The meeting of the Portfolio Holder Decisions/Leader Decisions committee was scheduled to discuss the potential establishment of a new specialist provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The report pack indicated that a recommendation was made to approve the commencement of a statutory consultation process for this proposal.

Consultation on the Establishment of a SEND Resourced Provision

The primary item scheduled for discussion was the proposed establishment of 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 (C&I).

The report pack outlined that local authorities have a responsibility under section 14 of the Education Act 1996 to ensure sufficient school places, including specialist provision, are available. The council aims to increase the availability of Resourced Provisions across local school networks, allowing children to access quality education within their communities. Resourced Provisions are described as purpose-built areas within existing schools designed to support children with additional needs while they attend mainstream settings.

The proposal to establish this provision at Wembrook Primary School would require a statutory process, including a public consultation period of at least four weeks, in line with guidance from the Department for Education. The report pack indicated that the proposed consultation would take place between 22 June and 19 July 2026, with information shared via the school's communication channels and the council's Ask Warwickshire consultation platform.

The report pack also detailed that admissions to the Resourced Provision would follow a separate panel process for specialist admissions, distinct from the mainstream school's admissions. It was anticipated that the provision could open in the autumn term of 2026.

Financially, any costs associated with the consultation itself would be met from existing revenue budgets. If the decision is made to proceed after the consultation, there would be capital costs for remodelling and refurbishing existing space within the school to accommodate the learners. These capital works would be funded by existing education capital funding and would be covered in a subsequent Cabinet paper. The report pack highlighted that establishing Resourced 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 by enabling children to access education closer to home, which can also help manage home-to-school transport costs.

Environmental implications were noted as minimal for the consultation phase, with future reports addressing environmental considerations for any capital works. However, the report pack suggested a potential positive environmental impact through reduced transport emissions due to the provision of more local education options.

The report was authored by Emma Basden-Smith, Strategy and Commissioning Manager, and was reviewed by Director of Education Johnny Kyriacou and Executive Director for Children and Young People John Coleman. The Portfolio Holder for Children & Families, Education and SEND, Councillor Wayne Briggs, was the decision-maker for this item.