and maybe overnight stays if room. Agree also that the innovation centre for STEM start ups could be worthwhile, but only if this could be done whilst fitting it around the facilities for SEND provision. This also applies to respite care, it would be good to have a local facility, but not at the expense of the latter. think would support any use of the site which benefits the community. would not be so supportive of converting the site into housing. think if any of the above detracted from the additional provision of SEN, this would be a dreadful shame. do not think the provision should be outsourced to an independent school provider ‐ close control should stay with the council, and funds should not be part of shareholders' profits. think if it was still used for a speacil needs setting and thats things are in addition then yes feel that there could be potential for a lot to come out of that site . think if the main use is aimed at residents with SEND and if possible grow the rest of the facility to accommodate other businesses.

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think if the school was structured so that it could accommodate holiday camps or daytime respite that would be great The site is very large and could accommodate several uses feel if it was done correctly. sing the site for training for special needs staff or parents between schooling would be good as a lot of issues surrounding special needs is about educating others. think if you had this as a specialist school that children attended then it would make a great site for respite too. The child would be familiar with their surroundings and staff there so would hopefully feel comfortable going for respite here. have 2 ASD children and they are not happy to go anywhere thy dont know so if they were educated and respite was at the same location it Maugham make it easier for familys to achieve the break they need. think in my opinion you have centred on the most pressing need which is a focussed school for children and young adults with SEND think it is a perfect opportunity to develop a site that caters for SEND ‐ the training and conference suite would be something would consider if the training was about developing skills and knowledge in that area. think it needs to stay within house and used as an education provision to support the many send children and their families think it should be kept as an educational facility think it should just be kept for children and adults with additional needs. Also children/Adults that reuire additional help in other areas eg Mental Health etc think it should start as a school, particularly SEND. think it would be best used for education think of all the options it is the need for provision for SEN students that is most lacking. Training suites can be found in so many places all over the county and indeed the country. There are already several independent schools in the area. am not sure about how much respite care is needed hence me saying 'don't know' but am certain that provision for SEN would be the best way to use the site. think places for respite are always needed the others not so much think respite care for those with SEND would blend well with use of the site as a SEND school. We need more provision especially as residential options have been reduced across Dorset. think some of the above options can easily existing alongside each other on the site but don't think the site should be used for anything that shuts off access to the wider community. think start up businesses & STEM innovation would be great to see, especially in renewable energy and environmental ventures but perhaps some of these could sit with the SEND school on the same site. think STEM is a good idea, but don't know alot about it. think that something for children would be a good addition to Shaftesbury think the chance for the council to invest in SEND facilities on this scale is not going to come along again. f it is not taken now then the opportunity will be lost for ever and so many children/young adults will miss out. There are already many places in the area to hire for training/conferencing purposes and also uite a few independent schools. The need for something like that is far, far less then SEND provision. think the Council need to consider that there are old girls and daughters of old girls who would still like to have access to the site and perhaps get married in the chapel. think the Council should consider hiring it as a wedding venue as well as a conference suite if that ever gets going again post covid. think the site is large enough to acccomodate a lot of uses. would not want it to return as an independent school. think the primary need is specialist educational provision in this area think the providing multi opportunities for sen pupils is vital in the the county and is a location that could be used to its full potential think the school should be run by the county and not for profit. think the site has lots of potential but would like to see it being used mainly for Sen kids

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think the site would work well for any of these think the St Marys site should be used for higher education facilities. As there is only one secondary school in Shaftesbury. This local area also reuires a better sixth form. A sports college would work well with the current layout of the site. However it would also be good as a leisure centre with swimming, sports facilities like football, netball, tennis, bike trail way and also a cinema complex with bowling. think the time for a training and conference suite has gone and the pandemic has changed how such events will be organised in the future. Leasing the site to an ndependent School provider is supporting a private business to make money out of providing for children with SEND and will mean Dorset will continue to spend lots of money with them rather than building internal capacity. think there are other possible locations for the other options. think there is room for both of the above but do not think it should just be taken over by one private business for conferencing or completely taken over by an independent school provider. There is a real potential to support the wider community if managed carefully. So that Special Needs and Community interests are served. think there needs to be a new SEN school, ideally with provision for able children with SEN who can take CSE exams and A levels but can't attend mainstream provision. Whether this is run by Dorset council or by am independent provider don't mind. think using this space for children and training would be a great use of the facilities. think we are flooded with independent schools who are, to a lesser degree, facing some of the problems which St Mary's had. eep it in the hands of DCC. As for STEM, am not sure the science facilities are up to the job they really needed a revamp think we in Dorset need to cater for the SLD pupils with extreme anti social behaviour think we need a specialist sports facility for all abilities in the county. To develop elite sports men and women, both able bodied and disabled. think we need to develop our community to become enablers and anywhere that offers the chance for people to learn skills and develop careers in these necessary subjects should be encouraged. think we need to utilise this building to the best of it's ability and it should be used to benefit the children of dorset. whole heartedly believe that this should become an SEND provision. will only comment on the idea to lease to an ndependent School. As the previous use was as an ndependent School which got into financial difficulties cant see why this would even be considered the private sector is going to struggle during the post Covid‐19 period. work in the care industry and have seen the benefits respite care brings, it gives everyone time to rest and regather their resources. For the family carer, tin gives them time to live their own lives, have their own schedules, think their own thoughts and improve strengthen their mental health. Regarding the training an conference suite, this would be beneficial in regard to holding multi‐discipline/specialist meetings. Regarding training, in my view a very necessary practice, as it helps to keep workers up to date with the latest practices, policies and procedures, therefore providing the best possible care. would add ‐ adult learning facilities ‐ adult keep fit type and lesiure classes would also like for the pool to be hired out for swimming lessons would champion the use for SEND Educational provision would like to see this site reserved for helping children and adults who are at present not being fully supported by society or the council in any other area of Dorset. Conference facilities and business centres are not thin on the ground and can be located anywhere. Let's not take the easy option of handing it over to the benefit of the business world when there is such a crying need for a local educational facility for those most in need of our support in Dorset. would personally just like to see this site used for SEND

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would prefer the site to not be used by an ndependent School provider but that it stays in the use of the Council. would prefer this to be a resource for people outside the ndependent Schools sector would prefer to see this site for the sole use of education which is provided by Dorset Council.

would really like to see the site used as a multigenerational community, creating a village that provides education and supported living for all abilities from birth to grave. t would be great if it could provide specialist education for SEND children, but also have a facility for more mainstream education on the site, to allow for integration. 'd really like Dorset to have a learning centre that had facilities for vocational courses for children from 11 who struggle with other traditional learning. have a child who has attention deficit disorder and is being assessed for ASD and dyslexia who struggles massively in mainstream school, and unfortunately can't thrive with the current education offer. She's not got behavioural issues and doesn't need an EHCP, and so she is to remain in mainstream school. She fits in this awful space where her neurological differences make mainstream education settings torture for her, but her differences aren't severe enough for her to need a learning centre or special school. What would be ideal for children like her would be a setting where they can still learn core subjects from Y7 but the rest of the timetable be vocational courses with practical non‐classroom based learning. There are so many like her with mild/moderate neurological differences who would benefit from this type of offer. would support the site being used for local people be it special education, mainstream education or respite rather than private companies. t would also be great if the sporting facilities were made available for all local people and sports clubs to use as there is a lack of sporting facilities in the local area. would think there would be safeguarding issues if all these other people were there too. d prefer the site to be used for mental health but if that is not possible any educational purpose. m bewildered why a building has been purchased at huge cost, without a concrete plan for it. m not sure about these ideas generally m not sure any of these would benefit the community as much as a leisure centre. 'd need more information of STEM and ndependent School Provider services. deally the site should be used as a regular state school, with the swimming pool open to the public outside of school hours. Other uses such as respite in the school holidays. f by an independent school provider it means an academy would be strongly against this. t needs to be run by Dorset Council for Dorset children with no threat of it being taken over and lost to Dorset children with SEN. f by respite care you mean hospice care then totally agree with that although due to the sie of the whole site feel mixed use of the site is preferable. e.g. Special Needs education and Hospice care focusing particularly on children and young adults although maybe with possible extension to include adult care as well. f Dorset council have a reuirement to provide respite care then this would be good location and perhaps leasing office space or conferencing space as income generation. f has to be used for something else then needs to stay as educational campus f the council has spent all this money to purchase the site, do not see the benefit of then leasing it to third party(ies). Why purchase it in the first place

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f the residential areas of the wider site (not within the school) could be used to offer respite care, this would perhaps enable the school to operate as a multifunctional facility which would still include the SEND education provision. personally don't think that training and conference facilities are the best use of a site that was created as a school for young people. t feels more 'right' for it to serve those who, for a number of reasons, are more in need of education and for whom this site would be ideal. However, if there were holiday periods between terms, then the site could still be used as a training centre. n the same way, an independent school provider (e.g. an international school) could also lease the facilities during summer breaks, for example, as is the case for many independent schools. don't agree that it should be a centre for STEM start‐up businesses ‐ this would surely incur great costs to install facilities and technology way beyond the facilities at present. f the school is leased then none of the other uses would be practical, There is enough space for all of the other uses to work alongside each other. f the school is the primary use could it also provide respite care and a training centre f the space allows for STEM start ups and all safeguarding measures are addressed for those who will be using the educational facilities support this as a possible use. f the training and conferencing were for the benefit of children and young people with SEN, then this might be an alternative use, but more information is needed. f there were room for any of the above in conjunction with SEND provision then, wonderful, but if it was either or, then my strongest support is for SEND f things are compatible with the SEND and vulnerability education centre then could consider. Like the idea of a STEM centre but think placed like Hardyes etc already do this well. Also DC have outdoor centres that could become an innovation centre. f this could be incorporated with a sixth form set up it would enhance the STEM proposal f this is a Dorset purchase then it should be run by Dorset not an independent provider. STEM could sit alongside and enhance SEND provision as could a training suite. f we can do it all there, why not f you mean independent schools such as Port Regis ‐ there are lots of these within relatively close proximity. think other needs should be prioritised and share the facility with the local community maximising the opportunity to support vulnerable children and young people including those with SEND f you were to use the main site for send children , they would then be more willing and less frightened if they know the area and site and then would be comfortable to use the respite facilities. f, and only if the site could not be used for SEND students would agree that the site could be used as an innovation centre, but this section of our community needs the facilities 'm all for a SEND school 'm selecting the best options in my opinion. n conjunction with the core facility n keeping with the Catholic ethos and the history of the school as a hospital for wounded soldiers any proposal for education or care is preferred nappropriate building in a very inappropriate location. How are people supposed to travel there 37 miles and one hour to drive from Weymouth to Shaftesbury. No public transport Think local ncrease investment in jobs in the area ndependent school may go bust again Plenty of conference centres to hire out locally. Respite could use part of the site. nnovation centres , training and conference suites can use empty office space. Why lease to another ndependent School provider when St Mary's has proved this to be non‐sustainable Respite care homes are better catered for in Dorset than SEN residential care for young people. nnovation is important but the need for the educational setting is stronger.

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nsufficient information provided ()see above). Whatever use is made of the site, it MST be a. at the very least, a spend to save measure and ideally, b. self‐financing or even c. make a profit to give a real Return on nvestment to the poor overcharged Council Taxpayer of Dorset s it possible to be an education hub for all Different courses run at different times for different sectors of the population. think the fear is that if it became a facility exclusively for the vulnerable then that would necessarily exclude the facilities from being used by the local community. s the site suitable to hold more than one option SP are poor value for money with low accountability Dorset would be better doing this ourselves if possible. sing the site to generate income sounds sensible if feasible on this site but have no idea what might be relevant.

t all boils down to cost. Where is the money coming from, after the money already spent on the building Dorset council wasn't 'flashed with cash' before ( but had nice new building in Dorchester). After Coronavirus implication costs, Brexit and the normal constant erosion of services, versus rising Council taxes, it'll be a magic act to find public money to pump in here. ive it to a private 'organisation' and fear the building will be 'lost' or abused and cost us anyway. That could still happen under Council control. it can be a one site for all Sen needs /school/respite and nursery for sen t comes down to demand, benefit and value. t depends how big you want the school to be for the SEND pupils and while have clicked on yes and no to some of the answers its such a huge site you may be able to find space for them all of the planning was done really effectively t gives children the help they need to become something with people that know how to handle their difficulties t has been designed as a school and should be used as such. t is better to use the facilities for the benefit of people with learning difficulties rather than for an elite few in the independent sector.

t has been my dream to set up a North Dorset childrens centre which offered help and support to all children with difficulties. Somewhere that experts can come into do assessments, l and set up support plans for all children. Private schools may well buy into a multidisciplinary approach from one centre rather than pay for their own specialists. This would bring in income and allow for current expertise to be available to all children. ran a team of 6 specialist SEND teachers and a Speech and language Therapist. bought in specialist Educational Psychologists, Occupational therapists who specialised in ASD pupils and reat Ormond street specialists in Language difficulties. There are people out there will and able to support children with SEN. A new dynamic approach would not only save the county money but also meet the childrens needs at a much reduced cost. t has been paid for by local taxpayers. The use needs to benefit the community for little or no further cost to individuals. sing the site for private gain is not an option. t has facilities which should be used by those who need them most. t has failed as an ndelendent school ‐ it should now concentrate on children with learning difficulties t has the perfect characteristics for an educational facility t is a central area and could for lots of teaching needs, t is a large site and centrally located. t is big enough to be many things at all different levels. You could also lease part of the facilities for extra income. t is perfectly euipped as a place of education. t is poorly located for these uses when most hi‐tech industry in Dorset is near the conurbation t is such a large site it could be used for multiple purposes but the core theme should be around disability and support across the lifespan.

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t makes sense to use the facilities which are already in place rather than change them all. t needs to be a benefit for the whole community t needs to be a community based project that is providing a service that locals will value. t needs to be an Sen school. t seems so obvious that the other options, apart from respite care, are completely unnecessary, unethical and do not perform any kind of public service. t is my understanding that councils provide public services. f the building were leased no doubt the money would be eaten up in some other way and SEND children and families would have lost a fantastic opportunity. t should be used for send only t should remain as a centre for the education of children and young people as that it where its strengths are. t should solely be to support our young people with additional need. Why not turn part of it into a luxury hotel and aspirational wedding venue, run by young people. t could generate a serious revenue stream while providing sheltered accommodation and vocational training. Training could include every aspect of the hospitality trade beauty and spa treatment therapy ground keepers and gardeners. There is already a walled kitchen garden that could be used for food production and training ‐ use it. t was a school so be nice just to be used for school educationalreasobs only. Provide other school and nurseries in local area for support such as coursers and updating training would be amaing to support families who may also attend the sen needs, i.e younger siblings at nursery or older siblings at schools. t would work well with the SEND. The two things would go hand in hand. t would be a shame for the existing facilities to be 'closed' to community groups which is more likely to happen with other three options. t would be ideal as a sports academy t would be reckless not to consider the site for all potential futures uses as well as private tenancy to generate income to support potentially better faculties for the existing proposal. t would better to have a maintained specialist provision than an independent one so the LA can determine who is placed, costs, and admissions policy. t would depend on the kind of respite. t would also depend on the kind of training. An independent school could make good use of the site and might anyway cater for the special needs preferred by the Council. A STEM centre does not sound as though it would be making the best use of the surroundings and sports facilities. To me, those features are the most outstanding and should be prioritised. t would be such a great shame to waste them. They are uite rare. t would my preference to keep all the facilities and open green spaces as they are. Children can benefit massively from these incredible facilities. Turn it into an academy. t would seem sensible to use the site for any educational purposes or anything else that would help the community other than housing. ts a big place, go big with your ideas , it would be a shame to lease it to yet another private school, we are saturated in Dorset with private schools. Focus on the people who dont have the money to send their children to private schools . ts already a school. s there a reuirement for a site as large as this for the other purposes ts be nice if you could have them all but strongly believe there needs to be a high functioning base ts hardly been explained as to what the above formats would be so difficult to sensibly comment. A leading uestion as per normal,on any survey that aims to position the answer the author wants ts the only option that may provide jobs and income to the area. ts time there were more places that supported families who need it and be part of the community. Elite schools or corporate companies give nothing back locally. such a beautiful and historical site should be used at its best advantage to nurture our young peoples specific needs.

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t's a big enough site to be used for educational purposes during the day and a leisure centre after working hours lockdown has shown how important physical health helps maintain mental heath t's a huge site ‐ can it be put to multiple uses ts a school that's needed t's should only be used for sen kids and families as there are currently no facilities that am aware of. am also a lone parent of 3 sen boys and never get respite. This would be an ideal site for this purpose. ust focus of doing send education well dont dilute the provision just keep it for special health and education needs ust not needed or necessary ust want the site to be put to good use

eep it accessible to as many people as possible that need support and assistance that can be offered here eep it in house as much as possible. se and expand the teams you have already. eep within DC control What is STEM ‐ not sure what this acronym means... Leasing part of the site may make the scheme more financially viable. The strain on parents when a child reuires 24/7 care is enormous and residential respite care, even for a short time, is vital. Leasing the school to another provider isn't what it was bought for. Respite care could sit nicely alongside the development of the site for educational purposes ‐ especially if its outdoor ed. A training and conference suite would be useful to have in the North of Dorset. think the Council has to be careful not to spread its offer too far at this stage and must consider safeguarding issues around having a mix of potentially unknown adults (business start ups) and 18s on site. Leasing the school to yet another independent or so called trust which uses the education system as a business will be of no benefit to the tax payers who funded the councils purchase Leasing the site to a third party provider of any of these uses would be beneficial as long as they are responsible for maintenance. believe the uality of recent work leaves something to be desired and could result in huge further investment being reuired.. Leasing the site to an independent school provider may incur heavy fees for clients nnovation centre for STEM businesses could be useful for school leaver apprentices Leasing the site to an ndependent School provider....NO NO NO Leasing the site will likely prevent making best use of the facilities and remove flexibility. Rather than leasing perhaps getting a company to manage the site as a school under council control. Leasing the site would not allow DC to use the site most effectively The site looks big enough to cater for an SEND school plus extra facilities for Respite care and training suites. Leasing to an independent school is too high risk in the current climate ‐ the school shut for the reason it was no longer economic to operate, so why this would change seems unlikely. With regard to other ideas, these make good sense, especially since there is residential opportunity here. Again, ingston Maurward is willing, ready and able to support this development in the North of the County. Leasing to an independent school provider is of no use to the majority of Dorset residents unless the money from this was made available to all needs in Dorset. Leasing to an ndependent School provider would not solve the problem of placements being very expensive. However, it would make sense if a very strong, experienced SEND MAT was found to deliver the new provision as schools for the type of pupil who would be moving back into County are extremely challenging to run well and should be founded by an experienced leadership team. Leasing will help help generate income and help to redress the ineualities caused by the present circumstances

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Local SEND provision would save millions in transport costs by reducing the need for full out of county boarding provision. t would enable families to stay together. Some families are separated by hundreds of miles under the current arrangements Looks to be a lovely setting for respite care. An innovation centre for STEM start up businesses should provide an exciting facility for working with schools. Make it a facility for the majority of the community if it is not children and or young people with additional needs Make this site into a wide centre for all parents and their special needs offspring to aspire to. Makes sense to use current facilities for the purposes they were designed for. As an independent school it's on the small side for student capacity without further building and therefore very marginal from the point of financial stability. Had it been likely to be able to make it viable an investor would have been found before it had to close. Plus it's the sort of opportunity to extend STEM provision which will not come along very often. Maximise council capital receipts by selling some land off to fund the school Maybe combine SEN School/College setting with Respite Care for those who it would benefit Maybe if you dont turn the school into a special education centre please could you turn it back into st Marys school and employ the old staff. Or make it a place that the public can also use. Maybe try to get one of the universities to turn it into a STEM undergraduate training site Might be good to 'mitigate' tech lives with more reality and vice versa More facilities need to be made available for disabled and disadvantaged children and young persons. More information is needed to understand fully what benefits would available and to whom if the site was used for STEM start up business. haven't been around the actual site so am not aware of the sie exactly. understand the troubles in allowing any part of the site to be used for general public leisure, whilst being run as an SEN school. More is needed for special needs More respite places are needed for vulnerable families (we know that families in Dorset already have limited access to such things) but these certainly couldn't be mixed with all manner of business start ups (ie DBS checks) More such facilities are also needed in Dorset and this site has large grounds which could be utilised. Dorset should keep control of it's own facilities so have not yet seen a case made for leasing to an ndependent School Provider. Most training could be delivered online Much needed items My answers of dont know are because there needs to be more detail. STEM ‐ this could be elsewhere and may not be used for vulnerable people. My granddaughter is autistic, she has just been accepted into the Sturminster facility, to have something a little nearer (illingham) would very helpful. But seeing the option of a respite care center also has its benifits My heart is set on a special needs school. My heart lies in the support of young people My main concern is that the facilities can be used for the public. l'd like there to be a sports membership , to include the gym,tennis and swimming. My main priority is to see a school for children with additional needs. Some of the above might be possible along side this. sing the site to offer respite care especially during the school holidays and at weekends would be a very good option. My previous answers speak to my views. My responses are in keeping with the sites history and the needs of the county residents.

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My role as a parent and family support advisor at a special school the need for respite/additional provision has always been so important and necessary for a family to thrive. My view is that STEM as well as the supply of Conferencing centers can be supported from any facility anywhere ... there are loads of these already available. We need to support the SEND students of Dorset. believe, this is a huge opportunity to re purpose an existing school to support local young people and their families. This is set in on a wonderfile piece of land and lends it's self to keeping young people save. t's not somewhere on a main road or in a city center, its a gorgeous rural landscape. t gives people a asense of space and with many 'sensory' challenges that SEND sutudents have, 'm sure this 'space' would be a welcome change. Needs to be more Council run facilities do not think it would be appropriate to have the facility open for numerous uses especially given the possible users Needs to be multi use, another independent school will suffer the same issues as before. Dorsey council need to make a viable business model with diverse activities. No no No more housing the area can't support is fine with us No need fit more conferencing hotels do that and no need in the Covid world. ndependent school maybe Care sector underserved and needs support. No strong views. None of the above are urgently needed or measures are already in place. So many SEN children and families locally need help and support as a matter of urgency so this is a perfect opportunity to do the right thing by these people None of these can compare with the proposed suggestion of a school for children with special needs. particularly object to the possibility of leasing the site back into the Private School sector. None of these uses would be a problem for me but the history of the site (boarding school and wartime convalescent home) make me feel that using the site to help the vulnerable would be more appropriate than simply renting the location as office space North Dorset is brimming with potential know many that cannot afford to go to university but have skillsets that can be applied in many areas if advice and support was given Technology is the future Not business use Not enough respite opportunities for children adults and their parents and families Not such urgent need. Not sure how this would work due to the age and design of the building and there not being any lifts . Possibly though the facilities such as the pool could be used for complimentary therapies and physiotherapy Not sure ofcommercial use is appropriate Not sure what STEM option entails. Little point in buying the site and then leasing to independent school ‐ after all, it has failed as an independent school... Training and conferencing will add income. Not sure what the option have indicated don't know would involve. The site has already been used as an ndependent School and this did not work. Do not like the idea that the site should be used commercially Not sure what you mean by a respite centre. not to dilute the purpose of the SEND school. Nothing like this locally Now the options, all of an educational bent, but why would you have purchased the site for any of the above

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Offering respite to SEND children would be good and training for people to work with vulnerable children would be great. O in addition to SEND use Only the first suggestion appears to make best use of the existing facilities without spending too much money. Other educational training for vocational courses and new government otoatives would be good. Not sure about leasing out unless it is financially beneficial. Donot want to prevent everyone who needs the facility from having access. Other provisions that would benefit the local community. But definitely Not another fee paying private school. There are more than enough private d hooks in the area Plus St. MARY'S (a privates hooli has just closed down) Our view is that it would be possible to supplement provision for young people with revenue generating enterprises but that the priority should be the needs of young people. Over the years this site has been used extremely effectively as a girls secondary school and it has worked well. Parents and carers of special needs children usually have other children to care for and have jobs. Life becomes exhausting and everyone needs a rest, not least the SEN child. Family life is not easy anyway but with SEN in the mix it often leads to the breakdown of the family unit. Therefore respite is a cracking idea. Parents with children with special needs are desperate for help and this would really their mental health just to have a little time off for themselves Part of the school could be used for respite care as the boarding domitories are already set up for this. ntroducing a stem centre is an excellent idea. nnovation And entrepreneurship would bring a great deal to the local economy and mean businesses could have local start up support. The swimming pool could be made available to local schools and be a valuable leisure asset. Perhaps respite care could be included in the educational plan if reuired. t would a shame just to allow a different independent school to take it over, although this might be the easiest solution. i don't know enough about the other two suggestions, whether such facilities are needed locally....

Perhaps respite care during the school holidays think having facilities for training and conferencing would be invaluable in this area. Within the teaching profession, more often than not training and conferences would be held in the south of the county incurring an hour or more travelling time. The savings to the council for hiring places such as hotels for conferencing facilities would also be hugely beneficial. The versatility of the campus means that there would be a range of conference uses. Maybe even Weddings Again think if some of the site is used for business there becomes issues over safeguarding and perhaps traffic and access problems as well. t would be excellent to have a STEM hub for local young people though ‐ like the one in Sturminster. Please dont use term respite. Please see previous answer and proposal in the next section. Please see previous. Possible part of the site may be used for other purposes. Potentially multifunctional Prefer if the facility can be used somehow by the whole community. Prefer the usage to concentrate on the area with biggest shortages/needs. Protect the estate and its natural habitat. se it in part to educate people about their natural surroundings, while offering SEND and respite facilities. Refrain from impact of start up businesses which bring industrial units into play. Think about any additional power, water, run off provisions complying with environmental progress, not more development involving concrete, plastic, land waste do not turn it into future brownfiield site.

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Provided it is not a burden on the ratepayers. Provided the site is developed in a responsible way & the surrounding parkland is kept intact..... it obviously could be start up units etc. BT NOT 100s of cheap shoddy houses Really important in this area. Resite Care ‐ This would be ideal and help carers to do their job effectively. Training and conferencing suite ‐ feel that this would make the site too 'big‐business.' Leasing the site to an ndependent School provider ‐ This is good as the site is already adapted to this type of education. nnovation centre for a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) start‐up businesses ‐ This would bring innovation and therefore other benefits to the local area Respite and emergency tempary care is very much needed in dorset. Respite and training/conferences are not close enough to the core purpose proposed. Leasing ok if the independent provider is also akin to special needs. STEM can provide a very valuable progression for special needs pupils. Respite care ‐ could be needed training and conferencing ‐ going to be an abundance of these when offices close as a result of covid ndependent school provider ‐ need to provide for all in society not just those who can afford independent schools. There are lots of independent schools in the area and St Mary's closed as a result of financial difficulties. The recession will not be helpful for the independent sector. STEM start ups ‐ could be good, but the site is set up for educational facilities. t could have this in combination with other facilities, and would be great if this could provide work for some of those who are vulnerable.

Respite care alongside educational provision for vulnerable students and adults would be ideal. However want this resource to benefit as wide a range as possible so would not want to see it used solely for respite care. Totally disagree with use as a conference centre. This would benefit a very small group, is not needed (there are hotels and even schools which could supply this service). Many companies already likely to continue with online conferences beyond covid as it is such a money saver. think this would be a very short sighted decision with more and more businesses going online. Would also reuire money spent to convert the classrooms. All in all would be very unhappy with this decision. se for STEM Not convinced North Dorset is the place for that. Leased to private school Why didn't you step in and form a deal with the previous school t would have saved jobs in the local community. Covid has had a big impact on the private sector so don't see this as a good return on the cost if purchasing this site. Also won't benefit the vulnerable in our community Respite care and STEM are also valuable causes reuiring support currently. Respite care and training/conference facilities would compliment further use as an educational setting, maximise benefits of existing dormitories and reduce councils reuirement for outside facilities. Lease to an independent school provided should only be considered if income will far outweigh cost benefits of use of the site by the council. f there is space for an innovation centre that does not hinder the educational value of the site then this should be explored. Respite care centre, great idea. A child would settle in well if he she was familiar with the surroundings, and parent happy too Training and conference suite could be attractive to outside organisations so a good possible revenue, also organise conferences and courses for parents and professionals STEM businesses would be encouraged to take the 16 students from the school for training Respite care centres aren't close by here, would help so many people to have something like this in this area.

