Council builds first assessment centre for three to five-year-olds with special educational needs

The works, part of the council's commitment to ensure young people in the borough can live healthy lives and have access to the best possible educational opportunities, have created new inclusive facilities that will offer 32 additional school places for children with SEND. 

On Friday 21 June, Cllr Susan O'Brien, Hillingdon Council's Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education and Cllr Jonathan Bianco, Hillingdon Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport visited the school to see its new, bespoke specialist resource provision (SRP) and the borough's first assessment centre for three to five-year-olds. 

The SRP provides tailored support for 16 primary-aged children with autistic spectrum conditions who are also benefitting from being part of mainstream classes. 

The assessment centre offers 16 full-time places (32 part-time) for nursery-age children who have severe developmental delays and other complex needs. Each child will receive personalised support and have the option of remaining at the centre until they transition to reception.  

The new facilities are spread across two floors within the existing building and include group therapy and sensory rooms, SRP and assessment centre classrooms, accessible toilets, store facilities and a kitchen. 

Cllr O'Brien said: "We want to make sure that every child or young person has access to a high quality education near their home and community.  

"As part of our commitment to creating thriving, healthy households, our school improvement and expansion programme is delivering much-needed additional school places in the borough for our children with SEND. 

"It's important we meet the demand for this specialist provision quickly, and it's required us to carefully examine how spaces at our schools are used, identifying buildings that can be adapted, expanded or repurposed. It's wonderful to now see these coming to life and children starting to benefit from them."  

Headteacher Nicky Bulpett said: "I am excited to be the first school in Hillingdon opening an assessment centre for nursery-age children. There are few across the country, and they aim to ensure that young children are assessed much earlier in life and have their needs identified.    

"It means that we will be able to signpost parents towards the most appropriate settings and provision for their children, with evidence suggesting that early intervention maximises outcomes for young people, and it will be fantastic to be able to contribute towards this process."  

For more information about support for families, children and young people with SEND at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/send-local-offer.