As more children need help learning, more specialist education places are being proposed for Medina House in Newport.
The Island has the 5th highest number of pupils on education, health and care (EHC) plans across England at more than 1,400.
Medina House is currently oversubscribed, with 95 students on the roll and capacity for just 83. The Isle of Wight Council therefore wants to increase the capacity for 4 to 11-year-olds after a review found more primary school children with special educational needs required a specialist school place.
In a £30,000 plan, it wants to expand Medina House to take 104 pupils with complex learning difficulties, including Autism, physical disabilities, behavioural difficulties and hearing and visual impairments. The funding would come from the education budget already set aside for special needs. If approved, the extra places would be available for children to start in September at Medina House’s current sites.
The council has said in the next 4 years, the number of children on EHC plans could rise to nearly 1,560.
A drop-in session has been arranged for parents and carers to find out about the proposal and ask questions. It is being held on Thursday (27th April) between 13:00 and 14:30 at the Help Hut at Medina House School. Comments can be submitted until 19th May, via letter to Jade Kennett, Strategic Development, County Hall, Newport, IOW, PO30 1UD or by email to [email protected].
The Council said it is committed to improving inclusive provision and aims to meet the needs of all children and young people. It says where possible it tries to help children in their local schools to integrate them but for all students that may not be possible.
Some young people have such significant and complex needs that they require specialist facilities and resources, it said, and that demand is growing.
You can find out more information about the proposal here.
Stopping all the idiots on the island from breeding would be a better idea. It’s getting worse than Norfolk over here.
As more children need help learning,
well – if the parents actually did the job they are supposed to do, then the kids will already be several steps ahead by the time they arrive at school, however, judging by the standard of adults that you see dragging these kids around town, it is no surprise that they are lacking in basic skills.