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Respite care could be made to work alongside the educational use. Could the training and conference facilities work alongside the educational establishment usage f not, disagree with this option as believe workplace gatherings could be significantly difference after Covid with so many people working from home and using platforms such as oom. Surely if an independent school wanted the site, they would have bid for it when it was available. Small start up business doesnt seem to me to be a viable option as dont believe it would make sufficient use of the whole site. believe the site is better placed for educating young people and letting the local community continue to use the sports facilities. Respite care could run alongside the SEND setting option. A training and conferencing suite could be a bolt on as part of the site but using the whole site as one would be a waste of money, especially given the current pandemic situation that will likely transform the way we work in the future. Leasing it to an independent provider would only be cost effective if they pay us more than we pay for the other independent providers that DC children currently attend, otherwise it would just be another monetary loss. nnovation centre for STEM could technically run alongside an educational setting and would provide exciting opportunities for Dorset. Respite care doesnt need such a big space in one place and there are conference centres everywhere Respite care for families with children with SEND would be hugely beneficial. This could be run through the school. t would be good to have a training suite that could be used to provide training in SEND and an outreach service that could support schools across the County. am unsure about leasing the site to an independent provider and would want more information on this. don't see the need for an innovation centre for STEM start‐up businesses as do not see how that directly helps our most at risk, vulnerable children. Respite care is a good idea.. would still feel inclined to pull everything down and start all over again . The buildings don't look suitable for wheelchairs and immobile clients . Respite care is a very good idea. This building is in a beautiful part of Dorset and there are hundreds of people throughout the country who would love a chance to improve their health in such surroundings. Dorset CountyCouncil could liaise with councils throughout the nited ingdom and maybe do exchange facilities, e.g parts of Northern reland are lovely and Dorset people might like a chance to spend time there. Respite care is acceptable if it's self supporting financially not run as a subsidised council facility. and conferencing could generate income. Leasing will not fulfil the need for SEND. nnovation centre could again generate income. This site is ultimately an asset of Dorset Tax Payers and should generate income, otherwise there was no point in purchasing the site in the first place. Respite care is always needed and this could be a great site. Such a large training and conference suite is a waste of money. That is the old way of doing things, loads of people going to a costly site for long periods of time. Online training is the way to go. An independent school provider could be a good idea. Would there be sufficient transport for children. don't know exactly what you mean by independent, is that free to all children or basically a private school. f free to all children then transport needs to be good. nnovation centre ‐ again feel this is a waste of money and online is better. Or small flexible sites in towns. Not in the middle of nowhere, adding to travel and pollution. Respite care is important and not enough of it. The other things are not really important to life. Respite care is invaluable but feel an education based centre is more appropriate. There are uite a lot of business hubs in and around Dorset already.

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Respite care is one of the MOST MPORTANT aspects for families living with SEND pupils. t is often critical in keeping families going. would guess there is sufficient boarding accommodation and arranged in such a way that one section could be kept for respite care. Needs careful thought, especially with meals and use of facilities etc, however, am sure it could be done. worked for a while at a boarding school (for regular pupils) with spare boarding capacity and we welcomed small groups of international students onto the site to make use of the available facilities. Well managed, the programme worked very successfully. Bringing an innovation centre for start‐up businesses onto a site primarily used for SEND pupils could provide useful synergy for all involved. Again, it needs to be well thought‐through and managed. There is usually a way of doing anything. Most important is having the will to achieve it and some good positive, creative ‐ and practical thinkers Respite care is so important for families with a disabled child we lost our first daughter to Spinal Muscular Atrophy at just under 7 months of age. The respite care we got was charity funded ideally LA/government support for this provision would improve availability for families in desperate need of it. Training ‐ yes if it is complementary to SEN provision. Leasing to an independent ‐ wouid be a less effective use of taxpayer's money. Start ups ‐ yes, again this can give transition opportunities as well as internships etc. and be really useful addition to SEN, but it needs to be kept small scale Respite care is the most needed and best use. Respite care is very needed and the site lends itself to helping with the wellbeing of vulnerable people. There are good facilities to accommodate training and conferences. Leasing part of the site to an independent provider may help recoup some of the cost of the site but dont think the whole thing should be taken over to this. A stem facility would be an asset to Dorset and this area. Respite care is vital, if the lockdown has taught us nothing else it is how hard it is for families and children to just get through each day personally as a parent to an autistic child and carer to my partner am exhausted and trying to home educate 2 others and continue to manage supported living services am now on my knees and broken. Covid has exacerbated things but this is the norm for many families. Respite care sounds it could be complementary with caring for an older population in the county. There are many alternative sites for training and conferencing ts clearly a suitable site for an independent school and would clearly be a backstop option An innovation centre sounds very positive and the area economy needs an injection of dynamism. Successful clusters tend to have some kind of driving influence, like a nearby university or big business. Not sure what would sustain such a centre but a great idea if m wrong Respite care to support carers is much needed in our county and this would be a helpful use of this facility Respite care would also be good if there is a need for additional places. am all for STEM. Not sure if the building would lend itself to this. Surely better to use as a school as purpose built for this. Leasing the school...maybe O. nsure. Respite care would be a sensible alternative to education because of the set up of the site and facilities, but would still not be as useful t the wider community as the current proposal.

Respite care for whom This is an expensive facility reuiring very skilled staff and am not sure of the demand. would like to know more about this idea. Training and Conference suite this could be a useful adjunct as long as it did not impinge on the major provision of schooling for SEND children and young people. don't think that there is such a provision in the Shaftesbury area Leasing to ndependent school ‐ this would not open up all the possibilities for local people, nor would it automatically help SEND children/young people. The world of the independent school is precarious at the moment and many have closed. STEM start up businesses. n separate buildings (of which there are many) this could be a very useful opportunity.

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Respite centre ‐ essential for SEND families and makes sense to have it on a site with excellent facilities. Training and conference suite ‐ builds community cohesion and potential source of funding for the school. Disagree with leasing to independant provider, this should be kept in local authority control so that provision is accessible to those most in need l. .have visited independant send provision and despite the cost of the provison being very high the uailty of facilities was not. would want finances to be properly reinvested into the school and this will happen and be most effective within local authority control. Respite centre is something feel Dorset is lacking

Respite centre or weekend activities for students with send would be a huge advantage for this site in this area there are limited access to respite care and my son is one of many that is unable to attend social groups and sports clubs due to his disabilities and local providers unable to offer the care he needs. Another good way would be that is could be used for siblings of children with send again support in the area is lacking and this can lead to them feeling unsupported, neglected which in turn can lead to them having mental health issues or disruptive behaviours to seek attention. Conference centres could be used to support parents in training and support with a combined approach offering a consistent approach around our precious young people Respite could work within a SEND/PR support centre. Respite is always needed, and always in short supply. Training and conference use could bring in useful revenue, but also could the definition be as broad as possible Leasing to an independent school runs the risk of another financial collapse ‐ why should another school be more successful than St Mary's was STEM is enormously valuable, but think best to concentrate on education/SEND, rather than diluting this with business use too. Respite is another thing lacking for children in Dorset Respite is incredibly important and there's no saying that you couldn't have a school and college on the site as it is big enough with places for respite aswell. Respite places are again in demand and more access to these places would help children with SEND and their families. Respite use would be good use of the accomodation especially if there is no other in the area. f the council needed income the other options could be investigated but an opportunity may be missed to help out vulnerable. Running a respite along side a school is uite normal more coming down in the south of Dorset so having the same Opportunity up n the North Dorset would be ideal. think it should be at Dorset county council run school and keep the independent sector out As thats the whole idea in the first place believe. Rural poverty is a small but significant factor in Dorset. Working in Sherborne, we have one of the poorest wards in Dorset on the school's doorstep. Opportunities for respite for families but also training for parents, particularly parents of teenagers with SEN would be valuable. Saint Marys being a marked for send development would be a massive step for Dorset and for people in the Southwest. The facility this great cant be used and adapted to something else when it suits send development so well. And have this investment going forward shows that the council wants to put money into the young people that live here and support families all around us. Same answer as before. School needed See above Preferred option to create a health care hub including community hospital with inpatient, rehab, end of life and respite beds, gp services, physio, diagnostic services, etc Second option to maintain educational provision to either primary, secondary or special ed needs See first answer. Children are being sent out of county meaning high costs to DC, the children can't make connections in their local communities and miss out on developing friendships

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See my original answer ‐ a base for 1mth ASC nduction programme for newly arrived young people ‐ prior to joining their accommodation and education providers See previous answers See previous answers. See previous answers. See previous answers. think it should remain as a second dary education school, possibly with some specialist units for SEND. See previous comments. With the extent of the facilities see the site as being ideal for multi usage and, if necessary, building expansion to accommodate this. do not believe that leasing would achieve a good return on capital invested and would be very hard to justify to Council Tax payers. t would almost certainly restrict if not prevent community usage and weaken the Councils justification for the purchase of an extensive facility which is outside the Dorset County boundary Seems to be plenty of all these everywhere but not enough special schools sell it SEN all the way, may be with in house training for themselves and other childcare providers SEN school and provision for respite care SEN would be an ideal usage SEND is clearly and unarguably the best use of this site. Options 2 and 3 above are so wrong. Option 5 can be met from other buildings , including inexpensive modern buildings or 'barn conversions' send is needed for the future of our children SEND purples and.parent need a local facility like this...the other options could be located anywhere Should be used for good of broader community, education, development and employment rather than just an income generation scheme by letting it. Simply hierarchy of need. Site looks uite large so potentially could be used as a multi purpose venue but not at the cost of either providing for or safeguarding of children and young people Something that can give back to the community, but where the council doesnt loose control and just lease it out. t doesnt have to be just one thing surely Sounds a good idea especially if some of the site could be used by the public for recreational activities. Special needs children teenagers and adults need a special place to learn grow and become independent in safe supported uiet surroundings to enable them to flourish and st Marys site has all of this to cater for every individual need and more We dont have enough schools or colleges for special needs to be able to help them feel part of society St Marys is already perfectly well set up as a school. dont see the value from changing its purpose too dramatically as its a huge building and would cost so much money. An independent school leasing the building ‐ yes possible but dont think thats how would want public money spent if was a Dorset resident ‐ think it should be a benefit to the whole community and not just one bit. ts a very special place. also think the nuns would help you if you ask them about the site and you use it for a good purpose. They know the grounds through and through. St Mary's is set up as a school and remain a school. St Mary's would be great as a focal point for SEND, we really do lack SEND provisions within Dorset and EHCP consultations can take a long time and then you are met with....we cant meet the needs Huge costs we pay to OOC providers, when this should be locally sourced and also parents/carers can be near. Look at ilve Court's model they provide for vulnerable learners, activities provided out of term and great respite too.

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St. Mary's has provided a site for first class education for over 75 years. Many former pupils (both local, national and international) have benefitted from this wonderful facility and remain extremely attached to the memories of their time at the school. They have expressed their pleasure and satisfaction that Dorset Council have plans to continue to use the site for special educational needs and look forward to keeping in touch with the Council's progress in converting the site for this use. Start up businesses have many sites to chose from and the construction of new specialist facilities would damage the local area . Training and conferencing will in future be smarter, more online and investing in it might be a waste of resources. So far, no other independent school provider has shown an interest in the property. As in respite for those who have children there Or respite for anyone caring for others full time while their wards are separately cared for.i am not sure what is meant here, would it not be cheaper to fund them to find a holiday home for a week or two STEM already exists at Winfrith STEM centre would be fantastic as long as there are opportunities for all children to participate in the use of these facilities, not just a select few. Stem is a great alternative provision but schools are needed. STEM is already getting a huge amount of attention and input ‐ it's doing ok. Respite care on the other is being obliterated to make way for STEM. Stem is so important in our society with string application during covid. f students can develop independent thinking and problem solving it can only help develop our society for the better Stem other sites for this in the county so no would not support this . ndependent school will be very expensive for each pupil to pay for and may not succeed in the present climate. Training conference no too many venues can accommodate this already Respite care essential STEM would be incredible but would wonder how it would be targeted effectively. For example the TC in Salisbury failed. dont think a training and conference area would be beneficial to the wider community and local people. Strongly agree that a educational needs should be there. The school is already set up to provide this . Bringing work and a much needed school and respit centre for specialist education needs. Sufficient in area already Support and nnovation would be great focuses Surely the Council own other properties that could be used for training or conferencing ... believe Furehill still owned by Council sits empty and has been allowed to deteriorate as not been put to use over the past 5 years. Leasing to another sometimes comes with issues, as long as reasonable rent, unlike Barrington in Ferndown, which we still appear to be spending money on hand over fist. Also Allendale House in Wimborne on their peppercorn rent. Surely we need more educational establishments, not less Take time to establish the premises as a safe place for vulnerable young people before launching into other possibilities. Technology and the advancement of technology is a growth industry. This is a golden opportunity to get ahead of the curve and provide young people with the skills that the future job market will reuire. Also, following discussions have had with 'Tech' companies, if you have a ready made workforce with the knowledge and skills they reuire, there is the strong possibility of attracting new business to the area, growing the local economy. The last Don't know could be an option if it it was aimed at training young people, preparing them for potential careers The Don't know answers depend on whether any of these uses would mean less space for special needs provision.

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The 3 have ticked would all benefit many sectors of the communities. Not so sure about leasing it to another independent school ‐ there are uite a lot of them around here anyway and that is probably why St Mary's went under. The above proposals do not necessarily fit with the setup of an old educational establishment and would reuire greater modification of the building. STEM setups would benefit from a high tech facility rather than an older, period building. Care homes would also reuire retrofitting and a lot of modifications to make the building suitable for residents. The answers in which 've agreed to much link to my comments above. believe that some of the land and sporting facilities would be put to great use by creating a community hub ‐ leisure centre facilities and business meeting/training rooms, much like the Nadder Centre in Tisbury, Wiltshire. Shaftesbury is an ever growing town (with more houses being added regularly) and is really missing an important setting like this. Having open spaces to book for businesses for meeting and training purposes would be perfect for local, independent businesses and would support the 'indie' independent shopping culture of Shaftesbury High Street. The area desperately needs investment and potential job‐creation. The area is lacking in respite care for young adults and this would be a great environment for them The area would benefit greatly with an available conference centre. The broader the range of uses that can be made of the site the better. Not only does this reduce risk of the asset going unutilised, it also allows services and communities to develop in an informed and creative way. The building itself should be solely for SEND pupils, with the remaining areas shared with local residents as a leisure complex The building(s) should be used to provide support for those with additional needs regardless of age and severity. Although there are those schools around they do not have the ability to hold the uantity of pupils the proposed school is providing. The centre should be used for a variety of different uses. A centre of training and conferencing could be a strong innovation, and that other educational institutions use, especially if it were a centre of excellence with interesting lecturers and providers. A school may partnership with the location to offer across school support and training (Especially for under performing schools). A centre for respite care would support those in need. nnovation in STEM is a worthwhile focus. The creative arts eually, with a focus on outdoor, extra curricular activities potentially ‐ even a farm of working practices. The Council can assess what is in greatest need. Perhaps training/conference facilities could be offered in the school holidays to generate some income. The county needs another specialist school The facilities are so vast that it would make sense to have a mixture of uses. The facilities should directly benefit the residents of Dorset, however supporting start up businesses and creating additional income to support the site would be good. The first two options if they be combined with school. Definite no to leasing to independent school. cant see enough interest in STEM start ups, unless it was a building or two only. The funding should support Dorset's mainstream schools to be fully inclusive, in line with the SEND Code of Practice. Then add small, local, specialist units where absolutely necessary. This property is not even in Dorset, and is miles from where most people live. Training and conferencing centres will be going out of business post‐Covid now that everyone is well‐versed in oom ‐ not a business would be buying shares in anytime soon. Leasing to a third party This is probably the actual plan. Tender out the running of the school / respite...etc to a private company so they can make profit from the taxpayer. t is an abuse scandal waiting to happen.

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The greatest need in Dorset is for additional SEND provision. don't believe it is a suitable site for an innovation centre and it would incur additional costs to convert it from it's previous use. The grounds and infrastructure are so suitable for what is suggested. Dorset children (and their parents/carers/families) deserve to benefit from the investment already made. The growing population of SEND children is the answer. The rest bite could be considered if there are already dorm facilities that will not need to be used all year. The higher the use of the centre the higher the profile of the facility, in turn this will generate money and income for the facility which in turn allows it to make an income which reduces the drain on the council it can run its self as a business. The last item along with paying overnight(s) accommodation is suitable The more that people with Learning Disabilities are mixed with the general community the more people will see that we are all one community. f you keep segregating Learning Disabilities and mental health problems together you reinforce the message to people with Learning Disabilities that they are in some way broken. They are not, they have very many valuable skills and ualities to bring to their communities. t is the fact that the general population have such limited exposure to people who think and learn differently that leads to prejudices and poor treatment of people who just want to be part of where they live. The most needs to be made out of the site. t would also be great to have the swimming pool and sports facilities open for the public to use and hire. The need for SEND places outways these other options. These alternative uses could be in addition too but should not be instead of. The need for send provision is great The options 've agreed with all seem viable ways to use the buildings with their existing residential facilities and acknowledging the access issues for this site ‐ and need to limit daily car journeys. The innovation centre would be great for Shaftesbury. We need something to boost employment and development opportunities for our young people. But 'm not sure this is the best site. A better option would be to develop such a centre on the 'employment land' south of the A30 as part of a larger scheme that could also provide easier access to pedestrians and cyclists. The purchase of the site has been completed without any consultation of Dorset tax payers and residence, that cannot be changed. This site should be used to bring income back into the council system. The purpose proposed is more urgent and reuires less adaptation

The reality of the way we live is that many children with SEN live in poorer homes and in poorer communities. This poverty too often translates to a poverty of experience and feelings of being worth less. Spending their educational time on a beautiful site with such good facilities is exactly what those children deserve and hope that their expectations from life will be enhanced. was lucky enough to be a pupil at St Marys. Years of access to he building and grounds gave me a life‐enhancing view of nature and ictorian architecture. cannot say that a Sixth form at Weymouth rammar school (a grim 60s affair with few redeeming features) was remotely inspiring. ts so exciting that children with SEN will have the opportunity to study at Coomb House. The school and grounds would offer great respite. The school rooms & studios would work well for conferencing. These are both using the facilities temporarily. An innovation centre for a STEM could work well. Depends on the number of start ups permitted. Proximity to the SEND and vulnerable pupils. As the pupils are on site are SEND or ulnerable would everyone who visits/works on site need a DBS The school is set up as a school, so it would be an almost turnkey operation for Dorset Council to make use of the facilities that until very recently were providing a very high uality of education. f it isn't broken, why try and fix it

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The school is so large that a lot of these options could take place all under one roof. The leisure/sports facilities should be open to the local community. Art classes could take place as well ‐ this area is massive. The school should be for SEN Having other uses could cause detrimental strain on the education for SEN children. For example a conference room, that could be used as a 1‐1 classroom. Having an independent school provider in would be great as more opportunities will be offered. The school should remain a school that other children can learn from and experience ‐ the magic that place brings shouldnt be deprived from children of all ages. The school would be beneficial to a wider range and would cater for people who are often overlooked. these categories are too limited and specific The setting would enable recovery in a peaceful and yet stimulating environment. f necessary the indoor pool could provide much needed physiotherapy opportuntuites. The site does not appear to be a suitable location given the possible need for more intensive development within an AONB. reatly increased traffic on the A30 arising from significant commercial development would become a major issue. The site has dormitory facilities so it would be good to provide respite care. believe Digby Court in Dorchester, which we used to use, is no longer available. think there are enough training and conferencing facilities. The site has lots of bedroom accommodation which could be made suitable for respite care which presumably is not always easy to find. The site is suitable for a number of uses as well as the primary special needs use. The site is very large and both the items ticked would be of great value to the local community and economy The site need to be used to 100% benefit the community which dont believe independent school providers will do well nether a training or conference suite. But using the site for helping the venerable and less fortunate is very important. The site offers too many different facilities, space and grounds to only focus on one business (ndependent School) The site seems big enough to include the three agree with but would be concerned about the idea of leasing out the site as that could too easily lead to lower standards The site should be multi use The site would also be very suitable for respite care. The existing facilities would be excellent for this provision. The social care need is the greatest and this is te mostly costly to the council ‐ so respite care and SEND educational facilities seem to be the most sensible option The stem centre is an excellent initiative and would use the campus to the best of the facilities Already in place. STEM is critical for ALL social groups. The two agree with seem like they would benefit local people most The use should be beneficial for the community at large There are a number of independent care facilities in the area, which can provide respite care already. Also training and conference facilities are available in the at several hotels and places such as The Olive Bowl here in illingham. The site was an independent school, which failed and this need can be fulfilled by Port Regis School. There is of course a strong case for a STEM in the North Dorset area, but this should be in a new facility, purpose built for the need, not in a historic building adapted for the purpose. The school as it stands is well suited however for a special needs educational facility. There are a variety of facilities and if you have a creative architect the uses should work well together.

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There are already a large number of elderly care homes in the area. The area does not need another private school ‐ strongly feel that efforts should be made to support the nearby state schools such as Shaftesbury and illingham secondary schools, rather than a private boarding school which does not bring any benefit to the local community. Shaftesbury severely lacks sporting/leisure facilities and it is vital that this plot can be used to enhance the health of the local population with swimming / dance / yoga / indoor sports hall / tennis / football/rugby fields as well as spaces for clubs such as cubs / book groups / forest school etc There are already facilities to cover the above reuirements, especially as many are not directly related to young people and therefore the ability to travel a bit further is less of a consideration. There are already other ndependant Schools nearby, as well as suites for hire and feel that a better use for the site would be to fill a gap in service provision for the area. Whilst respite care would also be a good option, feel that the area reuires SEND provision more. There are already plenty of independent schools in Dorset, it would probably be difficult to find a provider to lease to. feel a training and conference suite would up of be an incredible waste of money and not benefit so many people. And an innovation centre sounds interesting but we need facilities for our SEND children more. There are already training facilities in Dorset. There are plenty of private schools There are enough independent schools in the area. Respite care is so important and more places are needed. There are enough schools and many are struggling, that would be too much of a risk. However there are very few conferences facilities in Dorset and maximising the use will make it more of a resource for all. There are few STEM businesses in the local area so an innovation centre would increase this and hopefully bring further opportunities and bigger variety of jobs to the area. There are other independent schools in the area, it is not as a greater need as a special needs school There are other places that options 2‐4 can be catered for and the need is far greater for Special Needs Education for Post 16 and respite care

There are parts of the school which won't transfer easily to a site for people with Special Educational needs so the use of the school by an ndependent school would be the best solution, (as that is what it has been for 75 years) if that is possible but with the current climate, don't think this is a starter. However, as a school offering special facilities, it would also be perfect as it would continue to offer the beauty of the area to children who might not otherwise see it. The negative sides to this are that there are some facilities which might not be needed these could be sold by DCC to make some money ‐ eg specialist text books, some sports euipment, a huge variety of musical instruments, a library of books, many of which are suited to girls aged 9 ‐ 18 (there are of course reference books which would be suitable for all)

There are plenty of independent schools locally to chose from. iven the reasons this site has become available d suggest replacing it like for like wouldnt be a good proposal. Training and conferencing ‐ well that all depends on the needs of the area. s it needed d say not at the moment or for a few years yet given the current situation. Respite care ‐ much better option. f this could be linked in to providing dedicated space to send children then it would be a godsend for parents and carers to be able to keep their loved ones close and safe. STEM start up ‐ there are plenty of sites locally that could be used for this. Why not explore them Or refuse planning permission for anymore houses and focus attention on to these spaces instead There are plenty of office spaces etc available locally. Respite care can't comment on as don't know the current availability. Shouldn't be leased to anyone.

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There are plenty of privately owned schools around. respite care is an excellent idea so what about an area albeit small, for aged sick animals. Because of this pandemic doubt many companies would use it as a training site or conference site. STEM no. There are plenty of these already There are pre‐existing detrimental shortages in services for vulnerable/SEND children, young people and adults. This is an area of need that is all too often overlooked and under funded, yet it has a far reaching challenging impact on those living with/caring for loved ones/clients/students with additional needs. There are so many opportunities at such a spacious and beautiful site. The school should be alive with people enjoying what it has to offer. There are sufficient wings and rooms to allow space for respite care. The caring would be different from SEND but the non contact services could be shared. The purpose of a County Council does not include landlord for independent commercial operations.

There have been so many times when wished a 'fairy godmother' would swoop down and magic me away would feel so much safer knowing that my children could be in one part of the campus having a lovely time and could be resting, talking to other SEN parents, having a swim, a walk, etc in the other part of the campus. do not think you can imagine the positive impact that has on the child if the parents are rested and inspired to keep trying new things. We do not have the help of family around us and as out daughter is a twin, the first 5 or 6 years were incredibly tough we faced much sleeplessness and anxiety. The stress of it all is still affecting us now as the marriage is negatively affected. Broken homes are not helpful for any child but least of all for one who has complex needs and for whom having two homes would be very difficult. Regular support and rest would have been and still would be, incredibly powerful. There is a huge need in the area. There is a lack of residential respite spaces and families crying out for support. There is a need for more specialist support for children with SEN needs There is a need for spinal injury adults who remain too long in hospital only because they cannot be cared for at home. Providing a unit aside the education section would relieve the very high cost to the NHS. There is a need in the area for respite care. t would also be good as a training centre if it is used for SEND purposes, to train people in SEND teaching and care. There is already enough provision in the Dorset Council area for three of the suggested proposals including colleges, ingston Maurwood, private schools and office space. Respite care could be incorporated in part of the building along with SEN schooling. However, giving SEN children a better start in education and therefore allowing them to get employment ‐ keeping them out of criminal activities ‐ should be the priority There is an acute shortage of suitable and affordable performing arts facilities in Dorset for local residents in all age groups. This sector is strong but disparate in rural Dorset and there is ineuality too. We need a venue which can become recognised for inclusion away from Poole and Bournemouth. COD has thrown a spotlight on the need for and the opportunities available closer to home for well being as well as excellence. There is capacity and potential for all these uses. There is demand for additional SEND facilities and the St Marys School site is ideally suited for this purpose. There is enough private education locally and further education and respite services would add the most benefit to the local community There is little STEM businesses in this area. This would be a great option There s more of a need for our sen children to allow them to be cared for and educated in a way that suits their needs. There is need for a dedicated sen provision without the focus being diluted by other needs.

