On Wednesday (6th March), the Chancellor of the Exchequer committed an initial £105 million towards a wave of fifteen special free schools to create over 2,000 additional places for children who require tailored support outside the mainstream environment.
Jeremy Quin, Member of Parliament for Horsham, is delighted that West Sussex is to benefit with one of the fifteen schools opening in the County.
Jeremy said “It is great that our County will benefit from a new Alternative Provision School. In my regular meetings with our local Headteachers, I have hard the need for more varied provision locally and promised them I would push for greater support in our area. An Alternative Provision School provides an appropriate setting for children requiring more intensive support, including those who have needed to be excluded permanently or temporarily.
“All children deserve access to an education that meets their needs. Heads in the mainstream environment need reassurance that there are a range of mechanisms in place to support them. This includes support for children who need assistance to reintegrate into the mainstream environment or for whom that environment has proved inappropriate.”
Provision within the county will not only be helpful for the pupils, parents and schools concerned it should also reduce travel costs enabling more money to be reinvested in special educational needs provision.
“It is great that our County will benefit from a new AP school and I am actively following this up with the DfE and the Trust that has been approved to run the school.”