School to be used for SEND pupils after closure

A village primary school will be used as a temporary space for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) after it closes in the summer, it has been announced.

It was confirmed earlier in March that Dean Hole CofE Primary School, in the rural village of Caunton in Nottinghamshire, which only has eight pupils, will shut from 31 August.

The plan to close the site as a primary school still stands, but on Thursday it was announced that it would act as a satellite education facility for current pupils with identified SEND.

Five pupils at the school have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) - a legal document for children with SEND - with a sixth student applying for one.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the decision made by Nottinghamshire County Council means that staff and pupils who still use the site will be on the roll for Newark Orchard special school.

Anne Coyle, executive director of children and families at the authority, said: "We're talking about a plan for two years, for the current children who have the highest need at the school that would otherwise have to be placed much further away due to their current EHCP needs.

"Longer term, the units, pupils and staff will move to the site nearer Newark."

Simon Wright, cabinet member for education and SEND, said he recognised the decision to close the school had been "extremely upsetting", and added: "I am genuinely sorry for the distress and uncertainty this has caused.

"We're working closely with families to ensure all pupils are supported to move to the appropriate alternative provision and with Newark Orchard special school to secure suitable specialist placements in line with parental preferences.

"While the school is not suitable for long-term SEND use, we recognise the strength of feeling locally to avoid children having to travel long distances."

Conservative councillor Bruce Laughton, who represents the village in his division, welcomed the decision to retain the site for temporary SEND educational purposes.

He said: "The process of this decision being made to close the school has both traumatised the parents and in particularly the children in this school.

"I met with them last Thursday – quite a harrowing experience."

A consultation on the school's future took place from 14 January to 11 February.

It received 95 responses, with 54 respondents voting against the school's closure, the LDRS said.

However, 80% of those opposing the closure cited "community-based" reasons, expressing worries over the loss of the buildings and grounds for community and village use rather than educational concerns.

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