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There is other provision for STEM. There are so many facilities for training and conference facilities And lots of independent schools in the area. Respite Care would compliment the proposed SEN centre. There is space There need to be more special needs schools in Dorset. There should be NO external educational provider making profit from SEND kids There's no respite care or learning centre to teach special needs children/ adults life skills These all smack of financial gain iving back to society is what is meaningful and mist worthwhile. These are competing needs. think that Dorset council is best placed to reconcile which is most needed. These are sound ideas but still favour the hospital/health centre idea. These are very 'specialist' areas that not everyone will have access to These could provide an income stream. Post pandemic training facilities and opportunities are vital. STEM start ups, or any start ups, need support. These other choices may all have attractions but caring for young people in Dorset, especially those with special needs, must be a high priority for all of us in the community. These seem to be the most relevant provisions, although use for these purposes would not bring in much revenue. These seems very positive ideas. Leasing the site suggests giving away control These would all be good uses for the site. These would benefit the area and community These would help local community Think should be kept as education setting, there are other places that could be used for above purposes This area need the educational facilities for our children This centre must be used for SEND students, STEM is delivered in every school, has platforms across a wide range of business and school links. SEND students have been disadvantaged for a significant time, due to poor provision for this cohort. This could be a great location for an outdoor education centre, with great links to a large part of Dorset a large outside area which could be used for Camping, a footpath with goes past the centre. This is a fantastic opportunity to open a Special need school catering for all ages as the site is big enough. think also to provide holiday clubs and respite and residential. Also to look at an over 16 provisions aswell as there so much ground and many properties already in place to provide these facilities. This could be an amaing site covering all the issues see as a parent with a child with needs. There are private schools locally like port Regis and clayesmore etc it is much better to provide more specialist education as mainstream schools are not able to provide the right package to cater for all their needs. This is a great opportunity for an all purpose site for SEND children in Dorset This is an opportunity to do something to enhance the lives of less fortunate people. This is an opportunity to enhance educational provision in education his county. Dont suander it. This is an opportunity which feel should not be missed. This is what is needed in Dorset. The research has already been completed and the purchase made. This needs to be actioned immediately. This is what our County need more of This option would at least generate jncome for the council rather than the site being a further financial burden at a time of immense financial pressure for all. eep.council spending to a minimum and help support the greater population by keeping council taxes low while the economy recovers from Covid. This should be a resource for residents of Dorset and should not be yet another private facility that is only available if you pay excessive fees. This should be for everyone This site is huge t can be used to cater for multiple uses. Ask local staff from all services for their view.

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This site should be available to local students... regardless of income. This site would be perfect for children and adults with disabilities. Respite care day, night and weekends. Therapies for the disabled children, activities etc This site would lend its self really well for a campus idea like Wiltshire council have done with some of their sites. Which share facilitys with leisure, pre schools, nhs, Dorset and Wiltshire fire and rescue Wiltshire police, pre schools, librarys and start up offices This survey is predicated on exclusive use only. Whilst there are enough independent schools the other uses can be part of a wider use fir the building and grounds This will never be a wasted investment as this will increase the chances of young people becoming employable in the future. This would be my second preference for the site. Though each of these has its merits, the fact that the site is already a large, well‐euipped school (as stated in the proposal) makes the proposed school for SEND pupils the logical option. To ensure an integrated approach for the site To meet the needs of the county. Too much diversification on site may lead to concerns as to the welfare and safety of vulnerable groups already using the site. strongly support the Dorset Council plan for a centre for SEND pupils, and, unless other users support this, would not want to see any other use of the site. Training and conference facility could provide an income for the council STEM is very much the way for the future prosperity for the council Training and conference suite for what What is an nnovation centre for STEM startup businesses Training and conference suite may be a good way of using the facilities during school holidays. think that the other 2 ideas would need to be separate from education Training and conferences would bring in money and would not impact greatly on the school activities nor will the respite care. t has been proven that mixing both old and young can facilitate older people being happier and content in later life. Training and conferencing do not reuire such a significant site (consider current online arrangements). Leasing the site for a profit‐led organisation also seems a missed opportunity for ualitative benefits for the Dorset community. The rural, scenic and secluded location would work very well for respite care for a wide range of social groups. A centre for innovation and creativity for the Dorset community and beyond offers great scope for collaboration as well as inspiration for the younger generations in and around Dorset. Training and Conferencing suite is a good idea, St Mary's offers many opportunities to support the local community and become a self sufficient entity. A centre for Childrens respite care Training can be done online now. Conference suites are a thing of the past. se it for the young people in the community. Already conference spaces in gillingham se the site for the benefit of the whole community not use for another independent school ses that benefit the public at large are supported as public funds will be paying for this. sing the site for respite care, could help out with the shortage of people not being able to offer respite and having this could be a way of having more in respite care at once. sing the site for STEM studies would bring up the level of the overall. sing this site as an SEN facility is a must, there are already very limited options available ulnerable children need the support and it needs to be run by the LA for the LA. ulnerable children, young people and those with educational needs and disabilities are deserving of a school that can provide all of the facilities that St Mary's offer. These facilities are hard to come by and be accessed locally let alone on a regular basis. t would be a asset to the community Waste of the building

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We already have several independent schools in the area, Clayesmore, Port Regis, Sandroyd and slightly further afield, Bryanston, nighton House, Hanford, Milton Abbey as well as Leweston and Sherborne Schools as well as those in Salisbury and Warminster School. think another school would struggle as St Mary's did. St Mary's is not the only school to close recently ‐ Chilten Cantelo and The Park School have also closed in the last few years. A training and conferencing suite seems a waste of the site to me. don't think it would be as easy to integrate into the North Dorset Community and that would also be a waste of the resources that are here who would welcome a school. The other two don't seem as needed here and don't make as good use of the site. 'm not sure who the 'clients' are for respite care. We certainly need facilities for mental health respite. do think some communication with the NHS should be made as to how they might be able to collaborate for some mental health facilities. The nearest mental health in‐ patient beds are at least an hour away in Dorchester. We used to have rehab/respite 7 bed accommodation at Waterloo Lodge between Shaftesbury and illingham. This was closed and the facilities moved to Sherborne and then this was closed Now we have nothing. We are unable to find respite care for our Son We desperately need provisions for young people with SEND to prepare for independence and adulthood We desperately reuire more specialist provisions within Dorset. We constantly come up against the problem that pupils are deemed suitable for settings but the places are not available. We do not need additional private schools ‐ there is already plenty of choice in the area. Educational facilities on the site should be available regardless of income. think the site should be for community use, so a conference centre would not benefit the people of Dorset. Other centres are available. The innovation choice is 'don't know' because it is not clear whether these would be community benefits. Respite care is a possibility, but not sure how this would work if the main usage is schooling. t is not clear whether this would be private, to which would object. We dont need another conference centre. f this belongs to the council it must be used for people in the community We have enough centres for business and science. personally believe it is time to invest more into people and their lives. This would be a great community support and would bring enrichment to our lovely town. t would be a centre if help and compassion and believe the fruits of this will be harvest for decades to come We have other facilities that can take care of this. We need a place for vulnerable children and SEN children. We need it We need more send schools within the local area , all children deserve education We need more SEND sites in Dorset and respite help for parents with children who have additional needs We need to help our most vulnerable right now and so this site must be used for those with disabilities We really need our own special school again.

We think St Mary's should be dedicated to special needs vulnerable people and provide a wide range of services in order to better exploit the available facilities. f the site is leased to an independent special needs school provider, the county will still be paying high fees for the services it contacts for. Likewise with any other rental option, you will not solve any problems and only gain a modest amount of rental income. This is a massive opportunity for Dorset to become a leader in the provision of special needs, life‐long care. We think that the site would be better used as a setting for children with SEND. t will make use of the facilities that the site already has and could have also have the option for overnight borders.

We think that this opportunity for increasing facilities for children and adults with LD should not be wasted

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We, the tax payers have paid for this WTHOT ANY CONSLTATON and it should benefit the whole community and all residents. What an amaing opportunity, but perhaps an opportunity to keep the services, costs and control under the local authority. Develop our own services under own umbrella with subcontracting services out. What is the point of spending 11million plus taxes and costs of this magnitude to replace the previous use ,unviable, with the same. Whatever other uses apart from special needs education are considered for the site it is imperative that the sports facilities are made available to Shaftesbury. The current sports facilities in Shaftesbury are woefully inadeuate when compared to towns and populations of this sie both inside and outside the county, lacking even a leisure centre. The recent enlargement of the town makes the reuirement even more pressing. Making use of school buildings would be considerably cheaper than building new. Arrangements for safeguarding could be implemented. Reinstatement of community use of swimming pool, badminton and tennis courts should be a priority.

Whatever use the purchase of St Mary's School is put to the management of the facility MST remain in the hands of the Council even if it means eventually employing the necessary expertise from the private sector. There is absolutely no reason why St Mary's should not be owned and managed by the Council and those employed by it but with entreprenaurial hats on. Let the responsibility for the management, communication and budget control be determined at an early stage. The Council and its members should act as shareholders and not be there to interfere at every turn. shudder at the thought of Privatisation we've seen how governments of both colours have got carried away with that and screwed up too many of their investments. While the other ideas would be good sources of income, you cannot have an SEND school mixed with the other aspects but you could offer respite care within the school which believe would benefit those who are caring for SEND children. t is an ideal opportunity to do some good with the building instead of trying to make money off it Whilst all suggestions are valid feel the space available could encompass all activities however would prefer the emphasis to be on people who reuire extra support. Whilst these are worthwhile believe they shouldn't be prioritised over the need and provision for vulnerable children and young adults. Whilst we need a centre for respite care, St Mary's is too large to be used solely for that purpose. We do not need a training and conference suite and, again, it is too large to be used solely for that purpose. St Mary's spent years trying to make it a viable business proposition and failed. am not sure that another independent school would do any better. Start up businesses of all kinds, not just STEM, need all the help they can get, particularly in the post‐COD era that we are moving into, with the economy in the mess it's going to be in. We need to do everything we can to help the recovery. Whilst we recognise there may be benefits for Dorset Council in any of these alternative options, we are supportive of your proposal to retain the site for educational purposes to support learners with SEND. Why are we purchasing this site when we do not have the money With a site of this sie ‐ there are many possibilities and its possible to have the site used for more than just one area. With the current shortage of spaces for full time SEN school places in Dorset feel this would be the best use of this site. With the right children being given access to education that are currently not appropriately supported in education it would be a great asset

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With the right team behind the school it can be used for training to ensure that other providers could come and be trained in successful methods of and approaches to working with children with complex SEMH needs. The right ndependent School provider can bring their expertise, with no reuirement to train and upscale staff. They can hit the ground running with tried and tested successful methods. t is important we work alongside organisations that have proven methods of working successfully with these children. (Again, see https//www.traumainformedschools.co.uk/ ) STEM, should not be the focus for the school, but it may benefit having such a group to work with the children and young people, in order to provide a vision of a possible career path. Other bodies MST also be represented, especially the creative and performing arts. Without further information these uestions are a little vague and lacking any real clarity as to the proposal of use Would be nice to get the pool up and running again for swimming lessons and members Would hate to see, and would strongly oppose any attempts at the site being swallowed up by greedy organisations taking advantage of the facilities which should be abailable for special needs children Would keep the site open as a local amenity Would like to see proportion of site made available to local community would prefer to see the site used to help those in need or to provide training facilities for people who want to help them Would recommend teaming up with Beaucroft Foundation School in Colehill, Wimborne and TADSS (Teaching Alliance Dorset Special Schools), you will find resources, Staffing and uality of your special need education much better with their support. Yes again desperately want respite but dont get and agree with training so long as it was for improving ALL teachers knowledge of SEN as the vast majority havent got a clue my daughters head of sixth form told her she just had to get used to going to college my daughter is autistic,dyslexic has a double scoliosis which is fused, hyper mobile, hypotonia and chronic fatigue/ME & possible heart issues she wont just get used to to going to college You are asking us to consult again after taxpayers money has already been spent. When this amount is involved for any project in Dorset these uestions should be asked of the public before their money is spent not after. This continues to happen and until People are consulted properly and treated respectfully would say that engagement would be at all time low. f you want people to participate involve them from the beginning of a project. They will then support you if they feel invested. You are looking for ideas. This consultation should have been held BEFORE any money was spent. This is an amateur approach. You have bought it now with or without the agreement of the tax payer,the people that have ultimately payed for it,now put it to good use making use out of every available suare inch to save us money and make us money,and to try and slow down the crippling amounts of council tax you demand every year if people can afford it or not.year on year the most expensive in the whole of the uk for very little value. you have huge amount of SEN pupils whos needs are not being met You know and know specialist/alternative provision is desperately reuired. You need to be sure from the outset what the objectives are. To throw in these other options will lead to confusion. f the council had doubts, it was a bad capital expenditure decision. n addition, the site is subject to Wiltshire planning control and change of use will be challenged. You need to look 20 years down the line at educational needs in growing town. The site is ideally placed to be the senior school with sufficient space. Alternatively, site could be for SEND, but consider site for joint use as recreational centre, with disability facilities for young and old as well as well as functions facilities such as weddings etn

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Q18 Any suggestions on possible other uses. ‐ Re‐wilding and nature education for local schools such as shaftesbury and gillingham ‐ Arts events ‐ Community use of pool ‐Community low cost space for local start ups ‐Community hub and events space ‐ Film production rental for income generation ‐ a top training and accommodation venue a top hotel facility including a top restaurant special functions venue both indoor and out outdoor classical, theatre style music venue health and fitness center retraining facility for those losing jobs from Covid 1) Possible respite or children's home 2) Possibly courses for children out of education but something that keeps them communicating with people their own age 3) A contact centre for looked after children to meet with their families A centre for climate innovation and teaching in North Dorset. Somewhere that demonstrated how to protect the countryside whilst offering education and understanding in collaboration with other teaching organisations, such as regional universities and colleges, into future care and management of young people, old people. Think along the lines of Michael Morpurgo's farm... A centre for local community health centre especially for adults and kids with disabilities and addictions A centre of excellence for all areas of disability. A school, college, training centre for disabled children and adults with all therapies on site including an aua therapy pool and hippo therapy. Once leaving training, apprenticeships helping to run the kitchens/stables/grounds etc should be set up. Opportunities to come in and use the specialist facilities (eg. Community sports clubs for Boccia/table cricket/power chair football). A charitable organisation to manage the sports and leisure facilities and youth related services for the good of the centre. A cinema, bowling, ice rink, something for children/adults to do and have fun. A combination of SEND/vulnerable children education plus excellence centre for sport development. A country park in the grounds. There is a lack of council run community open spaces in this part of Dorset. A country park could provide employment health benefits and increased visitor numbers to support the local economy. Access to sporting facilities would also be very welcome A forest school area A hospital/health centre with the campus available for community use. A hub for young people and all those with carers. t could work as an inter generational site. A leisure center for the people and children of Shaftesbury. A leisure centre for the community would be a fantastic asset to the whole of Dorset and would provide a place for many to use and provide job opportunities. A leisure centre or spa, maybe a coffee shop or restaurant as the setting is so beautiful. A leisure centre such as illingham and Blandford, with use of the swimming pool, so that Shaftesbury residents dont have to travel so far. A large hall with catering facilities for such things as wedding receptions or funeral wakes, etc., that would bring in some revenue. Facilities for evening courses would be useful. A mixture of special needs facilities and public access to the grounds and facilities. A multi purpose complex encompassing education, leisure and entertainment in the ways of restaurants and cafes etc. A multi‐use, multi‐purpose, innovative centre of education and recreation‐based organisations coming together as a hub for collaborative working. The site is within Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and this organisation could be one organisation that could be based there. A national sport training centre A new health centre for Shaftesbury, with sufficient parking and space for expansion and improvements. However, patients could not get there on foot. A place where people can get memberships to use the school facilities and do art courses for example or sports days there. Because everyone can benefit from it.

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A place where young adults with disabilities can safely mix and develop their social skills in a fun environment. Like a leisure centre for them. With some on site cafes and social opportunities. A portion set aside for a public, council supported leisure/ health facily . A public gym and swim A public leisure centre that is disability friendly & can be used by the school and by the public. Bovington camp has a great leisure centre where exercise machines are in the pool to help recovery after injury. Something like that would be great. House an activity center for schools in the area. Like Weymouth's outdoor and activity center WOAC. A residential independent living training site for young adults with SEN and/or difficulty negotiating a post‐education world could easily be accommodated, perhaps even a long‐term semi‐independent home for vulnerable young adults. have a 20 yr old autistic child who is terrified of the prospect of living out in the real world with no support A residential training establishment for school trips, offering a wide range of country‐based activities and taught skills. A school for all children, not just SEND, with the outlying sports and leisure facilities used for the benefit of everyone, not just the school., possibly with a medical centre in some of the outlying buildings, such as the library building. A School for SEND children is the only real option for this site. t would work for all. A school is reuired for SEND so use it for that. A school, college , respite care for children or adults with learning disabilites. A place where thhese children can learn to live independently. We have nothing like this in our local area and there are many child out there that have to travel further afield or are struggling in main strream school because they cannot get in to a school that can faciliate their needs or it is just to far away. Possible sports centre also children and adults with learning disabilites A secondary school with the secondary school in the Centre of Shaftesbury being used as a primary school. A site that offers apprenticeships and vocational skills learning for young people or those wishing to learn new skills. Also , an adult education centre would be most welcome as the nearest one is Blandford A sixth form centre and/or college A specialist school that also also provides our send students that are higher functioning. They are often forgotten and marginally miss criteria for all provision. Weekend activities for our local send children that cannot access community facilities. Parental training and support Respite provision to support the whole family Opportunities for forest school , work related training , riding for the disabled the list is endless. Employing young adults with send with appropriate tasks ie gardening to give them a start to employment opportunities and references for a brighter future. A sports academy A sports college, regular secondary school, primary and secondary school and sports centre. A sports facility would be fab, swimming pool, gymnastics hall, hun and holiday clubs for all aged children and abilities. A sports training hub A sports/leisure centre for local people would be great A summer school/ club for children with SENDs that could run throughout the summer holidays. A training centre of excellence for true SEND staff and social workers. A centre for training SEN children and adults in life skills. Being in a small town, ideal for independent walks to town and shops. A welcoming community. A college for students 18‐25 to gain proper ualifications in subjects like P.E. , Catering, Hospitality , T. With outreach from Yeovil and Salisbury college but in a safer , less stressful setting. A weekend away from home A wide range of night classes, computer sciences, pottery, astronomy ‐ the AONB dark skies people would be interested. Absolutely NONE

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Academic and ocational site for special education needs. Could look at Post 16 inclusive in this. Access for the local community to walk the footpaths across grounds and use facilities such as pool. Access to facilities for the local community e.g. sports, including swimming, alongside other provisions. Access to the grounds and sports facilities for locals (with appropriate safeguards for the children of course). Outdoor school activities which could facilitate the mixing of able‐bodied children with SEND children. f possible the hiring out of areas such as the assembly hall or chapel for local charitable groups for talks/lectures Additional sports facilities for the community Affordable Sports facilities in the grounds for the general public After school provision for children. Forest school for all ages Specialist outdoor activities for Send children Euine therapy After the creation of the SEND facility, there could be a leisure facility which could be used by the public and enable a revenue source to support the whole site. Again why after the fact are you consulting the council tax payer after you have purchased the property Agricultural site is also a very good idea, as the nearest two, (Yeovil and ingston Maurwood) are impossible for students in the local ND area to access. feel an AP for students at secondary school age that has an animal and agricultural base would be really beneficial and the sie of the site would really suit this. t would also attract younger people to the town and nearby areas. All sorts of activities that would foster independence and core physical and emotional skills like sports, horse riding, and music All the Catholic schools to merge Allotments for vulnerable adults Allow access to the pool for local swim clubs Allow local people to use the swimming pool, tennis courts and football pitches at a reasonable fee. Allow public access membership to gym and pool areas Allow the public to use facilities such as the swimming pool Allow the sports facilities to be used by paying customers Allowing teachers to come along and have pupils participating in lessons on exercising, breathing and even singing. For example Dr Sarah Elkin works with English National Opera with singing and breathing exercises for dementia. Could also be applied to (SEND) pupils. My daughter, a yoga teacher helps disadvantaged children this way and have seen enormous progression in their well being and mental health Allowing the public to use the swimming pool and sports facilities Allowing the swimming pool and other leisure facilities to be accessed by local residents. Extra curricular activities and clubs for all local children and young people. Alongside the main use for SEND provision, it would be good to see some community use of the leisure facilities as that is lacking in the town. like the idea of an area for start ups too. There seems to be enough room for a multi use site. Please no more houses/retirement villages or hotels Already added in other uestions ‐ further community space for Shaftesbury such as leisure facilities and business space. Already commented Already touched upon. But retaining the building, if listed or not would be good and an environmental plus as wel,l in reusing a functioning building. Alternative provision for students who find normal school environments difficult. This is an opportunity to pr0vide something totally uniue to Dorst pupils An additional sports facility to encourage local and not so local people to come into the town to increase commerce and improve health and wellbeing. An example could be to stage a Shaftesbury Park run weekly on Saturday Mornings and possibly a junior parkrun on Sundays to encourage local kids into following a healthier lifestyle.

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An amaing sports venue, with bar, cricket, football club houses & an elite training facility for swimming coaching...... PLS access for the local ratepayers ( who will be ultimatly paying for this set up ) An art gallery could be incorporated , a coffee restaurant business to employ some of the trainees. The possibilities are as endless as an enlightened councils imagination. Some commercial enterprises could come with cost advantages. e the excellent theatre, canteen, art centre. The main hall and anti rooms would make excellent conference facilities along with the smaller meeting rooms. Plenty of car parking available too. The gardens could be used for leisure and apprentice training possibly saving jobs locally and creating much needed new ones. an EBD setting or a therapeutic community for those dealing with past trauma An investment of this magnitude can only be justified on a self financing basis and with no increased cost to the tax payer. Beckham,s facility was a better financial project at no cost to taxpayer. An SEN school/college including, if possible, provision for disabled people as they enter into adulthood would be the best use of the site iny opinion. Another gp practice Plus education settings Anything that enhances diversity and eual opportunies in education for young people. Anything that the community of any age can use. Anything that will bring revenue ‐ school, college, arts center, adult education Anything that would benefit children and families. The nearest leisure centre is illingham and in the summer Parsons pool. Shaftesbury has built far too many residential properties, but badly failed to provide any facilities. Arts facilities As a member of the public using the swimming pool, would LOE to see that opportunity available again, as long as the public swim times fitted with the needs of the SEND pupils and any onsite staff. t really was the best swimming pool have ever used, and as Shaftesbury does not have a year‐round indoor facility (only an outdoor summer‐only pool), it is huge benefit to the local community who use it. My final years in education were involved in safeguarding work and training. Safeguarding pupils when members of the public come on campus needs to be sensibly and carefully done however, it happens successfully all the time, particularly in independent schools. As a SEND parents i would like to reuest that some provision is available for children with SEMH needs, we obviously have yewstock locally but they are so full that mostly high functioning children are not able to attend due to shortage of spaces. My child is in mainstream currently due to his needs being social and emotional, do not feel like there is currently a place in the education system offered locally that he fits into, or that meets his needs. Somewhere that has a real variety of needs and carers for all SEND including SEMH would be life changing for us. As a training base for send Locality base for services to form an integrated wrap round care base Diagnostic base for children with physios, speech, etc. Could you share the site with local groups to use the grounds and facilities, for all children. As a venue to hold sporting events for local state schools For adult education courses For respite care As before, think the centre should be available for locals for use of the tennis courts, swimming pool, classrooms. think Shaftesbury is lacking in its adult educational courses. Particularly in the winter it would be great to have courses available. As before, support Dorset Council's plans for SEND educational facility ‐ but do need to consider access and transport to the site As have already stated. am aware that there is a very great need for outside hospital care for people who have had a spinal injury some with a need of intubation and therefore highly trained carers. Those individuals become stuck in hospital as there is no euipped alternative for them. The property at St Mary's is extensive would imagine a part could become a homely unit for them until they are ready to go home. As have not visited the site am not able to visualise how it can all be used but feel strongly that it should be a centre of excellence for all areas of SEND. Students from all ages should be able to benefit

169 from this setting, be that residential, rest bite care or daily schooling. We have such a significant need for students with autism, who struggle to attend school and hence, gaps in education need to be bridged and social skills need to be taught. Many schools are able to support students with disabilities that use wheelchairs or those who have a hearing impairment/ sight impairment. All our upper schools are too large to manage students with severe ADHD, Attachment Dsorder, PDA and Autism. These students need the opportunity to thrive in an environment that does not overwhelm their sensory needs, enables pace of learning to reflect upon social need, focus on language needs and finally enable effective support for life skills and independent living to be delivered. Currently this is delivered through Learning centres who are full to the brim, with students who are technically meant to be working their way back to mainstream but due to their needs, are not able to transfer back. We need this school of excellence to enable learning centres to be that rest break / refocus for students who then return to mainstream. Not a holding setting for those students who are not able to manage mainstream but there is nowhere else for them to go. As have said throughout, use for artistic/musical activities and groups would be ideal. gather the facilities are excellent. As have stated before think a commercial company would be the best solution as this would bring money into the area which would benefit everyone. As said before a care home for LAC As suggested, think an adult education centre run on similar lines to Dillington House in Somerset would work well. There is plenty of room to offer a special school as well as an adult education centre. Also perhaps offer facilities for weddings, 3h8ch generally is recognised to be a good money earner, and could help support the other enterprises. But for me , an alternative to Dillington would be very welcome. As 've already said in previous responses, it could be a multi‐functional site with a broad range of activities aligned to a vision of building character and resilience for young people in ways that are complementary to (rather than duplicating) the formal secondary education system. Activities might include ‐ outdoor education ‐ adventure training (incl. a county‐level DofE centre) ‐ team‐building exercises (indoor & outdoor) ‐ personal development programmes to help young people stretch themselves psychologically and emotionally ‐ peer mentoring with young adults who have previously been SEND or CAMHS cases ‐ elite sports training facilities for young people ‐ cohort‐based entrepreneurship programmes, innovation hackathons or problem‐solving activities ‐ under 18 internships/work experience opportunities at a startup incubator during school holidays As mentioned, feel there should be a Special School that should strive to be a Centre of Excellence for SEND. This could be a teaching school that provides outreach across the County. There should be support for children at risk of exclusion, especially those with SEND. The school should provide placements that meet the needs of all our children who desperately need this and to upskill local schools where reuired in the area of SEND. As outlined above use the school as a special school but allow local sports clubs to use the sporting facilities or even consider David Beckham's idea to use the whole site as a sports academy. but do ensure the sports facilities are well used and maintained as per my earlier answer As per my first page comments se the Outdoor Education team at Dorset Council Develop a 'north of the County' base for Alternative provision and general outdoor education for all young people. Could small scale accommodation be made available for small A Level eography groups coming from Wilts, Somerset, Wales etc t would save them travel time and we can't physically fit all of our groups into Leeson House Could Dorset Council's Duke of Edinburgh have a semi permanent camp site on site As previously said a mix of SEN and community use of sports facilities and grounds. As previously stated As previously stated As previously stated if some of the facilities could be used for the community at large ie the swimming pool that would be greeat

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As previously stated, we are a group of ualified and insured scuba divers ‐ this includes divers under training, instructors and ualified divers of all levels. This has provided an incredible local services socially, physically and psychologically for the local community. Please do consider our reuest. As Shaftsbury has virtually no public sports facilities, which itself is a disgrace given the Council's determination to increase the housing stock and hence population without any regard to the town's infrastructure, and St Mary's has exceptional sports facilities these should be made available to local inhabitants. As suggested, access to all the sites euipment and facilities should be open to all. The site could do well for corporate hospitality/training days. As the Sports Leaders teacher at St Marys, organised and hosted primary school activities and feel St Marys could offer a great residential venue for school residential trips. We also hosted the Dorsey County ames, liaising with the County ames organisers for 2 years. the site lends itself for multi activity events such as this. Holiday clubs/tennis club/ swimming clubs for the community As the Training Officer for the local British Sub Aua Club branch, i would love the opportunity to continue use of the pool. Prior to the closure of the school, we used the pool one evening a week. This allowed us to grow our club, including junior members of the local community. We are all local people who would prefer to use local facilities for our local club. nfortunately, we have no other available indoor options. As well as being an educational facility more use of the sports facilities for locals would probably be appreciated although the access to the site is not good from the town. As well as being used as a SEND site, the sports facilities could be made available to the local people of Shaftesbury. As well as using the site for SEND children also think the facilities ‐ tennis courts, swimming pool and gardens should be used by local people ‐ great if there was a path and cycle path to the centre from Shaftesbury As with this sub aua club the regular weekly use of the sporting facility, notably the swimming pool is much needed, ever since Clayesmore school closed it doors to public use, after some 32 years of trouble free use. The NDSAC trains scuba divers to advanced levels and needs a pool for initial training purposes before allowing trainees to venture into open water. The club has trained many doens of divers of both sexes and varying physical capabilities. Autism community services‐ support groups and resources for parents etc. Office and training space for Parent Carer Forum type groups. Hub for SEND outreach services. Build on a small % of the grounds to rent out/sell for additional income and reinvest in the more expensive facilities such as swimming pool. Can you add a Forest school to the provision Cannot think of any. Center for vulnerable children as well as SEND Centre for the arts ‐ courses in music architecture literature etc. Childrens care home, of a mental health inpatient facility Co‐Housing site Luxury Housing development College as well as a school for those with special needs. Life lessons for those with special needs so they can live a life without so much support from parents. Community access to the facilities ‐ swimming pool, tennis courts etc Community asset. Particularly community access to the pool and grounds ‐ eg for a weekly Park Run. Community facilities for the local community, in addition to SEND school. Community Farm as well as care of some type including children Community garden for use for pupils. Community hub for SEN community of all ages. Community Hub, bringing community together and supporting business start ups, sports or drama camps using facilities and location for summer hires such as outbound/outdoor learning or summer camps for children.

