New SEND School

A CONSULTATION on the creation of a new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school in Rayleigh was launched on Friday February 23 by Essex County Council.

The new school, at Wolsey Park, off Rawreth Lane, is expected to create 100 plus new places for children with additional needs in the area.

The council has been working closely with Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, to identify a suitable site and funding sources to create the new school. Mr Francois originally launched a campaign to create a new SEND school in South Essex in the House of Commons last July.

Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the school would be a through school, catering for pupils from the ages of three to 18.

If planning permission is approved, construction could start in early 2025, and the new school will open to its first pupils in the 2025/26 academic year.

During this process, there will be a competition to identify which Multi Academy Trust will run the new school.

The facility will be funded by Essex County Council and section 106 payments secured from major housing developments in the local area. This is a unique and innovative approach in Essex.

Councillor Tony Ball, Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, said: “We are committed to helping all children in Essex get the best possible start in life. This includes providing access to excellent education in mainstream or special schools.

“We know demand for special needs places in South Essex currently outstrips supply, so this exciting new school is specifically designed to help meet this pressing need.

“We now want to hear from the local community about the proposals and I would urge residents to have their say during the consultation.”

Mr Francois said: “We do not currently have a special needs school anywhere in the Rochford District, so creating this new school in Rayleigh, should help to meet that vital, local need.

“I launched this campaign after meeting many frustrated parents at my constituency surgeries, who were desperate for a special needs place for their child but could not obtain one.

“I would like to commend Essex County Council for all their proactive endeavours on this project and I hope we will now receive a very positive response to the consultation, over the next few weeks, so the school can then open next academic year.”

Martin Leach, Managing Director, Countryside Major Projects (now part of the Vistry Group), the developer of Wolsey Park, said: “We are pleased that Wolsey Park has been chosen as a potential location for a proposed new SEND school and are happy to support the council’s initiative by making the land available for this new school alongside a separate space for pre-school aged children.

“The provision of a dedicated SEND school and pre-school places is a worthy objective and would make a positive difference to many families locally. We are therefore pleased to support this initiative.”

The consultation on the proposals will close at midnight on Friday April 5.

Take part at: consultations.essex.gov.uk/school-organisation/wolseypark.

Separately, plans are being developed to increase mainstream education capacity at St. Nicholas Church of England Primary School to 30 pupils per year group. This would be funded by section 106 contributions.

Land near to the proposed Rawreth Lane site is also set to be retained for future Early Years provision.

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