Note: On 20th May 2015 this bid was merged with that of the Brooke Weston Trust with Brooke Weston agreeing to support this bid. Brooke Weston will therefore be identifying up to two governors to be appointed by the members of Free Special School Trust. They will also contribute to the steering group of this bid. The proposed free school will not be part of the Brooke Weston Academy Trust but will stand as an autonomous trust in its own right. Their experience and expertise will further strengthen the team significantly. This also allows the LA to completely back this bid having previously had to maintain a neutral stance with competing bids under consideration.

We must put in place a system that works well for every child and every family. 'Support and aspiration: a new approach to special educational needs and disability' consultation DFE 2011

Rationale:

Our proposal is for the creation of a free special school in Corby. This school would offer provision for children with three distinct categories of needs (and rights) between the ages of 4 and 18. The proposal envisages 56 places for pupils with and SLD / PMLD presentation, 28 with a complex autistic presentation and 16 with a higher functioning autistic presentation. Many of these children are currently placed in educational provision already and can be named as belonging to any of five different groups:  Children who are in the assessment process which will culminate in an EHC plan. These children may be of pre-school age or placed currently in mainstream settings.  Children with statements or EHC plans currently attending mainstream provision due to lack of capacity in specialist settings (special schools and DSPs)  Children attending DSPs but whose families have indicated a preference for a special school placement (due to the family's inability to transport these children are unable to attend special schools in or further afield)  Children currently attending special schools in Kettering, transported daily to and from school by their parents  Children attending special schools in Kettering and transported by the LA as a result of exceptional circumstances (the complexity of the children's needs would render the DSP provision inappropriate, or their application for admission to DSP came when the DSPs were at full capacity).

The number of children accessing special schools in Northamptonshire has increased over the past four years from 1037 to 1296. This represents an increase of almost 30 %. It is also projected that the county’s population will grow by 15% between 2009 and 2019.

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Although the county does not hold data relating to the comparative incidence of the specific needs, the special schools have indicated that there is significant demand in the areas identified. The special schools are at full capacity (and beyond) and significant numbers of children have not been able to access special school due to this level of demand. Data from portage / Early Years Service indicates that this year there are 39 children of Nursery or reception age who are likely to require placements in specialist provision. The EHC plans for these children are currently being drafted. Although some may initially be placed in schools with resource DSPs most will require more specialist provision. The two possible destinations for these children, Kingsley School in Kettering and Beanfield DSP in Corby, have between them capacity to admit no more than 12 of these children.

Building projects in Corby and Kettering are currently proceeding with an overall increase of 11,000 new residential properties. Mainstream provision for children of families occupying these homes is planned but there is no additional planned special school provision.

The table below indicates the projected percent growth in various areas in Northamptonshire between 2015 and 2019 in terms