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Community leisure centre, opening up the sports hall, swimming pool, tennis courts, gym, and astro to the public. Community space which could also be hired out for local classes and training. Space for children with or without SEN to access classes if they were not attending the school. A central 'hub' with possibly things like a library and children's centre to prevent closures of these valuable assets we still have. Community sports and leisure activities. n particular the town would benefit enormously from a covered swimming pool which could work in the sae shared way it did previously as a shared facility. The facility exists, therefore why not use it Ditto with tennis courts etc. Presumably it could make some money for the council too. Community use of all the other facilities, for example, the swimming pool, sports hall, all weather pitches and main school hall. Development of the grounds could be used for many other things like, golf course, allotments, woodland walks. Also a cycle/walking path from Shaftesbury would be an essential part of bringing all the facilities to the community. Community use of facilities like pool, gym and playing fields when not reuired by the school Community use of sports and recreation facilities Community use of sports facilities. Tennis and swimming. Complete go to centre for all SEN centralise it as a go to place for all teachers and parents to tap into yes still work by locality for all things but if you have any uestion the first place to go to should be the SEN hub teachers should have mandatory training at least a week long course study and classroom observation Consideration could be given to operating all or part of the site as a bespoke wedding venue operated by the Council, via Registration Services. This could be done alongside the educational use of the site, making wedding venue and accommodation space available for weekends and school holidays. The income from this could then be used to support the other uses of the site. There are examples of other councils making a success of using similar properties in this way, such as Hexham House in Northumberland. Consideration should be given to affordable housing in parts of the existing buildings. Considering the sie of the grounds would think that there could be space for those charities and organisations that provide activities for young children starting them in the appreciation of nature and the environment. Could be used for sports. Could it be considered for a future site for Shaftesbury School t could be a great opportunity for Shaftesbury children to have the use of some fantastic facilities and open space. Could open it up as a regular school with boarding facilities similar to that of shaftesbury. Or could even have st Marys as the girls school and shaftesbury as the boys school and have them both under the same name. This could see and improvement facilities for both schools and reduced class sies. May also provide shaftesbury school with a much needed revamp that could create a better look for the school and the county. Could set up a Riding for the Disabled facility. Have running clubs, cycling tracks (cycling proficiency) swimming lessons, and maybe a pottery painting cafe and shop, sensory garden Could you please include a campsite that can be used by Youth roup ‐ especially for DofE and Ten Tors. You need to make it cheaper than local campsite something from my experience Carey Camp is not. County and multi county (south west) Sports academy this could be an incredible asset to the youth of this county and wider region Courses of support for SEN parents. Creative teaching, workshops and residential courses. Definitely a school Depending on the facilities already available, sport venues and some spaces can be used for the community. Would love to see perhaps kitchen/food tech spaces (if any) being used to teach cooking classes to locals for instance, and other spaces used for things like dance classes, swimming lessons, and other community activities and clubs.

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Doctors survey with chemist and A&e Mainstream school A College so local ids dont have to travel so far. DoE base Drs surgery, hospital extension Due to rising mental health concerns in all ages and the knowledge that working outside actively promotes and heals emotional trauma, would suggest a community working allotment with a core staff, volunteers and participants ‐ maybe prescription entry from P's, self referral and referral from schools colleges for those in need. This would ualify for government grants. The walled garden at St Mary's would be ideal. Access and parking would need to be created. would love to be involved with sonething like this. Education center Like hook court Educational outward bound resource for all Dorset & local schools Either a sen school or a public school due to the overcrowding of students. Elderly care home Ensure it doesn't end up being turned into an academy school and promote careers, business opportunities, training for SEN & ulnerable children and their families. As a local employer would be more than willing to help provide a career path of some sort to local children. Evenings/weekends/holidays Community cinema Community music studios/rehearsal rooms Children's parties (swimming pool etc) Community swimming Sports pitch hire Community farm/allotments/animal therapy Church/prayer space Conference hire facilities Support mainstream local schools ‐ Art/Science/Sports facilities for able groups Support home educators (as above) Forest school provision (children and adult courses) Facilities for a place where children who need to live on site with their education can Facilities for local children to use such a learning swimming, tennis etc facilities for local youth groups i.e DofE or scout groups, for example camps and day activities and events Farm and horticultural set up a cycle track around grounds for disabled and able bodied safe cycling. An adult playground for young adults with learning disabilities/ autism whose life long sensory needs benefit from access to playground activities such as swings and trampolines Festivals, atherings and Fetes (source of income) Evening Classes/workshops Outdoor Event enue for ‐ arts ‐ dramatic performances ‐ dog shows etc. Fitness and leisure for the local community For a camping site for local groups ‐ charge School outdoor activities Enrichment activities for young people and adults For community wellbeing. f a Parkrun could be set up on the grounds that would be fantastic for the local communities physical and mental well‐being. For local residents to use the swimming pool and tennis courts for public use at agreed times For me...HOSPCE CARE whether for 1) children and young adults and/or 2) Adults. At the present time there is no hospice within 25 / 30 miles or more of Shaftesbury that am aware of. The St Mary's site is magnificent and would lend itself to be partly converted to hospice care having, already, the benefit of accommodation included in the purchase. Forest school and fieldwork centre along side SEND uses Forest School Some of the grounds open to the public for leisure...planned walks and picnic areas, Foster carers hub for Dorset. Services and support groups for SEND young adults 18‐25. Further education SEN college Future new school for Shaftesbury as numbers rise eneral community hub for Shaftesbury and the surrounding areas. A vibrant, happy and nurturing environment that involves all of the community therefore those that need the SEND provision will be part of their society and community, hopefully this will break down barriers and make Shaftesbury/ Dorset a beacon of inclusivity which in my opinion is what every person deserves‐ to belong and to be part of something.

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eneral community uses. The pool can be opened to the public at selected times, the site would suit a Sunday Park Run, suites could be leased on a medium or short term basis to businesses, etc, all of which could contribute to running costs. olf course Allotments rammar school Secondary school With gym and sports facilities available to local area, eg illingham / Riversmeet. ym, pool leisure facilities, concert hall, the grounds should be used for sports and also biodiversity gains, A fantastic restaurant would attract people to use the site on a regular basis. Shaftesbury s lacking places like this. Training and conference facilities. Small business offices. Having a deaf school in Dorset so they don't have to travel alway to Exeter Having a fun active cafe, shop, where Sen teens/adults can manage, train the teens in skills, and open up to public. rounds to have outdoor education, also small holding farm. Fitness gym for pupils Swimming pool for pupils and outdoor play euipment Having a send school with social & health support and respite all in one place is perfect. Lease some buildings to ulia's house or Naomi house if looking for an income stream. Offer private SALT, massage etc for siblings and parents. Having worked at St Marys swimming pool (former manager) it was very well used by people from the neighbouring localities, the only other option near Shaftesbury is Port Regis and the seasonal outdoor pool. Clayesmore vastly reduced availability for lessons and members a couple of years ago. There was high demand for our swimming lessons, babies, toddlers, children including those with SEN. The swimming pool building is very welcoming and well maintained. The tennis courts were regularly hired out to local sporting groups and it would be good to see this continued. Health care hub see above Community hospital (sell current site) with inpatient, end if life, respite beds) gp services, physio, diagnostic services, pharmacy, community health groups etc Heritage and history gallery to show what the school was used for. t was a hospital during the Second World War, it has a fascinating history and you should reach out to the SOA network to preserve history of the school. For current use. you should split the site into different sectors. . Dedicate respite care home with specialised nursing,. Primary use of the facility as a SEND school. se of playing fields and pool to be made available to local schools. Small tech start up facility and apprenticeships for stem as well. Higher education Leisure Business park Start up centre Higher sport facilities to local youth clubs Hire out the swimming pool to public at convenient times Hiring out the football and sports area making the leisure facilities a leisure centre for locals to use Holiday centre for disadvantaged children One problem is access to the site, it has a very long and winding drive Holiday centre with interesting activities Holiday Clubs Adult Courses Hospice Hospitality to generate tourist income Educational hub for adult and vocational ualifications Lease to private tenant Care home facilities for council or probate use Business hub for small businesses and start ups hotel Hotel OR private accommodation. Both must provide access to locals for sports facilities etc Hotel, country club, private flats.... etc. Housing Housing Housing for edge of site, leisure provision, community farm, allotments HOSN RESPTE CARE ELDERLY POORLY ANMALS TECHNCAL COLLEE WHERE WE COLD BRN BAC SOME OF THE OLDER TRADES ie‐ PLMBN, ELECTRCAL ENNEERN BLDN CONSTRCTON.

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Hub for locality use outdoor education centre. Hub for Social Emotional and Mental Health for young people Education setting for young people with high functioning autism Opportunities for outside education ‐‐ forest school, etc. am 16 and the area is terrible for local sports facilities or clubs. There is just nothing to do. Please can this site be used for sports like football pitches. And we want to use the swimming pool and gym and sports hall. Plus like taking walks in the grounds with my friends am so concerned for the education and welfare of secondary specialist educational needs for local children that cannot suggest anything else am writing as the owner of a baby and toddler swim school that covers the Dorset and Salisbury area as would like to put forward a suggestion regarding the retention of the swimming pool facility at St Mary's school. Despite swimming pools being expensive facilities to run, we feel strongly about the really important part that water can play in all areas of development for SEND children and we have first hand experience of the benefits that being in the water can bring for children and their families. f the pool facilities can remain open for the children at the planned school we know that would be of really significant benefit to them. However, we would also really welcome to possibility of the pool facilities at St Mary's being made available to hire to the wider community. We hire swimming pools from which to run our lessons from a number of different providers including special needs schools. The arrangement works very well in that we provided an often much needed additional income to the pool operator which helps them to continue running the facilities for the benefit of their users. We can often hire pools outside of the peak hours that the provider would need them i.e. after school hours or at the weekend but we also hire during the day time where there is availability, filling any gaps in the timetable. We pay an hourly rate to hire pools which means a fixed income for the provider regardless of how many customers we have in our classes. We can provide examples of pools that we use which make a profit for the provider due to the external hire of the facilities, this has allowed them to invest in improvements to provide first class facilities for their users. Hirers can come in many different forms that really benefit the wider community including charities and business that support mental and physical health and wellbeing as well as private members. We know that the physical and mental benefits that swimming and auatic activities bring to people of all ages are significant. Our business is part of a much larger international company which provides swimming lessons to over 50,000 babies a week in the alone. After the last year of very limited access to these types of facilities, we expect an even greater demand for our lessons going forwards but there is a real lack of auatic facilities from which we can run our lessons particularly in the Shaftesbury and Salisbury area. We would really welcome the chance to work with the council to find a way in which it was possible to keep the facility open to enable families like the ones we teach to be able to bring their children to the school and really benefit from learning life saving skills and have access to precious bonding time and physical activity. As a company, we have experience of running swimming pool facilities ourselves so if it was decided the pool wasn't going to be used by the school, but you feel an income could still be made from the facility then we would be happy to discuss this. We are also happy to discuss any other options around hiring and management of the pool. t is a wonderful facility and we would be grateful to be offered the chance to assist in any way possible. believe by keeping it as an educational site for the local community, would be so beneficial for the area and for the large numbers of children that need extra support, whether that be educationally, socially or physically. believe Dorset Council purchasing the site finally gives the community of Shaftesbury and surrounding areas a viable and much needed community hub from which the communitys mental health and physical wellbeing can finally be considered. Shaftesbury now has a large amount of families and has a wonderful community spirit but due to the location of the town has next to no facilities for any of the residents to exercise, meet, gather, engage, support. As all of the sports facilities at St.Marys are completely separate from the School and accommodation buildings, feel it gives Dorset. Punctilious the perfect opportunity a chance to give back to the community of Shaftesbury the thing that they have missed out on for many years and thats a community hub/sports venue. n addition to the plans for the School by creating a Shaftesbury Sports Hub you would also be creating excellent employment opportunities for people of all

175 ages from the Shaftesbury area as well as a much needed space for the local people to improve their mental and physical health. There are already public rights of way down to the site from the Town and these could be tidied and expanded to encourage cycle routes in an attempt for people to arrive at the destination without the need for vehicles. believe that the wider community and local school children could benefit from the sports facilities, feel that St Marys should be accessible for all to enjoy (obviously only certain areas). believe the leisure facilities could be leased out or utilised by the local community to offer swimming facilities, swimming lessons. As well as all the other leisure facilities, such as the various courts and pitches. believe the site, particularly outdoor grounds, should be made available for local residents as a sports/leisure complex. t would be a good site for park run for example. do believe that the access infrastructure will need upgrading as it is only accessible, currently, by car or via a muddy footpath through a farm. A dedicated footpath along the A30 would be ideal and enhanced road markings, especially on the junction with the B3081. believe they have a fantastic swimming pool. f this could be open to the public at suitable times, assuming this would not be disruptive to the schools main purposes, Then this could be a useful source of income for the school. can imagine that school could be used for outward bound type activities during the school holidays tree climbing, swimming, Dorset Youth Orchestra tours, that sort of thing. cant think of anything that could be a better option than a school for SEND students and vulnerable children, young people and adults. consider the need for a special needs educational facility in North Dorset out weights all other uses that this site could be used for. do not have any other suggestions. As an old pupil of St. Mary's, was delighted to hear that Dorset County Council were proposing such a great scheme for the site & to use it for such a worthwhile & needy cause. The facilities are vastly improved since was there in the 1960s do not want the site to only be used for SEND provision. The site of 55 acres, in Wiltshire, is far too big to only be used for SEND provision. Looking at the plans for the site you are probably going to loose 30000sm for access, trees, sewage. expect you will need to demolish several temporary buildings and have you made provision for converting the small accommodation rooms into something suitable You will need approximately 3million and 18 months to convert the site appropriately to the following Public Cafe around the walled garden (Pupils to help plant veg and herbs used in the garden) Public Access to Sports facilities, Swimming Pool, Sports Hall, Tennis Courts, Field. Convert some accommodation to Outdoor Pursuits such as Carey Camp ‐ lease the lower meadow Demolish some of the old blocks. Repurpose the ground floor classrooms and first floor classrooms into appropriate education spaces. New Tarmac Heating The Nursery could stay but spend some money on the accommodation. f you think that opening a school this year is the right thing to do i believe you are wrong. How are you going to carryout of the work that is needed to make the property, safe, compliant and a fun welcoming place to be schooled if at the same time you have to carry out works. Don't rush it ‐ get it Right. f the site is in Wiltshire, why do you not ask if i am from Wiltshire not just Dorset. This survey seems bias. do think it is important for the site to have the excellent sporting facilities shared by the public and local state schools that do not have the facilities of the private school sectors. dont see the sense in converting a school to other facilities when schools are needed. dont think there is enough to do for young people in this area. think the site would make an excellent community centre where people can partake in different sporting activities, sign up for classes and workshops, for example, art, music, drama.,foreign language. There could also be a cooking school, horticulture training,. During school holidays, there could be residential workshops/activities. Or just a fun summer camp. don't have any strong feelings ‐ other than for my own benefit ‐ would like to able to use the pool. feel strongly that the council's proposal for the site to become a school for children with SEND is the preferable option. feel the sports facilities should be available for use by people living in the area.

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fully support this proposal and the reasons given by the Council. genuinely feel the best thing you can do is sell it on uick. t isn't even in Dorset really is it, let's face it t is just and just inside the boundaries. Maybe sell it onto Wilts Turn it into flats for older people. At least they can CHOOSE if they want to live there rather than being forced to go there. Homeless, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre. Hotel have already mentioned my thoughts before. don't believe full use of the facilities could be made by SENSE pupils alone. have expressed my thoughts already. t would seem incredibly wasteful to strip the buildings of their intrinsic educational and residential purposes. There is a wonderful atmosphere about the buildings and grounds.....which comes fully alive with children and young people occupying and thriving in this environment � have given my suggestions in previous answers. They are important ones. have mentioned these in the last post. Extra curricular Outdoor learning Farm practices Arts and designs Team building have nothing to add. really welome the opportunity for St Marys to become a SEND school. hope that it would be used for anything that encourages local participation in building good lives for those with special needs but also those needing to have space for their creativity to flourish both in terms of what they can produce in terms of crafts, etc, but also for the development of skills, so your technology STEM idea is a good one so long as it doesn't replace the original proposal to make the site available for young people with disabilities hope that, if possible the facilities could be available for use by local groups/ communities as well as being a SEND School ‐ don't know if that would be compatiable, especially if there are some children who will reside at the School, but worth thinking about hope the pool & tennis courts remain open for the public as there are so few other such facilities in the area . These are vital for our community & peoples well being . know that the local authority has limited provision for pupils with SEND and that there are a lot of pupils around who need the additional time and space to support their learning. like the suggestion‐ ntergeneration use might be an option though, but would need careful thinking through live on the new estate practically next door to St Mary's and think that the sports facilities should be available for locals to use outside of school hours. personally, am delighted that SEND has been the fore thought of this expansion Even more so, to provide facilities surrounding vulnerable people. t is a huge feat in itself and can't personally recommend any other uses. strongly support the idea of the school being a place for SEN children. However would it be possible for the sports centre to also be open ‐ maybe restricted times ‐ to the public Or say local residents A membership system Shaftesbury is seriously lacking in leisure/sports facilities ‐ pool, gym etc and at Mary's sports centre would be perfect and a huge asset to the town and residents. think all of these potential uses would be excellent. t would be a shame if it did not have an educational use. think all the good suggestions have been made wish you good luck with coming to a decision ‐ St Marys is a wonderful site so hopefully it can be used and enjoyed by many children and adults for years to come. think have already shared this Evening Classes, Retreats, Artist in Residence, Concert enue, Summer One to one Playscheme (Respite Care in holidays) apart from a Special School. Older people could also meet there perhaps for afternoon teas and events. think ve commented in previous boxes to be honest. Please dont let the pool go to waste. think it could be used for adult educational courses, and possibly arts and crafts courses. think it should be used for the community as a sports centre, there is no provision for sport in shaftesbury. Young people have no option to swim, play tennis or participate in healthy outdoor activities

177 locally and this would be an opportunity to support sen with schooling, but also to generate income by providing sporting facilities for local families. think it would also be good to consider facilities for children leaving care and also children in care and those with SEN and disabilities. A community space for children with disabilities such as a hydrotherapy pool or disabled access to things such as showers/bathing facilities which the whole community could use. With funding short in adult social too care maybe a small day care centre Perhaps a mixed use including self contained units allowing a transition for care leavers into independent living. A respite service too as know these are highly sought after will few facilities available. think it would be good for local children and possibly adults to have access to the excellent facilities that St Mary's has by being a member of a club. think it would be good to hire out the sporting facilities swimming pool, tennis/hockey facilities think it would be hugely beneficial for local groups and sports clubs to be able to hire the sports facilities. Netballers around this area in particular don't have many full sied courts available and St Mary's have atleast 4 courts suitable for such sports. t would be great to have the option to hire on evenings and weekend and for it to be made available to multiple clubs not just one organisation. e, tennis and netball. think it would be wonderful to make use of the sports facilities for the local community. think it's a school, pure and simple think special education needs provision would work really well. also think it is important to make the site accessible to local people in particular the sports facilities such as swimming pool. also strongly believe the Montessori nursery should stay open and on the site. think specialist provision school is the best use of a school of this sie with the facilities it already has. t would benefit a lot of children who need these provisions which they can not access with in a mainstream school think that as it has been used successfully for many years as a school it makes sense to use it again as such. The provision for helping vulnerable youngsters who need professional specialised teaching could be an ideal centre of excellence covering a wide area. The existing facilities for this kind of teaching appear to be fragmented uite widely, and possibly vary considerably. There exists here a chance to help many children who do not fit easily into the general educational systems. think that it should be made into a school for all but special arrangements should be put in place for SEND pupils. For example, main stream schools solely care for children without additional needs and will employ short amounts of support staff for those children. think that if the proposal goes ahead then they should consider making it more for the SEND children but still invite children without additional needs no that it is still a mixed school. think that it would be a good idea to make the sports facilities including the swimming pool available for residents of Shaftesbury and neighbouring villages. i think that it would work best as an educational site think that using the site for SEND facilities is the way forward. think it will benefit the community greatly. t would also provide new employment opportunities. We could also look at the public being able to use the facilities e.g. tennis courts, swimming pool, football pitches etc..... So think the main plan you already have in mind is the best choice in my opinion. think the most important considerations are who would benefit most from the facilities cost effectiveness provision of good local employment opportunities think the residents of Shaftesbury (including the schools) and surrounding areas should be able to use the swimming pool at selected times, and also the walled garden and grounds lend themselves to community allotment/gardening projects. think the school should be used as a Send school and even a college for young adults leaving a school setting to give them a chance to get a ualification at a steady pace . think the land could be used to have extra doctors and dentist facilities for the public . Also a sports centre / swimming facilities for the public to use as this would give a much needed boost to the town to make use of all the land . think the SEND provision is the best idea

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think the site is big enough for more than a SEND provision and STEM businesses and conference facility would flourish alongside a SEND provision think the site is ideally suited to children with special needs think the site should also be open for community use, in particular all the sports facilities and the chapel as a music venue. Obviously this would need to be with consideration for safeguarding of residents of a special needs facility but it would also open up possibilities for integrating them with the local community in a controlled way, offering routes into mainstream life as appropriate. think the sports centre and swimming pool should also be made into a community facility. There is nothing in Shaftesbury and the facility in illingham is run by a Trust and is very busy. Swimming lessons for children can also be offered. think the sports facilities should be available for the local community to hire ‐ tennis courts, hockey clubs etc and think the chapel should be kept as such if at all possible think the St Marys site should be used for higher education facilities. As there is only one secondary school in Shaftesbury. This local area also reuires a better sixth form. A sports college would work well with the current layout of the site. A local university, boarding facilities are already on site for campus use. However it would also be good as a leisure centre with swimming, sports facilities like football, netball, tennis, bike trail way and also a cinema complex with bowling. think the STEM idea is the best, followed closely by the school for special needs and disabled children think there needs to be more facilities for children in North Dorset. think things that run along side special needs Support training for special needs and life learning earning a small wage ie a shop hairdressers , cafe where they can learn to work before they go out into the big wide world Other special needs school holiday visits come to this campus and have this experience and in turn this will help with social development and confidence for when they leave school / college and give parents the confidence to know that there children have had that look outside within a supported environment and the confidence to let there child fly . think this is an incredible opportunity, and financially very beneficial as other options would have cost much more. f transition to adult life, preparation for work and even possibly further education for SEN young people could be incorporated think that would be a huge benefit too. (Currently we are looking at specialist independent FE colleges for our son, and think this is also a need). think parents with disabled children need respite. t is a fantastic site for this purpose. ncorporate animals for the children to care for. thought a hotel with leisure facilities. was delighted that DCC bought the site, and any use other than a private school or a billionaire's playground are good do however have the following to add think the local people of Shaftesbury should have access to the facilities of the school and that they should not be completely excluded in favour of people with SEND. think the SMS old girls would like to have access to the site, perhaps a weekend at preferential rates where they can meet and connect wiht eachother and their history. Sports and other events would be brilliant held here ‐ outside plays/concerts/movies, guided walks, children's activities as well as nature study could all happen in the grounds. There is much to be done and hope DCC will show imagination and inclusivity. think there may be some scope for using some of the land to build affordable homes for young people to stay in Shaftesbury. ood luck was involved with discussions some years ago for a medical and community campus. would like to see Shaftesbury Hospital move to the site. f there are attic rooms that could provide offices for medical administration staff that could be moved from Abbey iew medical centre, that would allow for the primary care services to be improved at Abbey iew. would like to see a joint user running of the sports facilities with the Shaftesbury Town Council as would expect the children to need to use facilities by day, and the town could use them morning and evening and weekends. The walled garden area is suitable for sports, or children's pitch, with running track around. Need to consider a direct road and cycle way into Shaftesbury which is actually very close. work as an independent Speech and Language Therapist supporting many children in Dorset (and just accross the border in Wiltshire) and recognise there is a huge need in the area for SEND provision. think

179 this would be a fantastic resource for the area and fully support using the site for education purposes. Additionally think if there is possibility to include day services for adults with SEN (especially as EHCPs now last until 25years) this would be great. Even if it was only an opportunity for youth/social clubs or work experience (eg a cafe/ business venture) it would help many young people in the area. Foxes Academy is a popular goal for many young people with SEN ‐ if there was an opportunity to use part of the site for a small hotel/ restaurant/ cafe set up (run by those with SEN) it would also be a huge benefit to the area and reduce costs of that age group going out of county. would be keen to support the concept of low maintenance Wildlife rich grounds. This natural influence would not only act as an immersive setting for a disability or care support area, but would also support nature an incredible amount. would like it to be used for SEN provision. would like swimming lessons and public use of the swimming pool as it used to be would like the site to be accessible to local people for use for community events such as charity fundraising events, social events and access for religious group social/ fundraising gatherings. The local community need a location both indoor and outdoor to hold events and available to the whole North Dorset community. The swimming pool should also be available to the public for both public access and group hire. would like to see a community sports and recreation use alongside the special needs proposal. The swimming pool was a huge asset to the local community when it was opened for us to use and that should be restored. would like to see its use to include outdoor education, forest school, environmental services, to be carbon neutral for cheap/safe camping for school children . would like to see the sports facilities made available for public use, eg the pool and tennis courts would like to see the sports pitches and the swimming pool being made available to the public. would like to think that the swimming pool and sports facilities could continue to be used by the local community. These facilities are remote from the school buildings, enabling suitable segregation. would love the opportunity for the sports facilities to be open to the general public. The pool is lovely and would be a great asset, as it was under the old management, for the public to use. The tennis courts are also there and what a lovely place to learn to play. would love to see a local gym, spa, pool and hotel. Perhaps offering indoor and outdoor sports and activities as well as a restaurant. There may even be space for some small craft shops. would not agree with housing on the site or on its grounds. would suggest development in the business sector or selling on to avoid the Council having to fund what are likely to be huge running costs would suggest the decision should be based on the Health Needs Assessment of the local area including any environmental impact assessment that may have been done. m not impressed it was bought without consultation first ‐ buy then ask the people what they want done with it when its already decided 'd like to see it retain its buildings, facilities and extensive land for use as an academy with hoarding facilities. deally the local community would also have access to facilities eg swimming pool, music hall, tennis courts as there is little provision for this currently deally, it should be an income‐generating (or at very least cost‐saving) asset ‐ and not yet another liability which has not been conceived, planned or implemented following best practice. t should have the WDEST possible utility to as great a cross‐section of the Dorset taxpayers as possible. The site is far too large ‐ and costly ‐ to be only a single‐use facility (whether SEND or anything else). f it does, indeed, become a SEND facility, then it MST also be multi‐purposed whenever possible (eg school holidays at least ) to get the maximum value for money from such a significant outlay. Never forget ‐ you are spending Other People's Money (not your own).

