RIVERSIDE SCHOOL
PROPOSED CHANGE OF THE SCHOOL’S LOWER AGE LIMIT
East Riding of Yorkshire Council is proposing to change Riverside School’s lower age limit from five years of age to two years of age.
Local Authority Details
Pupil Services Children, Families and Schools East Riding of Yorkshire Council County Hall Cross Street Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire HU17 9BA
School Details
Riverside School is a Community Special School and the school address is:
Riverside School Ainsty Street Goole East Riding of Yorkshire DN14 5JS
Description of Alteration and Evidence of Demand
The lower age limit of the school is currently five years of age and East Riding of Yorkshire Council is proposing to change this to two years of age.
There are a small number of children will have identified in their Education, Health and Care Plan that it would be more appropriate for them to start at a special school nursery from the term after their second birthday. Other young children may benefit from an assessment period as part of the preparation of their Education, Health and Care Plan. A lowering of the age limit of the school to two years of age would allow these pupils to access the nursery class.
The lower age limit of the school is currently five years of age. The school is therefore unable to cater for nursery or reception age children. Children with special educational needs aged two to five years of age therefore have to attend alternative settings to access appropriate provision, sometimes at some distance from their home address. Some of these children will then continue at their existing setting, though the travel to school distance and time is quite considerable. For those that choose to transfer to Riverside at age five, there is an additional transition to undertake.
Objectives
The new provision would enable children to start at the special school at two, three or four years of age, as appropriate, where it is identified through their Education, Health and Care Plan. Some children may benefit from an assessment period as part of the preparation of their Education, Health and Care Plan as well. A lowering of the age limit of the school to two years of age would allow these pupils to access the nursery class.
Other Proposed Changes
It is intended to create a common offer for the current special schools, King’s Mill, Riverside and St. Anne’s, so that all children with severe and complex learning needs can attend the designated special school within their geographical area (North, West and East).
In order to create three area special schools with a common provision, the following changes are also being proposed, but are subject to separate public notices.
King’s Mill School - Change in Special Educational Needs Characteristics to Severe and Complex Learning Needs Change in upper age limit from 19 years of age to 25 years of age
St Anne’s School - Change in Special Educational Needs Characteristics to Severe and Complex Learning Needs Change in upper age limit from 19 years of age to 25 years of age Change in lower age limit from 3 years of age to 2 years of age
Riverside School - Change in Special Educational Needs Characteristics to Severe and Complex Learning Needs Change in upper age limit from 16 years of age to 25 years of age
Table of Provision if All Proposals are Approved
School SEN Characteristics Age Nursery Range Provision Riverside School, Severe and Complex Learning Needs 2 - 25 Yes Goole King’s Mill School, Severe and Complex Learning Needs 2 - 25 Yes Driffield St Anne’s School, Severe and Complex Learning Needs 2 - 25 Yes Welton
Impact on other Schools and Academies
Two, three and four year old children are currently attending a variety of settings and schools to access their special educational needs provision. The impact on any individual school or setting would therefore be minimal.
Project Costs
Funding of £4.4m has been approved as part of the Council’s forward Capital Programme for the development of Area Special Schools. This funding is subject to sufficient future allocations and appropriate approvals being obtained
It is anticipated that the majority of the capital funding will be required to remodel and extend the provision at Riverside School to meet the needs of pupils with severe and complex needs. There are separate proposals to change the special educational needs characteristics of the school and to extend the upper age limit of the school as it currently does not have post 16 provision and these costs will also be met from the capital allocation.
Revenue costs will be funded through the normal pupil funding process.
Consultation
Consultation on this and the proposals detailed above were undertaken in January 2014. A copy of the consultation document can be found at-
http://www2.eastriding.gov.uk/learning/schools-colleges-and-academies/schools-and-school- places/special-schools/
Implementation
It is proposed to extend the lower age limit of the school to two years of age on 1 September 2017.
Responses to Proposal
Representation on the proposals, including support, objections or comments on the proposal should be sent by email or post to:
Email: [email protected]
Post: Alison Mottershaw School Organisation Officer Pupil Services Children, Families and Schools East Riding of Yorkshire Council County Hall Cross Street Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire HU17 9BA
All correspondence must be received no later than Friday 7 November 2014. Responses on the proposal will normally be made publicly available. Should you not wish this, please mark you response as confidential.