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 1 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. 2 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. 3 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.