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f it is possible to provide access to local community to the leisure/sports facilities believe this would be of huge benefit, as there is very little locally other than an outdoor pool that is not open all year. f it is used for education, the sports facilities including swimming pool could possibly be open to the public. This could offset costs and be a valuable resource for the area. illingham is growing fast so a sports facility could be good. f part of the premises is to be for looked after children, SEND etc it would make good sense to,provide on site training. iven the space, some animal husbandry or market gardening could be included ‐ working with these is known to be beneficial to young people with issues to deal with. f there are annex buildings, possibly some accommodation for children who have been attending the school on a residential basis to transition to once they reach adulthood and need to further their independence f there is a swimming pool it would be nice for those living in Dorset and nearby to be able to make use of this facility for leisure purposes plus use of the tennis courts/gym area. 'm just intrigued about the schools theatre, as a local drama teacher mproved pedestrian access. n addition as main use, the Sports facilities be made available to local public by subscription or membership to provide facilities not currently available in the town. ntegrated hub for services for people with disabilities including children and young people Provision of inreach (from mainstream) facilities if appropriate With two‐way knowledge and skills exchange between mainstream and special staff centre, or area base or training provision for mainstream school support for SEND Facilities for the Dorset community to share with providers and users of the on‐site services, perhaps commercial, perhaps cultural (music, theatre, etc)... ntegrated training workshops s DC looking at this as an investment or an opportunity to benefit SEND young people Are these 2 aims compatible We are all signed up to a Climate Emergency so DC needs to do what is needed to make sure this site becomes carbon neutral as a priority. There are regular bus services along the A30 but the bus stops have been eroded over time. The footpaths have been deliberately fenced so as to prevent easy access to pedestrians by a neighbouring landowner. There is a large population living within walking and cycling distance of the school so these links should be top priority staff and pupils of St Mary's have walked to and from Shaftesbury and supported the High Street for 75 years ‐ this support is vital in the 21st Century. s the site better than the local secondary school t appears to have been purchased for a specific (and valid) reason and whilst we are going through a consultation process it feels like it is largely a box‐ticking exercise. What other likely proposals are going to be put forward that might change the course of the current plan t could be a fantastic independent specialist college with community access to the sports facilities. t could be ideal for residential environmental education, but a lot of the resources would go unused. t could be used as a wedding venue as well as a school t could perhaps include counselling/therapy rooms which could be rented out to local practitioners (along the lines of thepracticerooms.co.uk/ model). As a local psychotherapist, think it would be well used and could also generate some income for running costs. t could provide employment for adults with complexed need. this will give them a sense of purpose. Sheltered accommodation for vulnerable adults with disabilities would be a worthwhile use of this building. t has a lot of land and using this as a small farm would compliment the educational target t has been a wonderful educational establishment for years ‐ long may it continue as one. t is a great idea to use this site for the benefit of disadvantaged people in Dorset t is a real opportunity for improving accessibility in Shaftesbury by walking or by bike. f there was a footpath/ bike route for staff, visitors and students (where appropriate) it would drastically improve the sense of community and the health of the local population. This site has the potential to be a real flagship for Shaftesbury's community spirit and eco credentials. We won't have many chances to do that. f the site

181 can be managed sustainably it could generate additional revenue as a venue for eco‐ conferences, weddings, film shoots. would like to see an innovative plan that maintains the safety of the proposed SEND students, but integrates the many aspects of these sites rather than walling off this uniue place to the detriment of school and community. t is not up to me to decide. have made suggestions from my standpoint. t is such a large site it would be great if it could be used in multiple ways.... maybe a holiday complex for families of special needs people.. or leisure facility t looks a lovely building and surroundings so use it to the best abilities . t seems a pity that the facilities are not being made available (where possible) to the wider Shaftesbury area residents. f there are good sports facilities it would be a way for Shaftesbury to get fit, as there are very few facilities in this area. Renting the halls to local clubs for any activities, with the possibility of some appropriate inclusion of the special needs children. With the large green parklands on the site, perhaps open air events could be arranged eg concerts, festivals even the yearly fairground visit. t would be good to promote this site as an inclusive resource, where possible, to a wide range of users. t would be a fabulous wedding venue... Conferences... Art courses... Workshops/courses for the arts... Access to sports facilities would be amaing... t would be fantastic if the sports facilities could be used by all people of Shaftesbury. Maybe become a leisure centre/gym where you pay for use t would be good if existing sports facilities could be available once again for local people. Possibility for Natural History/Tree groups etc to have use of the estate for exploration/training etc. t would be good if a building were set aside where parents could learn how to deal with certain aspects of special needs e.g. autistic teenagers /adults. Respite care could be included so that the parent can have a brief interlude away from parental responsibilities and the child could be boarded for that occasion. t would be good if the facilities eg swimming pool & tennis courtscould still be used by the local community. t would be good if the sporting, swimming facility could be used by local people and clubs. Adult evening courses would also be nice. t would be good to be able to integrate an SEN school and respite centre with community events such as fetes, camp‐outs or artistic shows so that the children are known by their community and will grow up feeling protected outside of the school. would love to see volunteering from mainstream schools happening more easily this was something that did as a student for many years and found it to be one of the most rewarding experience of my childhood. t would be great to see some of the sports facilities made available to local people as the proposed uses may not make much use of these existing school facilities. t would be great to see the swimming pool used for public swimming sessions. As a previous member of the swimming pool it would be a shame to lose this facility especially as there is no large pool in shaftesbury. t would be lovely if the grounds could provide a park space for the growing population of the Maltings development. t would be nice to offer local school to use the facilities t would be super important to ensure that the local community could also benefit from the facilities that already exist on site, be that the theatre, the musical facilities, the sports areas (including the all weather surfaces), and of course the swimming pool where used to work. Many local teams and clubs hired the sports facilities for training, which would continue to bring in an income for the Council, and we had established a very successful swim school and membership at the pool. t would be a shame not to continue with these opportunities for local people to benefit from the facilities. Furthermore, believe integration of the learners and other users of the site with the local community will be a real co‐benefit of opening up the facilities to the wider community. t would make an ideal location for the YMCA. They do excellent work and provide accommodation for young at affordable rates.

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ts a ready made location for the much needed sports facilities that Shaftesbury desperately needs and has been promised over the years and the residents have been let down time and again by the council and developers that are supposed to invest in the infrastructure of Shaftesbury, dont waste this opportunity TT ‐ teacher training ap year placements 've already raised uestions about the grounds. Taking on a site like this at the same time as DC is launching its strategy for responding to the climate & ecological emergency provides an opportunity to get things right from the beginning. St Mary's School made a start on the installation of renewable energy. Your own strategy suggests many other perspectives on sustainability that could influence how you manage your use of the buildings and grounds. My own checklist would include consideration of access wholly renewable energy including for journeys associated with use of the premises using local food suppliers and service providers (local less than 15 mins drive away) providing local employment opportunities including apprenticeships and work experience for school leavers managing the grounds to support your use of the buildings AND provide community leisure amenities AND to enhance biodiversity / regeneration of nature THEN using this site as a showcase. ust a special needs school would be fantastic ust pull the whole lot down and construct a proper facility for the disabled/convalescing / respite care . eep it a place of education eep open for all the community to use. Have a separate leisure centre which is managed by the man at oasis This would be the best possible outcome of this sale eeping along the SEND theme would be incredible. know where am there is so little provision for young adults when they leave school and where college isn't appropriate in the way it is provided. To have a fully functional centre that has a school, respite, hospice, college facilities with the ability to provide groups for the send community would be incredible. A fully functioning changing places for learners to use. ids with mental heath problems ect adhd autism and other mental heath needs Learning facility combined to give a child an opportunity to gain skills and learning that society may not be able to offer with their disabilities. iving every child a chance despite their needs. Lease it out to a private company for educational purposes. Leisure activity space. ym / small cinema etc Retail ‐ there are very few places within Shaftesbury where it is possible to buy a good range of reasonably priced childrens clothes and shoes for example. Leisure centre Leisure centre Leisure Centre For children and adults to access any leisure facility they have to travel to either Tisbury or illingham as the nearest options. Creating something within Shaftesbury would have a massive beneficial effect on the area. Housing estates are popping up all over the place within Shaftesbury, more and more families arriving, and still nowhere easily accessible for fitness and health. f you can not drive you are restricted to public transport, which will not always fit in with fitness class times etc. St Mary's has a pool, courts, massive grounds, halls, rooms, all can be used alongside leisure. This will bring jobs to the area, income for the council, fitness for everyone. Take this opportunity to create a gym, exercise classes (rooms can be hired by individuals), public swimming, tennis court hire, football pitch hire. Local schools could make use of the facilities too with classes being held there, or sporting events. t is desperately needed here. Leisure Centre and Park for all local community, Activity MA trails, skate park, dry ski facility, Bowls & Crouet ‐ ames Pavilion ‐ changing rooms, toilets, cafe. Conservation ‐ environment nature areas ‐ wildflower meadows/verges, plant more trees. Leisure centre combined with community / business / library centre like the one in Tisbury. have also heard an idea that it could be a good place to relocate and enlarge the Shaftesbury hospital and health centre. Leisure centre that is affordable with a gym and using the existing facilities such as the swimming pool everyone in the communities would have the OPTON to use it and especially in these times people ae realising how important participating in activities are fo mental and physical health. t would also mean

183 that schools such as Shaftesbury secondary could have the option to use it during school hours, as a past student this wasn't available to myself as the other pools were to Far away it would be such a wast to let these facilities not be used by the community and the council would really not bee listening to the community who have been asking for something like this for a long time. t would also be helpful for people with disabilities who can use it for rehabilitation and physiotherapy t would also create plenty of new job opportunities, such as lifeguarding (which will help the younger generations as well) personal trainers, cleaners and receptionists With the support of the council it could be made into something really special that c Ould be appreciated by all of the community rather than being given to one small group. Leisure centre with pool Leisure centre with swimming pool cricket ground badminton courts tennis courts you could have so many local recreational groups that would benefit from this site Leisure centre. Leisure centre. Leisure facilities could be rented out to trainers such as myself for classes & sessions. Leisure facilities like swimming pool for the public to use Leisure facilities to cater for those whos needs are greater. .e. hydrotherapy Leisure facilities/ space, lots of children with SEN and disabilities either love and excel at sports or dont have the opportunity to participate in sports activities.Sport is a great out let. Let the community use and run the swimming pool Create opportunities for us to be on site too Let the local residents use the tennis courts and swimming pool, Local community provision ‐ maybe nursery school provision and local residents to have access to facilities like the swimming pool Local community use for the sport facilities. Tennis club, swimming facility, football etc Local groups should be able to access use of facilities in the evenings, weekends and holidays Local people to utilise sports facilities. Lots but education facilities are top of my list. Mainstream school or fitness/leisure place for the public. Maintain public access to the sports centre Maintain swimming pool if possible ‐ excellent resource for both the community and any future educational site Shaftesbury is desperate for floodlit football pitches ‐ local appeals have not been successful. f there is capacity, it would be very welcome amongst the wider community Make it for the use of childrens services Make the leisure facilities available for locals to use. Make the sport pitches and swimming facilities available for use by the local population at a cost. Make the sports centre / swimming pool/ tennis court accessible to local residents. For an expanding town we do not have a multi purpose leisure centre. Who wants to travel miles for a workout Make the swimming pool and sports facilities available to the general public as we don't have any at the moment. Shaftesbury council tax is one of highest in the and yet we have very limited facilities Makes an ideal education centre Making the facilities available to local clubs and organisations for hire ‐ especially the swimming pool. Theres a lack of suitable publicly owned pools in the local area. Making the grounds available for public use and improving facilities. For example a pitch and put or mini golf course could be accommodated and generate income to help fund the site. Maybe a combined use but with focus on education/training the young and those with extra need. By no way should it be used for a solely Dorset Council funded purpose. Every one know is very angry at the council buying a site with such huge costs to run. Maybe a hotel like Warners incorporating golf, tennis and swimming to encourage visitors to Shaftesbury and the local area.

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Maybe teching adults with learning difficulties Maybe walks could be laid out around the grounds, some for access by the public,with a sensory garden for those who would benefit. am guessing funding would be limited though, unless you could use some of the facilities to make money to, at least, partially fund it. From experience, know that it takes uite an amount each year to maintain the property to a good standard, and this has been neglected over the last 8‐10 years. The biomass finance is also another huge expense, especially as the infrastructure is old and needs to be brought up to date, so hope that has been taken into consideration with the purchase. hope that the school is used to benefit the groups you suggest, and older people as well, with maybe day meeting/activity sessions for them, as they are also a neglected sector of society. Meeting area for local cohesion of charities and other voluntary groups Mental health support for children. There is a huge need and it is increasing. Monastic community and retreat centre More facilities /clubs for the over 65s which is sadly lacking in Shaftesbury. Extend sports facilities to the students of Shaftesbury school and Shaftesbury primary. Reinstating use of the tennis courts and playing fields for public use. Above all would like to see the swimming pool available to the general public to enable participation in swimming all year round instead of just a few months at the Oasis outdoor pool. Much needed community Sports and leisure facilities similar to the illingham Dorset centre Museum Hospital Community hub Rented office space My first choice was always a luxury hotel and spa. Shaftesbury prides itself on tourism, but the only hotel here is the 3 best western, and provides hardly any jobs. f you want to go to a spa you have to travel out of county, and visitors have no luxury options. Especially when it seems more people will be looking for staycations rather than travelling abroad, why not use the opportunity to bring a little luxury to the town. Longleat has the nearest good spa, and thats out of county. Many jobs would be created and those of us who have money to spend in the county would happily use the facilities. You could use some of the facilities on site for training/education, but also have a good, reliable revenue stream. Why turn this building and its facilities into another run down centre with awful carpet and scratched walls as the council clearly wont have the money to maintain it Bring in some money and create some jobs My personal view is that the site would benefit from all of the proposals . n/a N/a n/a n/a New grammar school as currently now exist in this area of north Dorset No No No NO No No No no No No No No No No No

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No No No no no No No No No No No No but feel the school sports facilities tennis courts, pitches and swimming pool need to be available for use by local residents ‐ for a fee. There are so little sports facilities around Shaftesbury itself . There used to be a small leisure centre in the secondary school which was shut. Dorset Council needs to consider the long term health benefits of the sports facilities for local people. No definitely a SEND school but think you need to look at the type of students and provisions so that you are offering a school that students need. Look outside the box and think about the huge number of SEND students who aspire to be actors, performers, dancers, scientists, mathematics, CT analysts, artists, sportspeople etc ‐ they are not teaching their aspirational outcomes because there is no provision. They need a school thats inbetween a special school (limited offers around ualifications and outcomes) and mainstream (lack of flexibility, training and specialist knowledge on SEND). Think of offering different aspects for different needs eg multiple complex needs too and post 16 provision. A SEND Academy of performing arts, science, maths and sports with vocational routes so students can also opt for forestry, gardening, fishing, horticulture, farming ualifications if they wish too. Be diverse. Be inclusive No feel that a send school would be a great use of it to help meet the high demand No think a speak like needs school would be amaing No i think a special needs provision would be fantastic No 'm happy with the proposal No just the special school No keep it for education no other uses should be conciderd No, although appreciate that is because this is an important issue for SEND children and it can, as a parent, be hard to see beyond that. No, definitely send provision No, fully support it being used for send. No, think the idea of a SEND facility is excellent. No, think the idea of a special needs facility would suit a lot of needs. The problem for us in respect of my granddaughter at such a young age is the traveling from illingham to Sturminster and back each day is a lot to expect of a 4 year old autistic child know your plans are a long way off and (my granddaughter) will most likely not benefit from them, but good luck with what ever you decide to do Regards No, think the SEN provision is the best use for it. No, very much agree it should be used for those with special needs. think this should be expanded for adults to such as respite, group & day activities NO, unless suitable as a nature reserve with forest school ‐ not sure what the tree cover/wild land on site is like No. No. No.

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No. No. No. No. 100% SEN school is the best choice No. really like the SEN school option No. strongly feel it should be used for special educational needs. None None None None None None None None None none ‐ stick with education ‐ children and adults with needs ‐ focus on payback to the community through paid or charitable work None come to mind except a community hospital ( isolation) or community care/nursing home. None that have not already been considered. None whatsoever . t is a white elephant and will cost a fortune to run. What a waste of money that could be used to really benefit local people and communities None, the proposed uses are perfect Nope Nope. North Dorset schools always welcomed the use of their sports facilities including the swimming pool. Maybe continue with this use to enable inter school competitions. Residentials for schools Providing outdoor activities Not at present. think it important that the main use is established first before branching into other areas. Not at this stage Not really Nursery/Pre‐school alongside the school. Forest school. After school organisations such as guides/scouts. Nursing home as these are closing at an alarming rate and should be council run at council prices One of my main concerns is the retention of the beautiful former school chapel which whilst serving the school was also made available for private religious usage ( Christenings, Weddings, conferences) with facilities made available for receptions/conferences externally. see no reason whatsoever why this should not continue and it could provide a valuable source of income if properly managed. t would be my hope that the chapel was still used for school religious purposes with consideration given to the appointment of a (part time) school chaplain. recognise that usage might have to be “ inter‐ denominational “ as opposed to exclusively Catholic in order to maximise income. Open it to the community, run sports and social activities for all. The town is incredibly limited. The children need a sports centre, places to go, activities to do at weekends things like bushcraft, forest schools, bowling, cinema etc. Open it up as office spaces for companys include a pre school in the site so companys can say there is on site child care which could be really helpful. Open St Marys school back up Open swimming pool and gym to Dorset residents. Shaftesbury does not have a covered swimming pool or gym open to the public. The pool facilities should be used as they were when St Marys was a private school. Maximum usage of the facilities, tennis courts could also be open. reatest benefit for everyone.

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Open the facilities to community groups, youth club and work on integrating the students and local community. Open the sports facilities and pool to the public. This could still be run by the council and employ leisure staff. Open the sports facilities including tennis courts Astro and swimming pool up to the community Open to public pool and gymnastics opening the sports facilities for the people of Shaftesbury. Provision of a cycle track from the town to the school. se of the swimming pool and tennis courts. A rural crafts centre. Opertunity to encompass Cycling facilities to deliver independent travel for all students, possible routes in to bicycle maintenance jobs and deliver bike ability Our charity, Windrose Rural Media Trust, has worked in Dorset for 36 years. t is based in Bourton. Over that 36 years Windrose has created Dorset's film and audio archive a very large collection of cine films and recordings of Dorset life dating from 1905 onwards. We work very closely with Dorset History Centre. The archive is a major resource for the county and has now largely been digitised with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. DHC is a partner in that project. Films and recordings are increasingly available publicly online, on DD/CD and through outreach shows. Windrose has long provided archive shows in village halls, theatres, cinemas and arts centres throughout the county which have reached many thousands of people. We have even presented Dorset films and traditional music in the SA. Windrose's work is much more extensive than the archive alone. A document providing examples has been provided separately. There have been numerous training projects for young people and special projects for isolated older people and people affected by Alheimer's. Many projects have been undertaken in smaller rural communities and large numbers of local people have been given the opportunity to participate in creative media based work. There have been major projects for farming families. We have worked in partnership with many other organisations including, for example, Age , Alheimer's Support, museums, schools, Bournemouth niversity, venues, local history societies and a wide variety of community groups. You may find it useful to see our website Windrose has a glaring need for a modest centre from which to work. The charity cannot pay for accommodation because it has never received any regular revenue funding at all. t has always had to raise specific funding for each of the projects it has undertaken, including the archive, and receives no other money. t has survived for 36 years by constantly creating and funding new projects and gaining support for them one by one. iven that the Windrose archive is a major resource for Dorset, it needs to be based within a public facility. A corner of the accommodation at St. Mary's could be ideal. The reuirement is not great. One basic need is for a secure and dry environment in which to install euipment and materials necessary for the operation of the archive. Because the archive is in a variety of old formats, it is necessary to maintain a range of compatible euipment which is increasingly difficult to replace. A small administrative centre is also needed, if possible with space for training activities and other project work. All of this could be accommodated in one room, although a separation of functions between two rooms would help. must not purport to speak on behalf of Sam ohnston of Dorset History Centre. Sam's own view will be of principal importance and we have not yet had the opportunity to discuss possibilities in any detail. would suggest, however, that such a place could be capable of development into a heritage centre for north Dorset, in an area relatively remote from Dorchester and close to the rapidly increasing populations of illingham and Shaftesbury. am certainly not proposing that storage of archive collections should be anywhere other than in the proper facility in Dorchester. We have deposited a great deal of original material there ourselves. What have in mind is a centre in which, for instance, there can be outreach activities and displays, use of films, recordings and oral histories and space for community groups to explore local history. t needs thought. Some of our past projects may provide useful templates. There may, of course, be connections between the educational and care functions proposed for the main buildings at St. Mary's and our work. The Windrose team includes ex‐BBC broadcasters, published writers, musicians, trainers, oral history specialists and rural community workers and has full video and audio technical skills. ts members have undertaken very sensitive work with vulnerable people, in respect of physical and mental health. Do you feel that there is something to discuss

188 here f Windrose can be accommodated at St. Mary's it will provide the sort of security that has long been lacking. Outdoor Ed facility Outdoor education (like Leeson house) A lot of schools use PL at the moment and charge parents a fortune for a couple of days Outdoor education base site, such as DofE location that could be used for camping reducing costs for families. Outward bounds (for DofE) Base for sports teams Youth conferences and scouts camps Leasing part to holistic health care professionals Adult education Park run route Park run site Community leisure facilities Create an outdoor pursuits activity center PAR RN There is parking and space to run and would attract many people from around (not just Dorset) and thus improve foot traffic to Shaftesbury and its local businesses. And thats just a Saturday morning. Weddings Hire a room or two with garden for weddings, a way to get some money back to help maintain the building and sites ParkRun ‐ we have been looking for a route for a year now ‐ Shaftesbury Town Council has the funds to start it but we are lacking a viable route & St Marys may have the answer for us ParkRun Swimming pool for the public Stress/anxiety/depression rehab centre Part of the school could be use a recreation centre Per my first answer ‐ multiple use cases Perhaps a music and arts centre too. Perhaps the site would lend itself to filming opportunities for film makers Please allow the public to continue to use the swimming pool and sports facilities. A sports academy could work alongside all the other proposals too. Please can the sports facilities and especailly the swimming pool be open to the locals. t is a much loved facility that is desperately missed so close to the local villages especailly Please consider a ym and Community Centre for Shaftesbury. Please consider the facilities already there , the pool , courts , pitches , all if which we re all desperate to continue supporting and enjoying. Please don't make it a retirement home or a hotel with facilities ‐ there are plenty of those around. t should remain a site for educational purposes ‐ we need this so much. Please open the swimming pool for public use. t is very missed by a lot of local people, especially the early morning swimmers and childrens swimming lessons Please open up the site for use of the sports facilities for local residents ‐ the swimming pool, tennis courts etc Shaftesbury needs this type of facility for all to use ‐ not paying expensive membership fees. Please please please allow local residents to use the existing swimming pool/ tennis courts. All our children, whether SEN or not, need these facilities. Shaftesbury Primary doesn't have a pool of it's own, as a parent want my children to be able to use these facilities without having to travel to another town. Park run would be good too. Please see previous answers Please see previous answers. A whole SEND community including An inclusive nursery all abilities. A special school with residential element for young people with SEND 4 ‐ 19 Small businesses for young people to access supported work such as a mini farm, bakery, cafe, hospitality (conference centre), sports facilities for para Olympic training. Facilities open to the public including cafe run by Young people with SEND, gardens to visit, allotments .... This would also provide jobs for people of Shaftesbury and also volunteering opportunities for our large retired population Private companies could be invited to support various aspects where appropriate . Pool, sports and other facilities and amenities for the whole local community. ts a big site so should be possible to provide additional facilities for local people other than whatever the main use turns out to be.

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Possible Family Days where the whole family could acces the sport, arts, science and outdoor facilities, particularly for those families with vulnerable members of any age Also, links with local schools where SEND pupils have previously been educated ‐ even if this provision has broken down, forging positive links between pupils and teachers helps to engender an empathy and understanding of different pupils' needs and allows us to value each individual's strengths. Sports Leaders from Yewstock Special School used to run summer sports activities for pupils at the local primary schools, which worked incredibly well and gave all the pupils a real connection with each other and a sense of achievement. Possible leased restaurant venue. Possibly using it for voluntary organisations Meetings etc . volunteer for HomeStart and it would be an idea possibly for the council to fund events here for families or even special days such as courses etc cookery or first aid . Previous answers have explained bpthis Primary school Doctor's surgery Sports facilities Protected green space and forest regeneration. Provision for post16 sens transition /training to work. Provision for young people excluded from school. Access to the swimming pool for local people. Public access to pool and gym would be excellent. ndoor pool essential for the sie of Shaftesbury. Building all the time. Need facilities to go with it Public access to some sports facilities at certain times Public sport facility Public use of swimming pool, sports grounds etc Public use of the pool facilities. Public use of the sporting facilities would be ideal f it wont be used for education, a country hotel and golf course would be gorgeous But definitely need some sporting facilities for locals to use Regarding the grounds, would propose the following‐ se of the woodlands and fields in the Living Classroom provision within the national curriculum by local schools in Dorset/Wiltshire. There is scope adjacent to the walled garden on the Western boundary to restore the orchard for a community orchard. There are areas suitable for re‐wilding with the object of educating for a sustainable future. n conjunction with Dorset Wildlife Trust, create nesting and shelter sites for birds and mammals. Native species tree planting. Although am not familiar with the anciliary building, a rural craft and construction centre to provide a skills‐based element of education for both the encumbent students and those within Dorset/Wiltshire. Straw bale building, timber products, re‐cycling of local found materials etc. For adults‐ As the site is on the edge almost of the Cranborne Chase, astronomy facilities to take advantage of the dark sky environment. For the burgeoning problem of mental health following the pandemic, a therapy centre, perhaps day and residential. Rehabilitation. ery poor provision at present. Remain as educational facility Rental of the existing sporting facilities (astro turf pitch, Swimming pool, tennis courts), create football/hockey academies (a facility like the one along Wilton Road near Salisbury) and other out door pursuits for the North Dorset and South Wiltshire resident as a form of income generation. Encourage the Rockies football club (currently 3 miles away) to re‐site nearer to Shaftesbury with possibility of easier access for children and families. Replacement site for Shaftesbury School, which has woefully inadeuate facilities, then sell the Shaftesbury School site for housing development. Resell it Residential care, activity centre for children, use of sports facilities to be available for use and provision by other schools. Residential childrens home

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Residential courses though the summer months if the school was vacant . Art , Yoga like West Dean College , Chichester. The school is already set up to deliver such . Residential facility for sporting excellence for Dorset children Sports centre for local community Theatre and arts centre Residential or Hotel use or a mix of both. Residential provision for Dorset families with children with anti social behaviour Residential special school Or special school with residential placements Residential sports and leisure complex for schools and other organisations. Residentials for state school children Wedding venue. The Chapel is amaing Respite Supported Living Respite and assessment centre for vulnerable young people. Respite and activity centre for vulnerable young people. Respite care and help for homeless Respite care for children and adults. Respite care for young carers respite centre for all ages and disabilities. educational courses for adults(night school), encourage business courses and others like the red cross to use. there is a fantastic music suite there...hire out to music teachers and coaches. hire out the swimming pool for public use hire out the sports hall for public use turn the grounds into a nature haven and campsite for educational purposes, hire out to schools for school trips Respite is a massive issue in Dorset please consider this Respite Residential Care Home for Young Adults Run out of ideas Satellite site for the not very local vocational/6th form colleges. We need some provision for these courses in North Dorset School School and have a sports centre for the public to use gym, swimming pool, tennis courts, Saturday 5km runs Do not have anything like this in the area and would be a massive gain to the area School for spcial needs children School. With sports uses to outside members. Science, English, maths, sports camps and evening groups for children. Secondary school Possibly facilities that could be used by locals for sports etc See above. See above. Convert the main building into homes and build others round it in the grounds. Let the home occupants be proud of the lovely setting. See previous answers See previous answers. gather some Shaftesbury sports interest groups have covetous eyes on the facility including Shaftesbury Town Council but their interest is selfish and suspect and would not want to see either them or the town council have anything to do with the facility. See previous comment. Heres an opportunity to assist young people into work and dont think it should be wasted. Hotel, weddings, cafe, plant nursery, beauty therapy, ground keeping. Lets not shut these youngsters away but help them into independent living. See previous comments see previous comments in my earlier response to the survey See previous page Sell as a large hotel with leisure activities and with an agreement that they would have to allow public use at certain times, a big pool being an essential. Sell for development and use the money to offset council spending to help to keep Council tax down.

