The Portfolio Holder Decisions/Leader Decisions meeting was scheduled to discuss the potential establishment of a new specialist provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) at Wembrook Primary School in Nuneaton. This would involve a statutory consultation process.

Consultation on the Establishment of a SEND Resourced Provision

The meeting was scheduled to consider the proposal to establish a Resourced Provision at Wembrook Primary School in Nuneaton. This provision would cater for up to eight primary-aged pupils with an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) whose primary needs are related to communication and interaction. The report pack indicated that the local authority has a responsibility under section 14 of the Education Act 1996 to ensure sufficient schools and specialist provision are available.

Resourced Provisions are described as purpose-built areas within existing schools designed to support children with additional needs while allowing them to attend mainstream settings. The aim is to provide specialist support within the community, reduce waiting times for placements, and minimise travel times for pupils.

The proposal included undertaking a statutory process, which involves a public consultation period of at least four weeks, as required by Department for Education guidance on 'Making Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools'. The consultation was planned to run from 22 June to 19 July 2026, with information shared through the school's communication channels and the council's Ask Warwickshire platform.

The report pack highlighted that this initiative is part of a wider county-wide strategy to develop various types of Resourced Provision across Warwickshire. Currently, there are 40 established Resourced Provisions in primary and secondary schools across the county. If approved following consultation, the new provision at Wembrook Primary School was anticipated to open in the autumn term of 2026.

Financial implications noted in the report pack stated that any costs associated with the consultation would be met from existing revenue budgets. Should the decision be made to proceed after the consultation, capital costs for remodelling and refurbishing existing space within the school to accommodate the learners would be incurred, intended to be funded by existing education capital funding. The report also mentioned that establishing such provisions is part of the council's strategy to manage the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) by reducing reliance on more expensive independent specialist provision and focusing on effective in-county support. Furthermore, enabling children to access education closer to home could help manage the cost of home-to-school transport.

Environmental implications were also considered, with the report stating that direct environmental impacts from the decision to consult would be minimal. However, any future capital works would involve environmental considerations related to materials and sustainability, which would be detailed in subsequent reports. The report also suggested a potential positive environmental impact through reduced transport emissions due to the development of more local education provision.

The report pack indicated that Councillor Wayne Briggs, Portfolio Holder for Children & Families, Education and SEND, would be considering the undertaking of this statutory process. The report was authored by Emma Basden-Smith, Strategy and Commissioning Manager.