1. To consider the outcome of the consultation on the statutory notice that was published subsequent to the decisions of Cabinet on 27 July 2010.
2. To make recommendations concerning the closure of the Pre-School Specialist Learning Centre at St Mary’s Infant School Marlborough based on the response to the statutory notice.
Decision type: Non-key
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Decision due: 24 Mar 2011 by Cabinet Member for Children's Services
Lead member: Cllr Lionel Grundy OBE lionel.grundy@wiltshire.gov.uk
Department: Families and Children
Contact: Stephanie Denovan, Service Director for Schools and Learning 01225 713838 email: stephanie.denovan@wiltshire.gov.uk stephanie.denovan@wiltshire.gov.uk Tel: 01225 713838.
Consultation process
3. A public consultation on the Review of Special Educational Needs (SEN) Provision was held from 22 February to 24 May 2010. The outcome of that review was reported to Cabinet on 27 July 2010 where the decision was taken to proceed with all of the recommendations. Subsequent to the meeting 12 statutory notices were published on 9 September 2010. The proposals covered by those statutory notices related to changes to the age range and designation of special schools along with the closure of a number of specialist learning centres in primary schools.
4. On 27 July 2010 Cabinet also agreed that a statutory notice be issued for closure of the Pre School Specialist Learning Centre at St Mary’s Infant School in Marlborough so that it could become part of the Early Years SEN Network, subject to a contractor being engaged to take over the running of the provision. As the process to find a new provider had not been concluded at that stage it was not possible to publish this statutory notice at that stage. It was published on 13 January 2011 when it was clear that a provider was to be engaged to take over the pre-school SEN work for the area.
5. There has been one response to the statutory notice asking for clarification of a number of points and saying how important that they had felt the provision to be for their child in the past.
6. An e-mail response was previously received from Dorset County Council supporting all the proposed changes in the review as they aimed to improve SEN provision in Wiltshire so there was a better match between identified need and available provision.