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Sell it. Sell to a developer Sell to property developer ,mixed use mixes price range, apartments, subsidiex and market price homes..... SEN centre of excellence SEN school Sen through school 4 to 18 with assisted living/transition to adulthood ‐ skills, assisted employment, family support and respite Shaftesbury and surrounding areas are short on year round sports and physical activity facilities. This site has capacity for a wide range such as an athletics track, tennis courts, swimming pool, park run course, climbing facilities, dance/fitness studio and so much more which the whole community could benefit greatly from. Providing some low cost, flexible facilities for local community groups and small businesses would also be of high value for example co‐working space, as hoc meeting rooms of different sies. Shaftesbury does not have enough facilities open to the general public. Young adults do not have many options for hobbies or things to do in holiday times. would happily pay to use the sports facilities in the evenings or weekends. Shaftesbury hospital to be moved from existing site and medical centre to allow for the increase of residents with all the new housing Shaftesbury lacks sports facilities for the growing number of residents. Would be great if all local residents (not just those with SEN) could benefit from the sports facilities and grounds at the site Perhaps the site could be used for evening/weekend/holiday courses for all age groups Cooking, sports, craft, first aid etc etc Shaftesbury needs leisure facilities they are all there ready and waiting and should be open to the public at a reasonable cost. Sheltered / retirement housing similar to the range, alongside the sports facilities being used by the community. With the continuing increase inThe number of homes being built a Doctors surgery would take pressure off Abbey iew. Presumably the school has concert / theatre facilities‐ could part of the site be used like The Hub in Stur. The school has lovely grounds, could some of it be used for outdoor activities/ holidays for disadvantaged children/ young people, create a farm etc. Should never have been purchased in the first place Since do not live locally leave this to your capable judgement Since there are numerous school buildings and extensive grounds, maybe a retirement village would be another option. This could also share the various sports facilities and maybe there is room for both proposals. Site for a monthly 5km park run for Shaftesbury as easily accessible from the town which currently has no other appropriate site. The site has large grounds and a route could be easily plotted. Sixth form college offering more apprenticeship training for trades or other practical courses which are not covered by local sixth form provisions from local secondary schools Some access for local residents to use some facilities and enjoy the grounds...maintain the landscape and tree planting. Some community access would be good if possible for sport facilities e.g. parkrun, tennis etc within the constraints the use of a school would allow Some kind of family support centre where vulnerable families can get help, guidance and support and counselling Could vulnerable families have a mini holiday there to provide a break from the stress of being on the poverty line With access to support and maybe cooking/practical skills/C writing for parents and a safe site for kids to play t could also be used as a contact centre for children in care having supervised visits and foster parents to get training and help. Educational psychology could run sessions and help children with attendance issues in mainstream school. some of accommodation for care leavers Some of the grounds could be isolated and the area turned into a nature/wildlife site open to the public.

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Some of the grounds could be offered to local sports clubs for training and/or matches. Some of the older pupils may have the opportunity to take part in work related learning in the sports facilities Some provision of services for retired people would also be welcome but far chance of that from DCC. Something to do with sport. Because of the facilities. Somewhere that schools could take children for residential trips, like Leeson House. There is lots of ground for outdoor activities and classrooms for indoor learning. Somewhere to support older children's (high school/college age) accessibility to more social opportunities with learning elements involved. feel as well as education, that general life/living skills & socialising skills, are a big part of supporting older children moving onto becoming confident &, as independent as possible, young adults. There is not enough of those type of facilities around locally for children post 16 so they can make likeminded friends closer to home. Special needs school all ages. Specialist Arts/ Music /Sport College Business conference centre Specialist dementia facility for activities and respite. Local sports clubs such as tennis. Leisure facilities. Could be very creatively used with thinking outside the box. Specialist provision Seeing as this is lacking in so many ways Specialist provision for Send teenagers and adults, for employment, training and social needs. Maybe residential community Sporting facilities for the local community and adult learning/evening classes Sports academy Technical college Sports academy to train talented youngsters to be our Olympic stars of the future Sports centre and country park Sports centre, adult college, hospital/recovery, care centre. Site perfect to have as senior school and then use funds from selling old site to pay for it. Sports centre. Sports Excellence Sports facilities are poor in N Dorset and especially in the town of Shaftesbury which has a rapidly growing population due to new housing. The St Marys site could provide a year round swimming facility, gymnasium and other indoor keep fit plus outdoor sports facilities eg tennis courts etc. Space for a replacement to Westminster Memorial which is on a valuable site which is however difficult to use for its current purpose. Health admin space ‐ ask local doctors. Hall and rooms for hire ‐ keepfit, arts dance education, organisations, fundraising etc Arts Theatre faciliites ‐ ask town and local organisations and arts facilities A school for local children Adult education ‐ courses, evening classes Sports facilities could be used by other schools Sports facilities open to adults. ocational classes for adults could be held there as there are no centres nearby that offer classes for adults particularly in the evening. Other local clubs could use the premises for meetings etc. Sports facilities still used for town and local schools Sports facility/rehabilitation Sports for local community. Swimming, Tennis, Hockey etc. A venue for outdoor events for the community. Concerts, outdoor theatre, picnics in the grounds. uided walks. enue for hire to the local community for celebrations etc. Sports opportunities for the children who need more time and coaching. Some children who are not a natural get left behind. Sports rehabilitation and training. Military rehabilitation for veterans. Sports/leisure centre Sports/leisure for general public

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St Mary's use to open to public swimming lessons. This would be amaing as a parent view. Also be good for both Sen children to mix with local children who they would normally see in there own environment such as neighbour or park to use the school facilities (of course of a small cost) so they can grow together. Stick with the special needs plan Such a list could be endless. My preference has to be for a SEN teaching/respite facility. Summer activity programmes Summer camps for children Summer camps for children some teenagers with residential. Yoga camps/sports retreats in the summer holidays for the general public The school is in a huge plot and needs to be used for a number of uses and not just allocated to one use. As an ex‐parent at the school feel strongly about this Summer school to help pupils from low income backgrounds develop academics and prepare for university applications and entrance Summer school, and or school holiday activities for local or visiting children and adults. Make use of estate woodland for walking picnicking, and ecological/ biodiversity education Summer sports clubs, swimming pool access for childrens lessons support for Local community organisations ‐ reasonably priced hot desking, meeting rooms and training facilities ‐ use of pool for public at certain times ‐ access time grounds for special events ‐ integration into Local community as much as possible iven the many buildings and vast resources this could run alongside the school facilities and support this integration more fully. Building back the economy and community organisations post Covid will reuire this type of support and suit 'peoples' now preferred home working options and a more vibrant rural community. Swimming lessons for any special needs children/adults. My son couldnt cope with lessons in mainstream school and the result is he cannot swim. That in 2021 find is heartbreaking. 1‐1 lessons would be amaing. Swimming lessons Swimming club and competition Early morning swims for community Swimming pool available for use by local schools (free of charge) rounds available for local schools (free of charge) Swimming pool for public use Sport courts for public use Swimming pool should be made available for local use. Walled garden could be for educ use , or for an organic business. Ballroom for functions and fairs Sports facilities generally for local use Swimming pool, AstroTurf, sports hall and tennis courts could perhaps be made available to local community to supplement sports facilities. Music school facilities might be useful for local clubs too. The main hall and the blue common room would be good for events, including the front lawn with lovely views in the summer (wedding venue, with a maruee on the lawn) Some facilities could perhaps be used by Shaftesbury school, eg drama studio, music school. Could open up access to some of the land so that there are more paths/public spaces. Walled garden could return to original vegetable growing use and become allotments There are so many possibilities, but obviously shouldnt get in the way of providing uality education to young people with SEND or vulnerable children/adults. SWMMN POOL. The St. Mary's swimming pool was put to exceptionally good use in the community and believe worked well in conjunction with the school. t would remain a valuable asset to the local community for the St Mary's swimming club to be reinstated run on it's former lines, serving members in the surrounding district (including Wiltshire residents ‐ St. Mary's lies in Wiltshire geographically). Timetabling was worked successfully with the needs of the school. t would be excellent use of a fine facility to continue use of the pool for the community. Swimming pool.. offered to outsiders for classes and public use How big is the site an Arts Centre for the children to study at and perform ndependent living accommodation Swimming pool‐Shaftesbury has the Oasis pool for the summer months but does not have an indoor heated pool for year round use. The pool could be used by local primary schools for swimming lessons, local children for leisure and swimming lessons and families at weekends/in the evenings. There are currently (and have been for many years) waiting lists for children to join swimming lessons in illingham and at Port Regis. Tennis courts‐the tennis courts were previously used for group tennis lessons for

194 children and adults by an riffin and these have now had to relocate. The courts could also be booked out for public use in the evenings and at weekends. Campion Hall‐The concert hall could be booked out for concerts, master classes and the music department with its practice rooms and ensemble rooms would provide an ideal venue for residential summer music courses. Chapel‐the chapel could be booked for weddings and baptisms‐this would be very popular, particularly for old girls of St Mary's. The front lawn could be used for photographs. Swimming provision for all schools in the area. Outdoor education. Specialist sports facilities for holiday provision in the area. Term break campus for pupils during the holiday terms. The addition of more community focused uses to compliment the SEND elements ‐ perhaps a local community hub where local charitable organisations/clubs to meet and use or small business hub (i.e provide starter premises for new businesses) . Location of specialist sporting (pool/courts/halls/pitches) creation of space for other leisure activities for young people that North Dorset is lacking (similar to E, wimborne /The Project, Poole for example. Creation of space for learning traditional rural trades/crafts perhaps ‐ some open/green space for the public The beautiful grounds adjoining the east side of Shaftesbury are already popular with walkers and its very important to keep this area in a pristine natural state. f there is any further building on the site it should be kept close to the A30 and the rear of the site (the ponds and woods/grassland nearby) be preserved and improved on as a nature reserve to enhance plantlife/wildlife and a natural space for local people. Shaftesbury severely lacks sporting/leisure facilities and it is vital that this plot can be used to enhance the health of the local population with swimming / dance / yoga / indoor sports hall / tennis / football/rugby fields as well as spaces for clubs such as cubs / book groups / forest school etc. The Brendoncare Foundation focusses primarily on providing services to people in later life. Our vision is to ensure that everyone lives their best life every day, that each person's life experience is valued and recognised, and that they are able to decide how to live their life with adaptable support along the way. We believe in the power and value of connected communities and integrated services, so that people can call on whatever help they need as and when they need it without having to make difficult or painful decisions. As such, we believe that creating environments where people can stay connected with a broad cross section of communities and generations is essential. There is huge value in engaging young and older generations in spending time learning and supporting each other, which enriches the experience of all parties and also allows for a variety of support and activity options. With that in mind we would advocate for a site such as this to include some accommodation for older people, either some form of residential care or assisted living, with a strategy for cross‐generational engagement that would allow the different age groups to spend time together, provide support, company, learning and uality life experiences. We operate homes and clubs in Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire as well as further afield. We would be happy to come and discuss ideas as to how a community of this kind might work and could develop, if that was of interest. The continued use for the local area of all its sporting venues as they are separate to the former living areas . The possibility of usage of grounds for organised park run venue .As small amounts of exercise helps the promotion of well being and lifestyle choices The Council made a big public announcement when purchasing the site that it would be used for SEND provision. t seems that now purchased they are backing away from this announcement in light of something more profitable and reuiring less Council input. The existing sporting facilities could be available for community use as there is a shortfall of such facilities in the locality, especially of the uality that St Marys currently offers The facilities could be suitable for outdoor skills training and walking/adventure holidays. Residential study courses in crafts, arts, country skills, history and archaeology, could all be accommodated but are unlikely to cover their costs. There is probably space and facilities for a sports academy as well as other use. There is an argument for making it home to high uality cultural events, that would be the most likely route to covering costs. Wide community access to popular events is unlikely to generate money.

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The facilities on the site, particularly the superb swimming pool and other sporting facilities, could be used to benefit the local community, both individuals and schools. The facilities such as the swimming pool should be open at times for members of the public as they were when St Mary's was open. The facilities to be used by the local community, if viable. The idea of using it for vulnerable young people as well is such a great idea. The same facilities can be used for both purposes without getting in the way of each other and many of our the Sen students come under vulnerable anyway. The idea would be a School as it had been for 75 years. As it would seem that is not possible, would like to see it used for the benefit of vulnerable young people. The leisure facilities could be open to the public The local area has woeful health and fitness provision, if the existing school had space and facilities that could be converted, alongside other uses feel it would be beneficial for the local community to have a state of the art gym, swimming pool and community fitness and wellbeing facilities. Living rurally means these facilities are few and far between, with a sieable local town and lots of smaller communities in the area the space could be used to allow people to be fitter, healthier and more active. also feel that whatever the ongoing purpose of the building and grounds that sustainability should be a key priority and motivator. Maybe a form of educational facility could still allow for the population outside of schooling age to learn, grow and thrive in harmony with the local surroundings and the planet. . The natural beauty and environmental integrity of this area should be protected at all costs The outer edge could provide a good ring road to take pressure from Shaftesbury town. This still would not effect the educational provisions And to repeat my earlier suggestion build new units to offer a college hub to help young adults having to travel to Salisbury/Yeovil with inadeuate transport links that also cost a lot of money to parents. Training for a skilled work forse is igual for our future The pool could be used by the Town as well as the other sports courts and fields. The building could be used for weddings/conferences and parties to generate income. A good provision for SEND and supported education for young people as well as adult education and training. Shaftesbury does not have a leisure centre facility like illingham and this site could provide all of this for the Town. The possibility of having a centre for children and young people with complex social, emotional, behavioural and mental health needs in Dorset is truly exciting. The site could provide a mixture of residential and day places. t can have its own team of psychologists and counsellors who would understand how best we can work alongside these young people. t cannot be about grades, as it will fail. t must be about relationships, healing and providing the children with a future that they feel is theirs. As an all through site, it has the potential to change these children's lives forever. The school and its grounds could be an invaluable resource for the town. As well as the proposed educational facilities, improved access to the grounds would provide the Eastern side of Shaftesbury with safe open spaces. The school could also be used as a wedding venue/events. The chapel could be used for the ceremony and the hall used for the wedding breakfast. Accommodation could also be offered for guests. This could be a massive income source to help fund the schooling and special needs facility. The school is the most amaing option in my opinion or rest bite for familys with special needs children and adults to be thats more important as they more help and needs then anything else theres so many children failing in main stream schools because there is no room in others. The site be used for Outdoor Education. n particular Duke of Edinburgh's Award The site boasts a great selection of sporting facilities, it would be great if these could be available for hire/use by local sports clubs. North Dorset sub aua club is the local dive club and have been struggling for many months to secure a new pool for our weekly sessions. Having previously used St Mary's pool it would be great if we could secure use of the pool as it would provide our faltering club security for the future trainees and recruits.

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The site should be used to provide services to children that we currently fund poor and expensive providers to do. Traumatised or vulnetable children are not a busnuiss opportunity. f we are to invest millions of pounds in children, they need to leave our care in better shape than they arrived. Only a minority do. The site should continue to be used for educational purposes. The site would be ideal for an Outdoor Centre for young people. The sports and leisure facilities (eg pool and courts) could be offered to local people. This could act both as a source of income to fund activities for disadvantaged/vulnerable people and provide much‐needed facilities in a town where there is little of this type of provision. The Sports facilities should be made available to the local community. The swimming pool , astro courts and tennis courts to be used for public use. The swimming pool open to public again The theatre, swimming pool, music facilities and sports facilities could be made available for local state schools The town needs a gym and indoor pool and tennis courts. Can these be shared with SEN A town farm as there is so much land. Orienteering centre, Euestrian SEN physio‐ , there is outriding accessible off road providing exceptional sensory opportunities. Archeological activities The use of the swimming pool provided to local people on a membership basis. (The outdoor pool in shaftesbury is closed during winter) The next nearest is gillingham which is not easy to get to. The use of the term innovation centre is somewhat vague For it to be a success it would need to attract tech savvy people clustered mainly in London, who may like the idea of rural life, particularly post covid On that subject would refer you to the oDorf organisation in ermany. Also a teaching capability for future proof subjects ‐ artificial intelligence, bio metrics, robotics, uantum computing, The shortcomings in North Dorset have been summarised by . Theatre ‐ the main hall is a very atmospheric theatre/ concert hall. There is ample parking, beautiful reception area, cloak rooms, the blue common room makes a good bar opening onto the front lawn and there is a green room and loos for the actors behind the stage, down the staircase. t would be wonderful to see a good, thriving local theatre and there exists an abundance of talented actors in the area as well as a large discerning audience. t has the intimacy and beauty of a large private residence with its panelling and large open fireplace. t would be very sad to see this wasted in any plan. Seeing how popular pubs like the Beckford Arms have been, think the area is crying out for more convivial places of entertainment. Catholic Church ‐ at the moment there are plans for a new church to be built in illingham. What a shame when the chapel at St Marys offers such a spiritual, enlightening atmosphere. enerations of girls have been inspired and sought solace in this holy place. believe it would be tremendously beneficial to have this at the heart of an establishment for vulnerable/disabled/troubled people. Hopefully it could remain open for visitors to come to Mass. There are a number of local sports groups, including our satellite north Dorset athletics training group, who have used the sports facilities regularly in the past. We would certainly be interested in taking over the sports hall for indoor athletics particularly our Pole ault Academy which has moved around the county looking for a more permanent home There are established sports facilities (in particular the swimming pool) that was at times open to the public. know several people that miss this (staff and public), so it would be a shame that this can't be used by the public again. There are tennis courts, sports fields, a swimming pool and a gymnasium as well as a cafeteria. Would it be possible to create a sports centre for Shaftesbury.. A solution like this might generate revenue to help with the running costs There are, of course, an unlimited number of other possible uses, but while the opportunity is there to provide a facility to benefit SEND think it should be used. t is uite possibly a one‐off chance. There is a new housing estate nearby, could look to have public times for the swimming pool. There's lots of outdoor space, forest schools or outdoor courses (conservation, bushcraft etc) could be possible as a

197 sideline. The old Walled/itchen garden could become allotments for the nearby housing estate or for community/charity gardening. Community crafts/learning courses run out of some of the spaces as a sideline to the SEN school. e.g. the grounds or some of the classrooms if not in use. There should be provisions for the public to use the all of the sports facilities at st Marys, including creating a new gym and indoor facilities. This follows from my previous point. f you are thinking about other uses, why purchase an educational facility This should be open to all with various groups, charities and organisations using the facilities to deliver to a multitude of educational and recreational services. This site is amaing.... it has plenty of outdoor space and is in a peaceful environment To and allow the general public access to the site and enable them use of the sports facilities. The gardens could be opened up to the public. To allow the sports facilities to be used by the general public including the use of the pool for North Dorset Sub Aua Club to educate the public in environmental issues such as saving the planet green gardening and living recycling and reusing walking and cycling to use in addition the sporting facilities for those in the North of the County for our sporting excellence a bit like sir david english in bournemouth. and be able to host tournaments Training centre for gifted sports persons. Arts and crafts centre running different courses. Training centre for parents and carers on SEN issues Training for work, Apprenticeships, supported businesses run or staffed by SEND young people, e.g. arden centre, Arts and crafts centre where they can make and sell goods. Accommodation whereby a young person could be supported/assessed for their independent living skills or to help them decide what they wish to do, a sort of a trial taster opportunity. Fun activities for various age ranges, climbing walls, football or tennis, sport themed summer schools. Training teacher from mainstream schools Turn a portion of the buildings into managed accommodation for special needs, vulnerable adults who can then have access to the wide range of facilities including ongoing education. Turn it back to a convent Turn the sports facilities into a Leisure Centre.... with cafe, gym, swimming pool, outdoor & indoor pitches etc With careful planning there should be scope for public access to encourage a healthy lifestyle & 'Sport for All'. t would be a lost opportunity to exclude public access to these rather good facilities se it for the purpose the site was purchased. se of 5 football pitches. This would stop the STC from abusing council tax payers money. se of grounds for recreation / fitness such as parkrun se of sports facilities and beautiful grounds for local people and clubs to promote good fitness, mental health and well‐being in the local community. se of sports facilities to engage local communities se some of the grounds to set up a farm, where small animals could be bred, fruit and vegetables growing by you g people and volunteers, a shop set up to sell home grown goods. This would give the young pole opportunities to care for others, care for the land, understand the commercial side of helping in a shop and communication with others. All safeguarding of course in line. d love to see rural workshops in the out buildings, willow work (grown on own land), forge, artists, pottery, weavers, gardening plants etc. Training for young people n se some of the leisure facilities for ratepayers for additional sports activities se the land in a constructive way. Teach horticulture, landscaping, management of trees, grass, even golf course management,‐ engaging with all those under the age of 25, so we make full use of the whole site, the land is of eual importance and can be fully utilised. sing all the sports facilities for the use of local schools & clubs

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sing facilities for all local schools in the area especially sports facilities as our schools in the Shaftesbury area lack these especially swimming. Also maybe using the main house Chapel kitchen facilities and main school hall for weddingswtc sing some of the facility's and grounds for a DofE camp site is a grate opportunity for people to get involved with such an amaing award scheme such as DofE. sing the site also for get togethers for young adults 18‐25 with special educational needs and disabilities at the weekend and during holidays ocational centre for learning disabilities, including residential and respite up to age 25, or with an additional adult care unit ocational training for adults with learning disabilities with various workshops eg wood work, pottery, craftwork, bakery ‐ maybe a cafe and small shop to sell handmade products. Animal welfare training and horticulture ‐ facilities for Duke of Edinburgh award. We dont have enough sports facilities in N Dorset so the the council should hire out the facilities to local groups. We need provisions for young people with SEND to prepare for independence and adulthood We suggest that the swimming pool and tennis court facilities and concert hall could be opened up to local membership use for the benefit of the community and also to help generate income. We, the general public have so little contact with SEND purple we are, in general frightened and then, unfortunately become bigoted against them. t would be wonderful if, safety allowing of course there was some provision for the general public being able to visit the site. For example on the lines of the Lantern Centre at the Sheiling School in Ringwood (now sadly much reduced because of financial pressures), there used to be a fantastic shop, staffed by a mix of students and staff, and a cafe. t was a lovely facility and encouraged interaction between students and the general public Wedding events, local Dorset events. Higher education Wedding venue Wedding venue Sports excellence centre Wedding venue. Weddings ‐ with a site like that, just the hire fee alone would be enough to pay for the upkeep of the school throughout the year whilst still generating a profit. have worked many weddings over the years with many local suppliers, this school could potentially be the best venue in the area. Milton Abbey host around 6 weddings a year which the hire fee alone is around 30k. Run correctly St Mary's could be an extremely lucrative area to explore as a wedding venue. am more than happy to be contacted to discuss this further. Well have already suggested creating a facility that might give the Council the oppoetunity to offer places to children outside the County, neighbours first then further afield. This could be a good source of income. The Council has put forward plans for private use for the swimming pool and tennis courts, both good sources of income. have also suggested using some of the land for an Old People's Home as the Senior population expands, but also to take in seniors presently occupying private Homes. Another source of income. sincerely believe that the management and running of the facilities should be the responsibilty of a team of Council employees, whether specially emlpoyed for certain functions or existing employees of the Council, but all of them should be able to bring singular skils to the project which, while under the ownership of the Council is run as a free enterprise. To arrive at such a situation being acceptable to the Council and Council Taxpayers there will need to be a clear Statute of mplementataion that defines all the functions involved and those responsible for each of them. Clearly the Statute needs to be flexible so that new functions can be added as the project expands. t will need to be responsible to the Council for its uarterly and annual reports of the St Mary's Project presenting accounts with the objective of showing a Capital Benefit to the Council (Shareholders) and Operational Running Profit for the benefit of the Taxpayers. Any Capital reuirement will need to be funded from The Dorset Councils Reserves such as were used in the debacle involving an celandic Bank some years ago Only this time the money will be in Control of them whose funds are involved.

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What ahve already explained in previous uestions whatever it is used for it is a public asset and must be run for the good oflocal people by the council. No private profit from public services Whatever the outcome, it would be great if facilates are available to the community and local events had an option of using the site. When suitable the sports facilities could be managed to be used by the local residents and sports groups as well as Scouts/uides. An area could be set aside for use for camping for youth movements also. Would also be great if the pool facilities were opened back up to the public, at designated times. Theres no good facilities unless you travel to illingham and a steady source of income Would be great if the sports and leisure facilities could be usable by residents of the area as this would be a valuable resource. Hopefully this would be possible alongside the school proposal. would be wonderful to provide employment opportunities. What could be more powerful for a learning disabled child than to have an adult with learning disabilities providing a valued role in their school. Not a made up job but a real job, reading to younger children, supporting play, help at meal times etc... There needs to be visible and valued roles for our you learning disabled to identify with. f you do allow independent schools or private business then they must provide employment opportunities. ery exciting project if done well could be sector leading and most importantly life changing. Would recommend teaming up with Beaucroft Foundation School in Colehill, Wimborne and TADSS (Teaching Alliance Dorset Special Schools), you will find resources, Staffing and uality of your special need education much better with their support. Westfield in Weymouth are the H for Tadds Wouldn't it have been a good idea to consult before purchasing the school. yes ... immediate sale to prevent increases in Council Tax and much needed funds for essential services during this time of upheaval Yes a specialist school for dyspraxia as this is not always recognised the forgotten disabilitiy these children need teachers trained specifically for this as there are so many children not receiving the correct methods of learning specific to the way their brain responds nearest schools are in Surrey London Ect. Yes, you could actually consider the Council Tax payers within this pandemic. You have continually said that you are having to go into reserves to ensure Council Services, the basic that Council Taxpayers have to contribute to year in, year out to subsidise this Council. To purchase this property which is nothing more than a 'White Elephant', and total loss of 10 million which could be used for more deserving reasons. Don't you dare, don't you dare ask for a Council Tax increase in 2021/22 as you have WASTED money on a venture that will never be used or substantiate the causes that you believe it will be used for. yes... swimming pool, gym, suash tennis, spa, sauna, for Shaftesbury as have no sports/ fitness well being site for Shaftesbury , but all other towns do in the local area. it has enough space for cricket, football and other sports too. Alternative therapies . This would help will the wellbeing and fitness of the people of Shaftesbury, and the youth of Shaftesbury Art facilities, creative workshops, Youth center, training facilities so the youth of Shaftesbury have somewhere to go. t could have a cinema for everyone to go to with current cinema films so we don't have to travel a minimum of 20 miles to see a film. All these facilities are needed. Yewstock school and college could all move there and then stur high school could expand with their growing numbers too. You could have weddings there ‐ the chapel is beautiful and the grounds are lovely. Let people register and get married either in civil or religious services. You can host festivals there ‐ the games pitch is huge and you could do things all year round to the benefit of all. You could maintain the grounds for walks eg the Combe, the drive, and open up the route back to Shaftesbury from the site. We used to spend hours making shelters in tbe bushes or pretending to be horses and making jumps. Loved that later the school offered tree climbing Create a place for sledging on snow days. se the pool for everyone. Also the tennis courts. Develop sport there ‐ there must be athletes that would benefit from local facilities. Have a fair there at certain times of the year. row things ‐ create a vegetable garden and sell the veg at harvest festival time. Have walks through the woods. We used to go badger watching too ‐ ask the national trust to help you understand its possibility ‐ also the forestry commission. They do so many

200 wonderful things to get people exercising. o Ape might find some scope You will find a huge body of old girls cheering you on and supporting the site. Have concerts and plays there too ‐ you could use the theatre for productions for local schools and prie givings You could hire the pool and sports facilities out for private sessions / swimming lessons to increase revenue You could seek commercial and corporate opportunities for photo shoots And filming You have listed STEM. think we could go further and look into alternative technologies, Artificial intelligence, Robotics etc You need to sell it. At this time. The local authority should not be making frivolous expensive purchases for things unless they have a clear plan of what they are doing and the support of the general public. Your plan for SEND seems ideal. As the residents would be growing up, there would be a turnover. f the scheme cannot be made to work suitably then there would be an opportunity not to refill vacancies and thence reconsider the usage of the school. Youth mental health support centre within the grounds too

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Q19 Any other comments A big thank you to Dorset Council for these plans its so reassuring to see the plans to improve SEND A community social housing project with facilities, amenities, nursery, broad education ‐ life skills etc. Social housing as an exemplar. A footpath/cycle path from Shaftesbury would be needed to enable people to use the site safely A SEND school is an amaing idea for this site. A sports centre of some sort has widely been widely suggested but there are sufficient sporting facilities throughout the County, where even private schools are now working with local authorities to spread/allow the use of sporting euipment/swimming to the general public ‐ mainly allowing local schools access. State schools try to accommodate SEN pupils with some trained staff but the whole system is underfunded and understaffed. am also a former Chair of overnors for a unior School and have some knowledge on the subject. A total waste of money without benefitting the community as a whole. Was it really necessary to spend such a large amount of tax payers money s it not possible to adapt other buildings nearer to residents for facilities for SEN and disabled children Who is going to pay for the necessary transport to this site Why do these particular groups need such facilities What about other community groups How do those living the other side of Dorset benefit t would take a long time to drive there every day from areas like Wimborne, Ferndown, etc. A uniue opportunity to use an excellent site for the benefit of those in need and the local community A very odd use of public money. Might it not have been easier to convert one of Dorset Councils existing buildings in a more central and accessible part of the county to a SEND school Have you assessed where Dorset children with SEND needs actually live and how they get there Access to the site will need to be improved as there is no footpath to the school and poor local transport. n addition, the dark sky status of the area will need to be considered An adolescent mental health unit please. The under resourcing and funding must stop. An amaing asset, if used wisely, with a long term objective to achieve the main reason to purchase it for the benefit of our children's future. Everything must be done in line with our Declaration on Climate & Ecological Emergency ‐ achieving ero Carbon within the shortest time left to us, to survive with our one Planet in tact as we know it... An increase in SEND provision is urgently needed. Any additional pathway, roadway and school outside lighting please be downlighters due to the dark nightsky status in this area.....the tennis.and.pitches produced a lot of lights pollution when used previously As a parent of a primary aged child with Sen who has to travel every day to a specialist school am very excited about this project We live in north Dorset. There are many Sen schools colleges around the uk what are outstanding, and it would be so amaing to have this in north Dorset, where our Sen children can thrive and are a valuable part of our community, to learn amaing skills for their future adulthood. As a parent of an autistic child it would be reassuring to know there is a local special educational school. The few we have fill very uickly and do not always take children with complex needs. As a resident and as an educationist, am pleased that Dorset Council has had the foresight to purchase this property. As a Shaftesbury resident who has been involved in conversations about the future development of the town and its community, feel positive about DC acuisition of the site. wonder how your occupation and use of the site will affect Shaftesbury's 'centre of gravity' The development east of the A350 sometimes seems a long way from the centre of things and 'm curious as to whether new activities at the former St Mary's School site will change that. f the public footpath were improved then it could provide easy access from the 'school' to the convenience store at Mampitts Suare. 202

As said Dorset area really needs provision for able children with SEN who can take CSEs and A levels. n all honesty, my daughter likely reuires a smaller setting but maybe its possible to run two or more separate campuses given that there is a large school building but also large grounds on which one may get planning permission and housing which could provide a small setting for those not able to cope with a school as large as 280 children. As mentioned, access to the site would need to be improved for sustainable travel. As a runner myself it is lovely in the summer but not for the masses. A dedicated path would need to be implemented. Also, road markings on the junction with the B3081 do not exist. There is no need for major highway improvements on this junction but better signage and road markings, to allow a right turn, are needed as it is dangerous at the moment. Being able to walk in the woodland on this site for the public would be very good. Better engagement needed at earlier stages so that you gain support and so that projects have a positive sustainable outcome. Beware the vocal, sharp elbowed middle class parents when deciding what to do with this site. The majority of vulnerable children are from poor families who rarely have a voice. Bowling, cinema, swimming pool Bring it on, the need is there now. Children with SEND are not special they just need people with the right vision to help them shine and flourish. Compensate all those poor sods who have lost money when the swimming pool closed and whose annual subscription was lost. Could a more permanent foot/cycle path be proposed or created to follow the existing path from Mampits Lane, Shaftesbury to allow easier access for Shaftesbury residents and to promote walking or cycling to the site. t does cross private land and passes through a small holding farm. Create a usable environment that all can use and benefit from Create new jobs and Hope too with this facility it could be a positive change maker for all those in need as a result of this pandemic. t must be used for those who are usually on the periphery of society.

Decide and action uickly ... sometimes DC spend too long consulting, deliberating and no action happens. Decisions should be arrived at after great consideration and perhaps there could be leasing of the site on say a one or two yearly basis in order to see how things work, rather than a blanket decision. Did mention... T'S N WLTSHRE so any use might benefit by a relationship with Shaftesbury School which already includes pupild from this end of that county. Do not lease to the private sector Don't forget to let young people use the sports facilities. We don't even have a swimming pool or gym in this town. And don't build on the natural part of the grounds ‐ we like walking there. Thank you Don't let it turn into a badly maintained, falling apart, sad old building that no one loves. Don't waste any more money, use it as a school Dorset Council should prioritie keeping spemding under control at this difficult financial time for all of us. Only spending on absolutely vital services should be undertaken. The council should cut staff and non vital expenditure to balance its books and should not raise council taxes at this most difficult time post pandemic. Dorset is short on workable places for the many young people who could benefit from help to enable them to live a full filing life as adults. This site looks very suitable to provide a day and boarding facility for young people . fully support this idea and think in the long term it will pay for itself many times over

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Dorsets current SEN provisions are small and not adeuate enough to meet he growing demand of SEND children and people within the county. Pupils with Speech and a communication needs for example are having to look to atttend education settings out of county as the in county provision are not suitable enough. A residential SEND school is very much needed, that caters for many special needs. During the construction of the many developments in and around Shaftesbury there has been many broken promises of support infrastructure, again this a uniue opportunity to install the infrastructure that Shaftesbury badly needs, including another Doctors Surgery. Easier walking access to school from Shaftesbury. Encourage the decision makers to visit other specialist schools including private ones. Ensure that the council listens to the residents, you have the perfect opportunity to make this location a great hub for Shaftesbury and surrounding area with all the facilities that Shaftesbury has been promised and regularly let down with by successive councils. The residents deserve this and it can work in combination with the learning facility proposed

Every child deserves an education. As a farther whos son was failed by the system, can tell you first hand how important it is for there to be appropriate SEND facilities in Dorset. My family and appeared on the BBC news regarding this. Excited by this possibility if we are careful that it promotes inclusive practice and is much more outward and inclusion focused than typical special schools. Mainstreams must not be allowed to export children and young people in the old fashioned segration based model they are used to in Dorset. This is an opportunity for a fresh, modern broader school community based approach First Priority should be SEND and vulnerable ‐ you bought it for this Second Priority ‐ local needs as explained on previous page ‐ you should be formally consulting with all relevant local groups ie community organisations, service providers eg health, arts and culture Third Priority ‐ lease or sell other space for purposes as suggested in your consutation to generate revenue to improve services locally and in County. A priority within this group should be to consider whether local employment opportunities will be generated Further SEMH/ASD provision in Chesil is also needed as matter of urgency. et land changed from Wiltshire to Dorset so you don't have to deal with the worst council in the . ive our disabled children and adults a meaningful education and life prospects o ahead be progressive ood luck and i would love to be kept informed ood luck with this project and please listen to what the people want ‐ this could be a showcase of what is achievable for our young people with SEND thank you ood luck great asset reat local ‐ lots of potential. Would love to run outdoor activities for people there. Something for the North of the County. Happy to assist with the planning of the catering areas, kitchen and restaurant areas. we can provide energy saving euipment and innovative ideas to feed the children Have a special needs school plus a primary school Adult education centre Put shaftesbury on the map Having used St Marys over the years for childrens activities and as part of my teacher training ( completed a placement at Yewstock and we used the pool for our pupils), can tell it will be a wonderful facility for children with SEND. Please, please, please continue with this wonderful proposal. am for the proposal in general however would very much like to see HOSPCE CARE brought in as an option for at least some of the site or as part of future plans to develop the site.

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am pleased it has been purchased by the council and so can be kept as one site for the benefit of the community. am so excited to think of the potential for Dorset and so grateful to the County for buying the school. t should be a real asset to our community. am so glad that the school has become a publicly owned asset that has the potential to provide a location for children, young people and adults with additional needs to benefit from this wonderful place and its amaing facilities. am supporting this for future generations am surprised that in the current situation you have 10,000 to spend in this way .. hope it will mot be reflected in the next Council Tax Bill

am writing this as the Chairman of North Dorset Sub‐Aua club. We had been using the pool faciities at St Mary's as a venue for training, practising and keeping dive fit on a regular one hour session on Thursday evening. We have lost our venue and the club now has no pool to use. We are an inclusive club catering for people from all over the catchment area. We train according to the rules of the British Sub‐Aua club which is the national governing body. We are a non‐profit organisation and our instructors are all voluntary unpaid. As such we obey all the rules of the governing bodies and have risk assessments and safeguarding policies open for inspection. Our current membership is approximately forty people of all ages, backgrounds and experience we would like to expand the club but need a pool Our club could be a resource if the school became a centre for young people. and many many other families of children with SEND and those who are vulnerable would be absolutely speechless and delighted to see such a wonderful expansion made to support these children and adults. The rewards would be massive and life changing to not only these many people but also relieving pressure from organisations that are full to capacity and far over stretched. assume you are discussing usage with Wiltshire council as they may want to share SEND facilities on this scale

believe that this facility could be one of the best settings in the for SEND children and adults. People all over the would come here to buy into our services instead it always being the other way around. Of course that is only if there are spaces after DCC children have been placed. DCC is still failing a lot of send children because Social work teams do not know what to do or offer and teachers are just trying their best but actually have more important things to do than baby sit SEND children. Bullying in Dorset schools of SEND children is probably in the high 90%. (Maybe you should do a survey ‐ it may be 100%) . SO it doesn't really matter how good your services or teachers are in mainstream, it will never work under those circumstances. There needs to be a Plan B. cannot thank the school enough that have been able to have my son attend , it saved both our family and him from an extremely horrendous time . School is the best start a child can have and SEND children deserve a school which is designed for them and not feel they have to fit in just anywhere. They benefit from a good education and to gain the confidence they get from these special schools which then can transfer to becoming a confident adult who will be able to join the workforce and give something back to society. commend the Council for its foresight in purchasing this fine school with it's outstanding facilities, please do not waste this opportunity to do real good for Dorset, and in particular Shaftesbury and North Dorset which is an area which seems totally overlooked by DCC with the exception of taking our Council Tax and Section106 money. do not have confidence that the Council will follow its commitment to SEND reuirements due to the recent and extensive cuts to services.

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do so hope that sufficient budget has been/will be allocated to enable detailed planning to get the very best provision for those that have needs outside the mainstream so that they can progress to adulthood with the most confident outlook possible. dont see the road traffic as being an issue as there was a school there before. t would create jobs and provide access to opportunities within Wiltshire for young people, if it is to become a specialised school. emailed also from email emailed from the email too. feel strongly that DCC shouldnt narrow the opportunities that the site can offer but look to balance a variety of providers alongside the SEND school development as suggested above. feel that my suggestion would keep those who went to the school and worked their happy as well as creating a positive synergy with shaftesbury school while creating and maintaining a great representation while reducing class sies and making use of facilities. have been looking around for schools for my son for secondary with dread. dont want him to go residential somewhere miles away at a specialist deaf school, not to struggle immensely at a local school and neither do want him to go to a school where its more like a babysitting service. As a deaf child he has the ability to learn like his peers he just needs a different way, which think you could provide with guidance from NDCS. have emailed offering to help with transition and am hoping that if there is anything can do to help with this, someone will be in touch with me. have given just some of my ideas but would love to help if you are looking for inspiration. have had extensive experience of promoting wildlife awareness in my work with Dorset Wildlife Trust, National Trust and the Lulworth Estate and would be happy to offer my assistance should you wish to from a Focus roup to help formulate an action plan for the site. have no idea what the value is of a fully‐resourced secondary school site, in attractive surroundings, but it seems to me that Dorset Council has probably done some good business here. t looks ideal for the SEND purpose and there is not much need to invent hypothetical alternative uses. hope Dorset council is not intending to move their offices there hope it goes ahead ood luck i hope some of the council money will be spent within the town, on reducing commercial rates, increasing parking (pity the Lidl site was not snapped up for this) and other amenities. We need to encourage footfall in the town, surely. hope that the council will future‐proof their plans by making sure they have the space and ability to expand, this is an exciting opportunity to really help address a current and growing problem. Think big SEND is a complex spectrum of need and reuires a whole range of support levels. hope that this will be catered for. hope the Council will make the right choice. hope you get overwhelming support, a great plan. hope you have a successful outcome to this project, good luck. know you will have many people apply for the use of this school's facilities but so many kids could benefit from it being used for special needs and disabilities. There needs to be more focus on children with needs. Main stream schools are not euipped to deal with it and so many children know have been left to get on with it or not diagnosed. My daughter deserves the best education and start to life she can get. So this for me is the only option look forward to hearing about the outcome and will remain hopeful that this site can soon help disabled people be supported during their childhoods and be helped to lead more independent lives in the future. look forward to hearing that plans for SEND children and young people are progressing

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really do believe the site its self has a very high number of uses not just one as it is regather big and can be split in to many different uses for the community. really hope that the council can ensure that the site is used to its best potential for the benefit of Dorset residents, and the greater local population. really hope that you get the go ahead for your proposal. really hope the historic and beautiful buildings and grounds at Marys are listed and their integrity is maintained. sincerely hope this land is not used for future housing developments or non educational purposes such as entertainment facilities eg wedding venues and the like. think have said uite enough think it is a good idea to have another SEND facility in Dorset, so long as the other facilities in Weymouth and south Dorset arent affected. Pupils from south of the county would be affected by longer travel times if this became the main send option. ulnerable children and young adults need to have shorter travel times to school think it would be fantastic to have a SEND school here, with the facility to offer respite care for children also and to properly train people in working with vulnerable children. think its wonderful to see the council investing in the future of our children and young people when so often we are hearing of budgets cuts and facilities being taken away or closed down. This could be an opportunity to make a real positive change to so many childrens futures as well as providing employment in the area. think SEN school is a brilliant idea and it would be great to see Dorset Council lead the way in providing such a facility. think special needs school is the best option, but would be good for locals to have access to the sports areas and swimming pool in the evening and school holidays. think the initial idea for a Special school is excellent. The building is already there and can be adapted fairly easily at less cost than a new purpose built facility. think the proposals would be really suitable, but feel this cannot and should not be made as another AP for education that is not funded and that schools have to pay large amounts of money to access. This is the problem at the moment. Hundreds of AP providers out there, some are good, some are not, but ALL are ridiculously expensive, and mainstream schools simply cannot afford them for their vulnerable, SEND and non‐attending kids. Schools are seeing a huge increase in EHE due to students not being able to access mainstream school settings. This is also attributing to large numbers of exclusions, Perm. Exclusions and non‐attendance. think the school and grounds are perfect for children/teenagers with complex needs and abilities to help them improve their way of life. think the school site should be used for SEND children. There is currently not enough settings for these children in Dorset. The children would benefit from t. t is also stressful for parents who gave to fight to get their children the education and help they need and it would be so good for the local community. think this is a good investment by the council but it is important for local people and the wiser Dorset population to end of feeling it has been money well spent and they can see personal tangible benefit think this is an opportunity to make something special out of this area, something Dorset and its residents can be proud of, and is help up as an example of forward thinking. An outdoors based centre maybe, but also perhaps run a pre‐school or nursery where able bodied and special care children meet and do things together, to help lessen bias and feelings of exclusion if this is set up purely for special needs when so many schools are struggling with their facilities. think this proposal is great as have seen many families suffer, and who continue to suffer due to lack of placements for children with SEND. will be very interested to see how these plans develop.

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think this purchase is excellent and could be a real value to Dorset. think this should remain a community space whatever happens. know that the St Marys shared its indoor swimming pool and some of the other sports facilities with the local community and would be disappointed if this connection was lost (if it became respite care, or a conference centre) thoroughly support this proposal and commend the vision of the Council in developing the idea. was incredibly relieved when heard that Dorset Council had purchased the site and are considering its future at an educational facility for children with SEND. This, in my opinion, is the option truest to its original mission as a school and genuinely hope that this becomes the next incarnation of St Mary's, Shaftesbury.

would ask that there is compassion/consideration for the many people that lost their careers/schools/homes/school in the closure of St Marys. also ask that anything being discarded is offered to the girls or staff that once cherished everything about the school. hope to liaise with someone about school clothing that belongs to The Friends of St Marys that still remains on site. (Thank you) would be delighted to see a new special school on the site, which would be great for children with special needs in this area. This would also create jobs for local people. would be happy to help in anyway can. would be interested to know the business plan for this site. Private businesses would have a plan, then source a site, not the councils way being the other way around. What will the running costs be Would it have been cheaper to spend the money on a new modern complex with cheaper running costs How will this impact our council tax That said wish the site success to become a go to venue.

would be proud to see a SEND school being set up to support young people, which would also take the pressure off mainstream schools. t would help address problems with persistent absence, mental health, the threat of exclusion and all the dangers that brings for young people struggling to access mainstream schooling. The opportunity for a diverse range of alternative provision would be a huge asset to North Dorset. f this goes ahead feel something really positive will have emerged out of a very tough 12 months for education and young people . f it just goes to business use am afraid will view it very cynically and uestion my council tax being spent on something which will benefit a small minority. We need to invest in the future of our young people at this time. would happily be involved in any theatre/chapel plans. St Marys was my home for 9 years along with my 5 sisters and cousins. My mother was one of the first pupils and my daughters were there when it so sadly closed. t is a very special place to me and has been for so many. would dearly love to see it sharing its large heart with future generations and am delighted with your plans. Thank you would like the public to still be able to pay to use the swimming pool and tennis courts (as there isnt an all weather pool in Shaftesbury ‐ other than one within a Hotel)

would like to be actively involved if possible with this going forward. have trained as a teaching assistant at Beaucroft school and my son has special needs. am currently training as a counsellor and have the time free and am passionate about this opportunity and being able to offer a view from a parents point of view. would be happy to be contacted. would like to know what job opportunities there will be for local people would like to see some of the facilities open to members of the public which is viable due to the actual location of the pool and the courts. As a previous member of the Michaelmas Fair committee negotiated for this to take place at the school in 2018 and 2019, it was well received and the money raised went to Air Ambulance and the RNL, this took place at half term, it was a good opportunity for locals to see some of this wonderful school.

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would like to see the SEND School offer more provision for children with moderate to severe ADHD. There are some schools in Dorset which reuire an ASC diagnosis which excludes ADHD children. My daughter is 2 years behind but have been told she is too intelligent for some special schools e.g Westfield Arts College. She is not coping well in mainstream but seems there is no place for her to go‐ there needs to be far more recognition, help and support for children with ADHD in the education system. would like walking or cycling access to the site that is not via the very busy A30. My reason for this would be for public access to the swimming pool if considered viable due to safeguarding. f public access is not to be available, then may suggest that money is therefore spent on our lovely Oasis swimming pool. Many regular users are longing for this to become more than just a summer season activity. Surely a sum of money from your budget could be made available to have a retractable roof installed. During the ongoing pandemic Oasis pool opened last year and by all a counts was very successful. Swimmers came from as far as Salisbury, Yeovil and Frome. would love if my daughter could go to one big school full of lots of diverse SEN where she could be educated according to her needs. (High ability, but Aspergers, dyslexic and moderate unilateral hearing loss holding her back) ts a good idea, a purpose built site with lots of grounds for outside activities. Maybe after school clubs and holiday childcare centre too would love to see the tennis courts, Astro, pool and gym available to the shaftesbury community. would love to suggest a nursery and preschool on the grounds as it is something have been looking into for a while and feel its something the area could do with. Also look into having a soft play (climbing frame in side and out) and cafe, but also somewhere people could book a space to hire out for local training, group meetings, specialised groups regular meetings and so many more community businesses and organisations to use. would strongly oppose the sale of any of the fields for further housing developments. would welcome the opportunity for local sports provision. The pool and tennis courts should be open to local residents with manageable fees. m pleased that the council have bought the site and hope that its put to excellent use, continuing the positive ethos of the school. 'd like to know how much the adaptation and upkeep of such a big site might be, and how the council plans to fund this. 'd like to see opportunities built into the running of the site to support adults and young people with employability skills such as providing apprenticeships and other similar on the job based training. f Dorset get this right, it would be an incredible asset and support so many families, improving the life chances for many.

f it becomes and SEN school please do not sell off lots of the land. t would be great to have these children growing fruit and veg, looking after animals and being free to explore and move around outside safely. magine doing the Rupert saacson Horse Boy Therapy there t could be the most phenomenal opportunity to get atypical neurological children 'back on the map' of society. A setting like this, with the right vision and leadership could be so progressive and dynamic that real change in the lives of everyone would be seen. My daughter has a great ability for poetic story telling, art and interestingly, for building positive connections with strangers ‐ maintaining and developing them reuires support. She is such a positive soul but will not thrive behind the four walls of a small classroom. would love to be able to get her settled once and for all at a place that can help with the basics of literacy and science but also perhaps train her to be a hairdresser or cafe assistant... This may seem far fetched, but would love to be able to help set up this school. am a very experienced teacher with management experience and am obviously also a mother of an SEN child and local resident. would give up everything to make my vision of this place come true.

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f it is to be used for children attending daily, they should be bused in as the main road is very dangerous, no foot path or cycle way on the A30. There is a very poor bus service, also the drive is long and lonely in the winter months. f using the site for Autistic children/adults ‐ there is a very good example ‐ Autism Wessex( Portfield School) in Christchurch t is a great space . Please please use it wisely , & make it available for local use . t is a huge shame that the council is once again only focusing provision in the North of the county... The west desperately needs better provision t is a large site, much larger than most local special schools. The costs of maintaining that site need to be properly managed and efficiently used otherwise this will be another expensive school just like independent schools for SEND. ts pretty, but it needs to be fully utilised and managed or it will be a white elephant. t is a wonderful uniue opportunity to invest in the future of children, young people and their families. A very visionary and welcome future for the former SMS. Founder, Mary Ward, and her fellow Sisters would be delighted and honoured....as would former students/families and staff....the legacy lives on (). t is disappointing that it sounds like Dorset have already made their minds up and that the consultation is a token offering. Why weren't we consulted with before you spent out money t is such a beautiful building with amaing facilities and grounds and the most important thing is that it stays in the community for the community benefiting so many people and organisations t is wonderful that the school has been taken over by the County t looks like Dorset Council is already thinking outside the box to have purchased St Mary's. t is a great opportunity. applaud you for actions taken so far. Let us now see more creative and positive steps leading to first rate SEND provision t must not be a burden on the ratepayers. t seems that the school was purchased by the County without a clear purpose, and it is now looking for a use for the buildings. This could be construed as a waste of local taxpayers money. t should be remembered that although this is a Dorset Council purchase, it is in Wiltshire. The local Coucil should be fully engaged with the development of any scheme for this site together with full consultation involving local people who will most feel the impact of whatever choices are made. t should not take very long to complete the consultation and make necessary changes would urge you to get the facility up and running as soon as is at all possible t would be a great idea one day if you could consider one nearer to swanage as well as there is none less than an hour away (each way ) my son has moderate Learning difficulties and it has been recommended that he goes to a send school and which ever school we looked at that caters for his needs there all about an hour each way and we didnt get into our first choice (and nearest ) as it was full we were lucky to get into one however its a long journey from swanage to sturminster on top of a school day t would be a shame to have this wonderful facility without all the children from maintained school in Dorset benefitting from it. t would be a very good use of council money to use the site as a SEND school. t would be great if the pool could become a community resource as it was before. t would be great if this creates jobs for Shaftesbury locals t would be helpful to improve the walking access along the A30 between the town of Shaftesbury and St Mary's School t would be very sad if it was over developed

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t's positive to be providing greater provision for SEND children in Dorset however the location is not that accessible for those living in Swanage or Weymouth. Could this be part of a bigger plan to ensure that the needs are met for the SEND children in those coastal communities Could the promised savings be redirected to expand more local SEND provision in these towns as the residents in south Dorset are funding this too through their taxes ust done that ust please keep all the buildings up and dont knock anything down, and make sure whoever benefits from it uses it well. keep it as a community asset. North Dorset needs investment as well as Bournemouth and Poole eep the swimming pool open for the public as is such a lovely pool for local residents eep the uniue character and integrity of the whole site and not sell off areas for housing eep the use of spirts facilities open to the general public to use at reasonable monthly subscription prices Let money not be the deciding factor. The pendemic has highlighted , and is making worse, the increasing need to provide for, and increase number of people in need of, Special Education. Let's not make matters worse by selling this to profit making organisations. Lets make this an investment that delivers revenue and not a mill stone of a drain on public money Local tax payers believe will support the school idea if also coupled with an ability to use the sports facilities for locals. My impression is of paying council tax and seeing several big projects in other parts of the county whilst being ignored up in the very north of the county.

Make dorset the place to be for struggling families who need help with there disabled children. The brake through with medicine and technology is saving premature babies which sadly increases the chance of disabilities and advanced knowledge prolonging live expectancy. Resulting in more help needed for disabled people and there families. ntil you have to look after a disabled child/adult 24/7 who can not even move , feed, swallow etc you will never know how hard it is and the help you need. Respite centre where families can get a brake and your child is looked after safely with fully trained staff have fun activities and there much needed therapies is a live line and we are in desperate need of more facilities and places for respite centres. The increase of disabled children and adults who are living longer now will only increase over time , make dorset a place where we are ahead of everywhere else and have full support for our vulnerable children and adults that need it. nstead of waiting 10 plus years and we have no room for all these disabled children who need the care and have families at braking point. This is a live line for all families with disabled children Many of the facilities could be used by the public as well if appropriate safeguarding measures were in place and this should be thought about when planning the site for the school. More detail as to facilities and options would be helpful My only concern is accessibility for SEND children in such an old‐looking building don't know anything about the building but imagine it won't be ideal for children with special needs and physical needs Or changing it will be very expensive. But still think another special school is the way to go My only uestion would be as it is an older building would it be more costly in the refurbishment and the up keep of the building than a new building My son is transitioning to secondary school this September. Originally we have been banking on The Harbour school, this is now not ready for September. illingham is due to open a CCN base but again it is not clear if this will be ready for September. My son has no placement for September and will need to start transition soon and its looking like the nearest school will be in Frome costing over 60,000 Please can this be up and running for September

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My telecommunications business M12 Solutions Ltd supplied and supported the campus‐wide phone system for St Marys School. Whilst the local hardware is switched off and the PC Server has probably been disposed of. The valuable licencing of the telecoms solution which is tailored for the sie of the site is still available and in the gift of M12 to reinstate or better still make a cloud based service at very little cost. Also our iganet nternet Service could reinstate the fibre internet service which could support one or multiple organisations on the site. The oP phone system is used by many councils, many schools including Port Regis and Sherborne, many hospitality organisations including The rosvenor Hotel Shaftesbury, and many serviced offices. our nternet service has similar credentials for business and residential users. We are also a Crown supplier on the government framework. Because live in Shaftesbury and care about the community access to the schools' facilities, am willing to provide more generous terms than would otherwise be possible. N/a N/A N/A N/a Needs too stay educational no building of houses we have enough new build in Shaftesbury No No no NO no no No No No No No No No no No No No No No No No . No but thanks for asking No further comments No thank you No, crack on and get it up and running But please ensure that it is a strictly secular educational establishment. Education should not be about religion, and should certainly never be a reason for allowing or denying someone an education. No, thank you. No, thank you. No.

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No. No. No. No. None None None None None None none None None thank you None. none. Nope nope Nope. Not that can think of. Not to be allowed for housing in the grounds

Notwithstanding previous comments, would draw your consideration to 1. the areas of potentially deep and dangerous water around the driveway bridge (both sides, only the downstream side a scrubbed over sump is our responsibility. The upstream pond belongs to and there was a fair amount of apanese knotweed present prior to his pond) 2. the poor uality/accessibility of the footpath as the only pedestrian access into Shaftesbury town, and part of the Thomas Hardy Way ( think only walk past the sign every day) 3. our work with Wiltshire Bat roup on the aforementioned valley and woodland regarding significant populations of greater horseshoe, lesser horseshoe and Bechsteins bats amongst others. We also believe that you have a significant roost within the clock tower() of St Mary's main building ‐ our contact is 4. we would be supportive of any linked ecological management plans, including broadleafed replanting of the larch and any management of the top fields to enable significant biodiversity net gain/enhancement during your development 5. as well as this ecology being used in the education provision for young people on the site 6. the gated emergency access via the back track, which is directed to by Sat Navs, and there is no turning area. 7. the light spill of the site, especially the sports facilities. This is significant and very noticeable from the A30 and beyond into the AoNB and dark sky reserve. We would hope that this could be improved with directional lighting/timings/installation of shields as part of the ecological enhancement of the site. 8. some old uarry areas in the woodland, which although fenced off and not part of a right of way, has been subject to some anti‐social behaviour in the past, and can pose a bit of a H&S risk due to seams/holes in the rock. 9. Noise. St Mary's were never very noisy but they did communicate regularly with residents if an event was planned beyond 10pm ‐ suspect some local residents may enuire about that. Well done on your professional, innovative oom consultation briefing ‐ what a good idea ood luck with the consultation.

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O, the property was purchased without consultation with council tax payers. Was this because it was on special offer, one day only sale Now we are spending further funds on an after the event,for a survey, which we all know will be ignored. So was it a bargain, ts not very central. How accurate are your figures' as recall that the care and education of which we speak was previously forced to go private to save money So you will go ahead with your initial plan which may or may not turn out to be beneficial in the long run, sincerely hope it works. This after the fact survey is a politically motivated waste of time with the uestion carefully worded to provide a percentage answer to suit yourselves. Finally can you guarantee the residents of Shaftesbury that none of the land associated with St Marys will be sold off or in any way used for housing development Some of latter part of this survey suggests its not even original but cobbled together from a stock item, not impressive Opportunity to improve facilities for all children and adults in Shaftesbury Over 200 local.people were made redundant when At Mary's suddenly closed, many are still job hunting. As they all know the site and the facilities could they be given consideration when staff are recruited for the new school Please allow the local community access to the sports facilities. Please do not allow any housing development. Shaftesbury is overrun with housing with more being built at the moment and even more due soon. We dont have the infrastructure to cope. t also is taking away the very essence of our lovely town. Please consider how this can benefit the whole Shaftesbury community alongside a specialist use. The facility will work best if it is part of the local community and not separate from it. This is also likely to make good financial sense. With enough vision, it could be a wonderful asset for both Shaftesbury and Dorset as a whole. Be ambitious but do not do anything to destroy the wonderful character of the place. Also continue to involve local people. Please consider semh issues when planning send provision. Please could we use the swimming pool for the public so we can return to a wonderful school again. Please DO T and do not allow yourselves to be persuaded otherwise or delayed.

Please do not let this opportunity to address a shortfall in the provision of special education, further higher education be lost, to a uick flip proposal providing a 'conference facility' which the area does not need Please do not sell off any land to build more housing. Whilst there is technically space in Shaftesbury for more housing there is not the necessary infrastructure to support it .e. schools, doctors, shops etc. Please do not use any of land for more housing. Please dont close it off to a small group. ts always been a special place. t should be enjoyed by everyone. Send children need to be part of the community and you have a brilliant opportunity to make something hugely special here. Please don't allow another company to run the site. t's madness that counties pay huge sums for sub par care for vulnerable children where the majority of the money is seen as profit for shareholders and executives ‐ ultimately making money from a child's disability Please don't allow people with no idea of the real picture of today's education be allowed to make the decisions for commercial and monetary gains. There is a serious lack of provision for today's traumatised children, living with SEMH needs. Dorset could become a real focus for the country, not just the south‐ west, with the right people involved. Please don't lease it out ‐ get a good team of local people to run it and treasure it Please don't waste this investment on pet schemes and ill informed projects led by under ualified, poorly chosen personnel who lose sight of the views of those best placed to advise and ensure the integrity of the chosen project. Please ensure that the chapel remains available for old girls and their children to marry etc

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Please feel free to contact me Please go ahead with your plan for a school for children with special needs. think it is brilliant Please keep leisure facilities tennis and pool open to public Please keep the chapel in use for prayer/religious use please keep the school and grounds intact , dont sell any of it off for building homes. please look into opening this centre up to adults with disabilities, after school all they have got are day centres which are badly run and dorset are paying tricuro for this service. bring everything in house, including social workers,OT's, euipment services. Please let me work there Please listen to local views rather than just go ahead and ask for feedback to 'tick a box'. We are losing more and more of our 'green' areas to housing and, as in the past, will not be provided with the infrastructure to support it. Doctors, schools etc. t would be great for St Mary's to be accessible to all with regard to its facilities. Our young people need grassroots sport venues now, more than ever. Please look after our most vulnerable children and families. Please make Shaftesbury great again. ts struggling due to every large site in town being sold for cheap supermarkets and garages instead of community facilities. St Marys offers an opportunity to re address this balance. Please make the site a setting for children with SEND. The area needs this and it will allow children to be educated nearer to their homes. Please prioritise the Climate Emergency in whatever you plan Please really consider a leisure centre of sorts. Please see previous. Please take in all factors but being a mum to children with SEN know how hard it is to find the right place. But like said working there for 15 years know it would make a lovely place for children and young adults with SEN as it would be not just work in classroom to help the land and setting could give them other benefits of learning not just education. Please think about the local residents and not just SEN special needs usage or vulnerable children and adults. There is already The Forum School, Landside School. Womens refuge in Shaftesbury. Please can we support local children within the local area and provide better higher education, S3, sixth form, college or a university. So children/adults do not have to travel to the other side of Dorset to Poole snd Bournemouth for higher education options. Please think carefully before making a decision but when a decision is made let's get on with it.look at the lidl site still no shop all the lockdowns we could have benefited from another decent sie supermarket in shaftesbury Please try and include the public in as many of the processes as possible (ie. consultation, planning, reviews etc). Please use the expertise of Dorset Special School staff (current and retired) and therapists when designing reuired alterations. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience of what works well and what could have been done better. Please use the sporting facilities as a community resource. Please use this site as a SEND facility. t would be amaing and hopefully help pave the way for more like it around the country. So many kids struggle in mainstream and need access to more help ‐ its vitally important and in the long run will produce many more independent happy adults. Resources can be pooled and accessed more easily. PLEASE, PLEASE retain the beautiful chapel. f this proves to be completely impossible, though cannot imagine why, then please preserve the Altar area with its wonderful artwork.

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Pleased this fantastic place and wonderful grounds is in public ownership. understand that residential send schools are much needed in the area and the site would be a beautiful place for families to access the support they need. t could also provide the growing population of Shaftesbury and surrounding areas an inspiring place to get active and support their well‐being. With a number of leisure centres and other facilities in north Dorset likely to face closure as a result of covid, this site could be a good answer to supporting the recovery from Covid to better mental and physical health of residents. Pool open to the public Maybe other sport facilities but don't know how good they are Post Covid, during which children and young people have led very circumscribed lives and have lost many opportunities normally available to them, we believe there needs to be a wide‐ranging and imaginative commitment to the mental and physical health of young people and dedicated provision to support them and enrich their lives.

Public transport access has always been a problem for the school and we hope that a fully accessible transport plan can be put in place as the adaptation of the site progresses. Having said that, the local Shaftesbury girls have always proved to be resourceful in gaining access to St. Mary's School. We even have evidence in our Archives that relate several girls riding up to the School in order to be registered as pupils or to take public exams in the snow when the driveway proved impassable We also remain anxious to know what plans there are for the school chapel. The chapel was opened in 1963 and it is the fervent hope of the Old irls Association that it should continue as a facility for public worship (not necessarily Roman Catholic). f this is really not possible, then the Association would welcome an opportunity to arrange a final mass of Thanksgiving for former pupils, staff and parents before the chapel is adapted for alternative use. Retain access through the site using designated public footpaths already in existence Allow local residents to have use again of the swimming pool and tennis courts. There are limited facilities in the local area already without the continual closure of these See before. See previous remarks re. maintaining and using the former school chapel and providing facility for community usage. SEND all the way SEND is the obvious choice. Sens out of school and weekend activities as there is very little locally.

Shaftesbury currently lacks facilities for the local population, especially young people. This is a great opportunity to create fantastic learning and activity options for the local population. For example, the much smaller Tisbury has the wonderful Nadder Centre and Shaftesbury has nothing. The demographic of the area is shifting with many more younger families moving into the area. Since Dorset Council is under pressure to build more houses a part of this plot would provide this opportunity (and re‐coup finance) but care should be taken not to harm the natural habitats that exist of the north side of the plot, which are important for nature and for the local community. Other than that this is a wonderful opportunity to provide some educational and sporting options the area desperately needs. Shaftesbury is in need of better local health and fitness facilities. The swimming pool would be greatly appreciated for the use with locals. So impressed that you grabbed this opportunity. Social work hub Someone has had the foresight to see the possibilities of this centre. believe that a collaboration with Wiltshire Council, iundercwhose planning jurisdiction it stands would be be highly beneficial to this wider area. have lived here all my life and view this as a once in a lifetime chance to achieve something worthwhile.

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Sounds like it could be an amaing facility, that could change the course of 1000 of children and their lives. Hire people with passion, not with bits of paper. Sport and exercise are a crucual oart of a healthy community and the use of which can generate income for the council projects St Marys has been a local school for a great many years. t would be a wonderful legacy to see it continue providing educational and therapeutic facilities for user groups with special education needs and emotional/behavioural difficulties. This will also bring more employment opportunities to the area as the nature of these schools is that they encompass a wide range of services. This opportunity fills me with a sense of pride, knowing there are positive life changing benefits to be made for very deserving local (Dorset) people St Mary's is a beautiful school with amaing grounds. hope the overall impressive building and grounds do not get changed too much. St Mary's School lies within the Cranborne Chase AONB above one of the many the headwaters of the River Nadder. The area is of high ecological significance with a number of SSS in the adjacent Coombe. There is on‐going research into the concentration of bat species found along the length of the Coombes. Dorset Council should ensue their operation and ownership of the site enhances the local environment and set out very long‐term plans and commitments to protect the AONB characteristic on the site and on neighbouring land. St Mary's school site deserves an integrated development plan, not a piecemeal approach with no overall vision. St. Mary's in the most amaing site. The building is stunning and the 55 acres surrounding it should be utilised for as many local people as possible Stop wasting taxpayer money on idiotic woke ideas stupid to tie up liuid assets when there are greater demands for all residents during the pandemic Take care of the grounds and buildings Take care. A lot of love has seeped into the fabric of the building Thank you Thank you What a great initiative Thank you for inviting me to comment ‐ am SO delighted that this is happening & know that the sisters who founded the school (many of whom knew personally) would also be right behind your plans for development. Thank you for providing a consultation period to allow comment on the future use of St Marys School in Shaftesbury however members would have welcomed an opportunity to comment prior to such a significant purchase. Whilst we are supportive of a much needed county based educational support provision of this kind which will benefit disadvantaged young people we have concerns over the suitability of the building. t is an old building and will inevitably have high running & maintenance costs. Thank you for thinking of vulnerable children and young people in the local area. Thankyou, for thinking to bring this service to us all, despite alot of negative views from public, alot of us understand and hugely appreciate this and are so thankful that you are thinking of our children and young adults in North dorset. t is so important that we are not forgotten and forced to travel an hour every time into BCP or other counties The mature trees and estate have an historical and conservation value. Well treed environments also provide wellbeing benefits for people. ood to continue to maintain this mature estate and garden for Dorset in the future

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The building and grounds are sufficiently attractive that they should be looked after. eeping the facility under the control of the council would help secure the buildings. A) t might be considered to allow parents or family to visit the residents by maintaining some visitor uarters. Full hotel fees could be charged which would supplement the income of the facility. The parents would have to book the few rooms available. B) My experience of SEND is helping to run a holiday camp where SEND children are brought by their parents and we look after the children and give them a holiday in the countryside (reat Wood Camp, Over Stowey, Somerset). This gives the parents a break from full caring of their children. My suggestions A & B are completely opposite. However, the operation of the facility could be managed to include both ‐ long term SEND residents and short term respite SEND residents. The chapel should be preserved as a place of worship. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ What has my sexuality or ethnicity got to do with this survey f was asking these uestions would be regarded as racist...... get a life...... This has no relevance to the consultation unless you plan to disregard the views of certain categories of people. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ would like an answer. The council has acuired a magnificent site. t is very much hoped that the use of the sports facilities will be made available to Shaftesbury with the addition of a Leisure Centre. The fact that this was an undemocratic decision without representative votes from our own councillors is unacceptable and smacks of cronyism and we, who know best, will make our own independent decisions. t is disgraceful and the Executive should be broyght to account. The last thing Shaftesbury needs is a commercial use for the St Marys site. There are many vulnerable groups in the area, despite there also being a lot of prosperous individuals, and the site has always provided a place of learning. nclusivity is key for its next incarnation. The leisure facilities must be kept accessible to the public. A lot of people used to use them for fitness, and pleasure.

The original house would make good adult education rooms, or training centre. The old main hall is a great theatrical space. But a uestion of how it can earn its living. There is a need in the Shaftesbury area for such a hall for events so it could be a valuable income generator. Shaftesbury and illingham and Marnhull Roman Catholics have been looking for a large central church building and maybe the school chapel might be leased or sold to them. n conjunction with the hall the chapel could function for weddings. Again a good income generator. t would be sensible to plan bedrooms and accommodation for school holiday letting which are needed in the area. There is a shortage of hotel rooms, so maybe review the main house reverting to a hotel at least in holidays. The pool hope will be open fur community use. The grounds are beautiful and have footpaths through them. Pop up cafes, craft workshops, community business units /workspaces the possibilities are endless with such a wonderful site The proposed use needs to demonstrate good value over the long term to the taxpayer. The purchase of this site is an outrageous vanity project. The school is situated in lovely grounds trust whatever happens to the school that the grounds / trees will be respected and nurtured. The school now needs to benefit everyone within the community. This had slowly started to happen with the opening of the sports centre. St Marys could become a real community gem ‐ if used in the correct way. The school means a lot as am actually a past pupil and know the site well. The school should be run by the Local Authority. The school site must be available for use by the wider community ‐ sports clubs, youth groups, adult education etc The site is a beautiful physical & natural resource. m delighted the council bought it and will preserve it

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There is a worrying lack of provision for send children in West Dorset. This is going to get considerably worse as the number of EHCPs is predicted to increase by nearly 100% in the next 5 years. There is a huge lack of understanding around conditions like ASC and speach and language difficulties. This project would be a fantastic opportunity for Dorset LA to improve it's understanding and with it the life chances of many children in Dorset who are currently being hugely let down. There is definitely a need for local support for young people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and special educational needs, and their families. There must be respect for the dark sky status in the AONB that the site stands There really isnt much available for my son and it really would be beneficial for us and so many families to have St Marys as a SEND school. These are very limited uestions.

Think it was a marvelous thing for Dorset Council to undertake and wish them well for such an enterprise. This building must be used to benefit the local community and enhance existing county provision. The focus on this needs to be about providing a space that is well used and and supported NOT about gaining a high financial return on investment. Whatever plan is put in place. t needs to be well throughout out including future repairs and maintenance. This is an opportunity to create something amaing that will do wonders for Shaftesbury and the local area. This decision was apparently taken , without councillors voting by the management executive. That is unacceptable ,given the monies that have been spent on what appears to be a 'knee jerk' reaction. t reeks of acronyms decision, self importance and is totally undemocratic. The mergers of Dorset Councils was sold on the basis of economies of scale and economic savings. The first result was a levelling up of Community charge to Bournemouth levels, a town with the most facilities in Dorset. Totally arrogant'we know best'. This is a good idea to have a forum for the public to respond to ‐ well done This is an excellent idea. My son is autistic, but has a lot to give to the community and economy, his ambition is to open a model shop. Business studies would be of great benefit to him, but first we have to assist him through mainstream schooling, which is challenging. This is an excellent opportunity with so much potential to make this into an amaing facility. But please take time and do it properly, work with independent schools, who we have found stand head and shoulders above many special schools. From personal experience a school with is own in‐house Therapy Team, there immediately at the point of need has proved a godsend as opposed to previous experience in a LA Special school where we had to wait months for Ed Physc and CAMHS involvement only for them to recommend actions that the school refuse to action or refuse help from LA to implement. This is an extremely valuable site and could be used for so much good for the benefit of all in the area. hope you will think very carefully about the needs of all the population of Dorset, not just small sections of it. This is an oasis of green in a rapidly developing Shaftesbury. f St Marys is kept as a school it would safeguard the habitat already established. t would perhaps be possible to utilise the tennis courts and other sports facilities in some way as to provide income. This is bad survey as the council has decided what the answers are. shall wire to my councillor to express my dissatisfaction with the consultation

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This is such a wonderful opportunity to put right the devastating mistake Mary Warnock made in the 1978 report. She said herself many years later with hindsight this was a catastrophe and she campaigned to reverse it. As a teacher have had many angles and opinions on this subject. feel strongly that we should put this report in the bin where it belongs as Mary Warnock would have done. As she said, what looked sensible on paper did not work in practice. Lets have our Special Education Schools back. This is a perfect facility. This needs to be retained by Dorset Council for Dorset and enabling a good range of services that are currently in high demand around Dorset. This purchase is a real opportunity for Dorset to step away from the current bureaucracy of SEND provision and become a trend setter in supporting both parents and children. A massive chance for change. Dont impose current practices to fit this new opportunity. This school needs to open asap. This site needs proper access provision both for pedestrian and vehicular on the A30, this already being a very busy route. The addition of public transport access also needs to be thought about. Myself and my family are local residents and would like to see this facility properly used and managed. This would be great as we need more SEND facilities as well as more support for vulnerable children and adults. Total and utter waste of Council Tax public's money. You and the entire Dorset Council should be totally and utterly ashamed of yourselves. Transport links will be key for a site like this f there is opportunity to create off‐road walking, cycling or electric buggy paths away from the main road from the school to the town this should also be prioritised to reduce reliance on the existing road and provide safer, multi‐functional access routes. ocational training centre We are at the point where we are considering upper schools for our child. We are having to consider mainstream schools and not sure how our child wil be able to cope. This is a common occurance for families as they try to navigate what the options/opportunities are for their children. f there was a school locally that supported these children it would be fantastic. We are faced with the difficulty of supporting families and pupils within a mainstream setting when they have been deemed suitable for Specialist provisions but there are no available places. We are supportive of Dorset Councils proposals for the St Marys site and look forward to working with you to consider the strategic links between this school and our own, including the new Free School planned to open in Salisbury in 2022. We could all share this amaing site. We do NOT want any parts of the former School's grounds to be sold off for housing or development. The Shaftesbury area has already had more than its fair share of new housing and it does not need more. We need green space in the area, as so much land has been swallowed by unsympathetic housing. Wildlife is driven out. We need safer cycle access between St Mary's and Shaftesbury and other villages WE REALLY NEED A SWMMN POOL N SHAFTESBRY FOR THE COMMNTY We think this is a tremendous opportunity to turn St Mary's into a nation‐leading venue for the provision of services to and the long term care of the most vulnerable in society through a variety or complementary uses such as a special needs school, long term accommodation for special needs adults, adult learning, respite care and a day centre. Well done Dorset CC North Dorset deserves a better sporting venue Well done on such a brave and imaginative move in the middle of such difficult times. This is a real boost to this area, and Dorset generally Well done and thankyou.

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Whatever happens, it would be lovely if the past St. Mary's staff and students could occasionally use the chapel and have the occasional reunion event somewhere on the site. Best of luck, hope it becomes something great for Dorset. Watching with interest. When first heard of this purchase was sceptical about a loan for the purchase offset against the reduction in budget for local councils and the deficit following Dorset moving to a unitary authority. Now know there are 3000 identified children within Dorset reuiring some level of care, can see the financial argument for this provision but would like to know how this would fit in with, for example, the work of Yewstock School in North Dorset. strongly disagree with sub‐letting the site to an independent school for special educational needs. Whilst am in agreement for increasing SEND provision in Dorset think St Marys offers an exciting opportunity to provide support for a wide range of young people in different ways through sport, youth facilities, young entrepreneurs workshops. Some of the SEND pupils might graduate to the entrepreneur facilities where they could contribute positively. The entrepreneurs could have a clause in their contracts to provide paid work for apprentices from either the SEND school or Shaftesbury school. t could be an integrated nursery to adult facility that would become an important hub in the Shaftesbury & wider area community. Will the Council please bear in mind potential audible noise sources, light pollutiuon and increased traffic to the site that might arise from proposed uses. believe this is in a dark skys designated area. Wish you could arrange a more productive use loft Nordon rather then housing Wishing you all the blessings you need to make the venture truly fruitful and fulfilling. With the school being in Wiltshire, there may be problems having to negotiate, get planning permission, etc from the Wiltshire Council. There will need to be very careful analysis of the financial implications. Would Wiltshire Council contribute to costs if they were able to send children there and how much would this be detrimental to the number of places available to Dorset children. Wonderful acuisition ‐ looking forward to how it works out. Would be good to still be able to use the swimming pool for local residents Would be nice for the local community to have access to the sports facilities Would be wonderful to keep the swimming pool open to members. We used to swim 4 times a week at St Marys as members. Was well run Would like to the sports facilities offered to locals and clubs Would truly be amaing to have something like this in shaftesbury. You could also use trusted prisoners from uys Marsh to help out with supervised teaching and keeping the grounds maintained. This would help in the rehabilatation keep costs down allow the prisoners to gain more ualifications. You MST provide reasonably priced and access times for the residents of North Dorset We really do need a public swimming pool for Shaftesbury You should also set up a chef academy there as extensive kitchens already exist. n terms of access to the school, you could set up an eco railway using the old lines that ran to shaftesbury village. attended st.marys shaftesbury for 9 years and it gave me a tremendous schooling experience. feel very strongly young people can benefit from the facilities, surroundings and potential of that environment. Thank you dorset county council for purchasing the school and seeking to really make a difference to people in your county by providing SEND and also to create opportunity for young people.

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St Mary's Shaftesbury School Consultation

The Consultation The consultation is open from Thursday 4 February 2021 to midnight Thursday 18 March 2021 and we anticipate will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Alternative formats of this survey are available by contacting the communications team at commsdorsetcouncil.gov.uk e.g. large print/braille/audio version/other language or if you need assistance completing this form.

Are you responding as...? A resident of Dorset Council A parent of a child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) A parent or carer of a person who is disabled over 16 years old A representative of a business A local organisation/community group A local parish/town council/ statutory organisation Other (e.g. Councillor) Please specify below

What is your postcode? (mandatory field)

1 Business/Organisational responses only

Are you providing your organisation/business' official response? Yes No

Name of the business Name of council/organisation/community group

What type organisation/business are are you?

Your name (if responding on behalf of an organisation) Your details will only be used for the purposes of this survey and will be held in accordance with our Data Protection Your contact email/phone if responding on behalf of Policy. This can be found at council/business/organisation/community group (optional) www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/ data-protection

The potential uses of the former St Mary's School Site, Shaftesbury

Dorset Council's preferred option for the site is to expand its provision of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for the county. The St Mary's site not only offers this potential but also a wide range of other possibilities that would make good use of the site.

Would you like to see the St Mary's School site to continue to be used for educational purposes? Yes No Not sure

Could you please explain your answer?

2 Do you support the proposals to open a school for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities at St Mary's School, Shaftesbury?

Strongly agree Disagree Agree Strongly disagree Neither agree nor disagree Don't know

Could you please explain your answer?

Do you support the proposals for the additional use of the St Mary's site to create a campus with complementary facilities for vulnerable children, young people and adults?

Strongly agree Disagree Agree Strongly disagree Neither agree nor disagree Don't know

Could you please explain your answer?

3 Below are some of the other uses we have considered for the St Mary's School site. Do you agree with the following? Agree Disagree Don't know A centre for respite care A training and conferencing suite Leasing the site to an Independent School provider Innovation centre for a STEM start-up businesses

Could you please explain your answer?

Any e on possible other uses you think would work well for the St Marys School site?

4 Any other comments

About You We collect diversity information, not only to ensure any changes do not unfairly impact on specific sectors of the community, but also to try to make sure our consultation response comes from a representative sample of local residents. We would appreciate if you can complete the following details.

Which age group do you belong to? What is your gender?

Under 18 45 - 54 Male 18 - 24 55 - 64 Female 25 - 34 65 or over Prefer to self describe 35 - 44 Prefer not to say Prefer not to say

The Equality Act 2010 describes a person as disabled if they have a longstanding physical or mental condition that has lasted, or is likely to last 12 months; and this condition has a substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. People with some conditions (cancer, multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS for example) are considered to be disabled from the point that they are diagnosed.

Do you consider yourself to be disabled as set out in the Equality Act 2010?

Yes No Prefer not to say

If yes, please tell us which type of impairment applies to you. You may have more than one type of impairment, so please select all the impairments that apply to you

Physical disability Sensory impairment (hearing, Sight or both) Learning disability / difficulty Prefer not to say Long-standing illness or health condition Other (please specify) Mental health condition 5 What best describes your sexual orientation?

Bi I use another term (please describe below) Gay/lesbian Prefer not to say Heterosexual/Straight

What best describes your religion/belief?

Buddhist Sikh Christian No Religion Hindu Other (please describe) ewish Prefer not to say Muslim

Please specify your ethnic group? White British Black/Black British - African White Irish Black/Black British - Caribbean Gypsy/Irish traveller Any other Black background Any other White background Mixed ethnic background - White and Asian Asian/Asian British - Bangladeshi Mixed ethnic background - White and Black African Asian/Asian British - Chinese Mixed ethnic background - White and Black Caribbean Asian/Asian British - Indian Any other mixed background Asian/Asian British - Pakistani Prefer not to say Any other Asian background Any other ethnic group (please specify)

Would you like to be kept informed of progress on the St Mary's site project by e-newsletter?

Yes

Please leave your email here to receive the e-newsletter

Thank you for your time completing our survey.

Please return your form to: Kim Saint, Dorset Council, Childrens' Services, County Hall, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1

By the closing date of midnight 18 May 2021.